Page 102 of Broken Daddy

He pulls back and gives me a charming, lopsided smile.

“Who wouldn’t be with everything we’ve got, Genevieve Walker?”

Chapter44

Nathan

Jenson is in the barn again, only this time, I’m not ready to fight him.

He’s bent over an open binder, comparing photos to the sheath of blueprints I’ve pulled out. Six years’ worth of a hobby. Ofwork.At least, that’s what Jenson’s trying to convince me.

“You need to pivot. Every company does, eventually. And this is it, Nate.”

He stands up, gesturing to the portfolio. Specifically, an intricate China cabinet I created a few months ago—before Gen, when I tried to fill my anxious time with staying busy.

“You want Ironside to go from a construction business to boutique carpentry?”

“Not exactly. I think you can meld the two together. Obviously, you should keep Owl Factory small-scale. But clients will pay for this kind of craftsmanship, Nate. And this way, you can step away from Ironside—stay an investor, if you’d like, and have a say on the board. But it won’t have to suck the life out of you anymore.”

That sounds…

Nice.

It sounds like exactly what I need. Since winning Gen back, all I can think about is her.Life.Eva and our baby, who is well on its way. Hell, even the dog.

I want more of that.

I want more of the things that matter. Making more money just doesn’t hold the same appeal anymore.

“Not everyone has to get swallowed up by their work,” Jenson suggests, as if reading my mind. He settles into a junky computer chair nearby and crosses his legs.

“That’s pretty ironic, coming from you. You just took over ownership of a company a year ago.”

He smirks. I can see us in it, the Sharpe family genes. At least, the pieces of it we’re finally fitting together.

“True. But I’m playing a long game, Nate. You’ve been at this for, what, two decades now? Maybe it’s time you slow down.” He tips his head to the side, a sly look on his face. “Heard you’re going to need some vacation time, anyway.”

My eyes narrow.

Chris and Jenson already know. All of it—I finally admitted it to Chris—that my feelings for Gen were more than just physical. And when I broke the news about the pregnancy, he literally jumped up and let out a ridiculouswhoop!

I’ve decided to try and forge a relationship with Jenson. Not one like what Chris and I have, but something close, maybe. A few days after getting Gen back, we went to brunch with my half brother and his wife. We broke the news there, and though I know he has a lot of questions, the pair were happy for us. Which is good enough, for now.

Can’t talk about the pregnancy without talking logistics, though, so it also came out that Gen’s taking over as Saucer’s executive chef. It’ll be a four-month stint, and then planned maternity leave. But hopefully long enough to establish a new menu and get the team operating sufficiently.

Shaking my head, I try to bring the focus back to the present.

“So.IfI were interested in doing this, how would I go about it?” Genuine curiosity takes over as Jenson starts to explain the details of scaling down Ironside and building up Owl Factory.

As much as I want to focus, though, my mind is elsewhere…in a few days Gen has her next ultrasound appointment.

We’ll be finding out if we’re having a boy or a girl.

And later, at home—at my house,I mentally correct, having honored Gen’s wish to live separately until we figure out what comes after Germany—we’ll tell Eva the news that she’s going to be a big sister over lunch.

My heart does a little jump in my chest at the thought of how excited she’ll be. It’s been tough for her, being an only child. And while this isn’t really the classic family setup, it’s the one we’ve made for ourselves. And one that makes me feel whole.

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