Page 5 of Faux Beau's Baby Surprise

Reese, my boss, pokes his head out of the workshop. “Hey, Drew, we’re ready for you.”

“One sec,” I mouth quickly. Everyone’s in the office today, on a Saturday, for my presentation. Don’t want to keep them waiting.

But Dana’s more important.

“Anyway, you were saying?”

“Yes, lunch. Meet me for lunch.”

Dana sighs, “I’m out with Kira.”

My heart sinks just a tad. Only a tad. I love the whole Solace family. More than that, I love how much Dana loves her family. I’m out here on my own. It’s nice to be a part of their fold. I’d be lying, though, if I didn’t say I was looking forward to potentially some one on one time with Dana. “Well, bring her. The more, the merrier.”

“You sure?” she asks, her voice bright.

“Of course! Just tell her to be nice to me.”

“Oh, she’s always nice.”

Harley might be the sassiest Solace girl, but Kira’s got this scathing wit that seems to come out of nowhere. She’s quiet and a bit mousey, thenboom. She reads you for filth. “Yeah, so nice that she told me one time that my haircut made me look like Jeff Bezos.”

“You have to admit, itwasa bad haircut.”

“Dana. Jeff Bezos is bald,” I reply.

I hear Kira say something on the other end and the two girls both laugh.

“I hear you talking about me!”

“She says he wasn’t always bald.”

I try to restrain my smile. “Do you want me to take you two out to lunch or not?”

“Yes! Yes, please. Say sorry, Kira.”

Dana and Kira bicker for a moment before I hear Kira say, “Fine. Sorry. I won’t say anything about your hair ever again.”

“Or lack thereof,” I reply.

Kira laughs wildly and then Dana gets back on the phone. “Where and when?”

“What are you feeling?” I ask.

“Drew–“ Reed pokes his head out again, jerking his head back into the room. “We’re. Ready. For. You!”

I ignore him in lieu of Dana’s answer. “Tacos.”

“Great. Rietta’s at one. Sound good?”

“Perfect.”

Yes. Perfect.

We exchange goodbyes; when I hang up, I try not to stand there and swoon too long. I’ve got a presentation to do.

“Sorry, had to take a phone call!” I announce as I walk into the workshop. “I know you’re all on the edge of your seats, so–‘’ I grin and scan the crowd of my peers. When you think of engineers, I bet you imagine people who are nerdy and strait-laced. Here, though, at Filston Technology, we’re an eclectic bunch of outsiders with piercings, tattoos, and no dress code to speak of. We’re in it for the love of the game, not the money.

Although, it helps that the money is good.

---