Page 38 of One More Baby for the Boss

Jack cleared his throat and continued. “Now Alex lives with us,” he said, touching Alex’s branch of the tree. “Alex is my friend, and she helps take care of me. And she makes Dad happy. Dad said it was up to me who I put on my family tree, but I think Alex is a part of my family, because we care about each other. And that’s what makes people a family.”

He stepped back and gave a little bow that made the adults in the room chuckle fondly. Everyone applauded, and Jack beamed and went back to his place in line.

Alex was both deeply embarrassed and deeply touched. The way Jack had described their relationship had made it sound as if she really was a part of the family — as if she was involved with Elijah or something. She knew that was what everyone in the room would take away from what he had shared. They would all think she was dating Elijah.

Then again, could she blame anyone for thinking that? It wasn’t so far from the truth. They weren’t formally dating, but they were certainly cohabitating, spending their days together, caring for a child together, and even sleeping with each other — though she still didn’t know whether that was an ongoing thing or a one-time incident, or even which she would choose if it was up to her.

How could Jack have been expected to describe their situation without it coming across like a romantic entanglement? Alex wouldn’t have been able to describe it without making it sound like one. She wasn’t even sure it would have been valid to say that itwasn’ta romantic entanglement. Maybe it should sound like that.

After all, it wasn’t like she didn’t have feelings for him.

But right now, the biggest thing she felt was anger. She boiled in her chair throughout the rest of the presentation. Jack’s eyes had found her in the crowd now, and she saw his face fall slowly as he realized that his father wasn’t with her — that he hadn’t shown up.

Where the hell is he?

When the presentations were over, Alex pushed her anger aside and forced a smile onto her face. She went up to greet Jack. “You did so great!” she enthused. “I think everyone loved what you had to say. You used a nice big voice, just like we talked about, and you remembered to mention every branch on the tree. I’m so proud of you, Jack.”

“Thanks,” he said, but he wasn’t smiling. “Is my dad here?”

Alex hesitated. What to say to him? “He’s not,” she said. “But you know what? That’s okay. We’ll see him at home, and you can give the presentation again. I know he’s so excited to see it.”

“Yeah,” Jack mumbled, his face falling.

Alex’s heart broke. “Jack, you know he would have been here if he could,” she said. “He wanted to be here.”

“I know,” Jack said, scuffing his foot on the ground. “Sometimes he just has to work. I get it.”

You shouldn’t have to.

She put a hand on Jack’s shoulder and gave him a quick squeeze, wishing there was more she could do to comfort him and knowing that the next time she spoke to Elijah, they were going to have it out about this.

CHAPTER 18

ELIJAH

The light was on in the kitchen. Elijah stood outside the front door, reflecting on the fact that he felt nervous even to go inside. It wasn’t like him to be anxious about going into his own home. But it wasn’t like him to feel anxious about things at all. More often, Elijah would simply do what needed to be done without worrying about what the result might be. His way would be to walk into the kitchen and confront whatever was waiting for him there, and to deal with the fallout as it came.

But he was nervous. He knew he had messed up by missing the presentation today, and he had no excuse. He was going to have to explain himself to Jack, and his son wasn’t going to be happy.

He drew a deep breath and went inside.

Jack wasn’t there. Instead, it was just Alex, sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of pretzels in front of her. Several pretzels had been snapped into tiny pieces on a paper towel in front of her — she wasn’t eating them. She was venting her anger on them. And Elijah had an unpleasant understanding of just how much trouble he was in here.

Alex looked up. “Where have you been all day?”

“I’ve been at work,” he said. “Where’s Jack?”

“Jack is in bed, Elijah. It’s nine-thirty on a school night. It’s way past his bedtime. You didn’t think he would still be awake, did you?”

“I guess I lost track of time,” Elijah admitted.

She snorted. “Did you think it was still before ten a.m.? Because that’s when you were supposed to meet us at his school. Or did you forget?”

“I didn’t forget.” He was annoyed. He knew he’d been in the wrong, but wasn’t she even going to hear him out?

“Okay, so, what, you just decided not to come?”

“There was an emergency,” he said. “While I was meeting with my ranch foreman, a horse broke his leg. I had to stay and help.”

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