Page 59 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

A quick surge of panic ran through me as I realized that I might’ve just made a major faux pas. I scrambled for an excuse.

“Yeah. An emotional pregnant employee is probably the last thing they want to deal with right now. Not even six months at the job and I’ll already need to be asking about maternity leave.”

Maddie's voice was firm. "One step at a time. Forget the guys for a moment. Forget the shop, forget Klaus. What doyouwant to do? How do you feel about this?”

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Scared, mostly. I never expected this. I was so careful. But now, the reality is setting in, and I don’t know what to do."

She tilted her head, her eyes searching mine. “And the father?”

My mouth went dry. “Well, I’m not sure who it is.”

Maddie, looking thoughtful, took a sip of her latte. "Well, that’s going to be a conversation, isn’t it?"

“Understatement of the century,” I muttered.

She looked at me with unwavering support. “J, regardless of the situation, you're not alone. You have me, okay? And we'll figure this out together."

I looked at her, gratitude flooding me. "Thank you, Maddie. Really, thank you."

She grinned. "What are friends for? And if you need a cool aunt for your kid, just let me know."

“Deal.”

I smiled, and in that little corner of the coffee shop, amidst all the uncertainty in my life, Maddie became my anchor.

* * *

The resolve that brewed in me after my chat with Maddie propelled me straight to Kai’s office. My heels clicked purposefully against the tiled floor, echoing the rhythm of my heartbeat. I could do this. I had to.

As I stood outside the office door, a whirlwind of emotions consumed me. The familiar scent of ink and leather from within tugged at my heartstrings. Thoughts raced through my mind; what if they didn't want this? What if it changed everything between us? But buried beneath the anxiety and trepidation was a steadfast conviction.

This was our child, our future, and they had every right to know. Despite the overwhelming fear that threatened to paralyze me, there was an underlying certainty that telling them was the right thing to do. I needed to be brave for the life growing inside me, for the new journey we were all unknowingly embarking on. Taking a deep, steadying breath, I pushed the door open.

Nothing could’ve prepared me for what I saw on the other side.

Adele, clad only in her impossibly tight jeans and a black bra, was sitting on Kai’s lap. Kai sat in his chair, looking utterly befuddled, eyes wide, and jaw slack, his gaze going from Adele to me. The room felt colder, the air charged with an electricity that made my skin tingle.

A few beats of awkward silence stretched, feeling like eternity.

I crossed my arms, eyebrows raised. "Apparently I’m interrupting something."

Adele, with her trademark giggle, hopped off Kai’s lap and began gathering her discarded top, all while sporting a mischievous smirk.

"Just showing the boss here my latest piece," she purred, slowly dragging her fingertip over a tattoo that curved around her ribcage.

Kai, still seeming to process the situation, finally cleared his throat. "Julia, this isn’t what it—"

I held up a hand, silencing him. "Save it. Not the time.”

Adele, slipping into her top, cast a sly glance in my direction, clearly enjoying the power she thought she wielded in that moment.

"It’s my fault for not knocking.”

As she sashayed past me, the scent of her heavy perfume lingering, I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"We're not done here," I hissed quietly, though whether it was a threat or a promise, even I wasn't sure.

“We’ll see about that,” she muttered, flashing me one last smirk before departing.

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