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“You’re right,” he agrees firmly, his voice tinted with ire. “You shouldn’t. And he can’t mommy-track you. It’s against hospital policy and, frankly, a suable offense.”
“I know. It’s easy to say that, but the reality is, I’ve worked my ass off for years to get where I am and though I really, seriously, desperately want a baby, I’m worried I’m risking everything I’ve built along the way to have one.”
“Do you want me to look into him?”
“Noooo,” I draw out, shaking my head violently at Vander. “I don’t want you to do anything that you know how to do.”
“Only people with something to hide should be afraid, Kit-Kat.”
“I still don’t know what you did to Zane to get him arrested and interrogated by the FBI.” Thankfully Zane has no clue what Vander—or his father Lenox—can do with a computer and likely never suspected anything.
He smirks like the devil. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I know about Zane is that he fucked with the wrong girl and has a penchant for looking up local crime scene photos on his computer. Pretty damn creepy if you ask me and definitely suspect.”
Keegan places her hand on my shoulder. “Ignore him. What does Owen say about what’s going on with Bennett?”
I shrug. “I haven’t?—”
“What’s going on with Bennett? Isn’t that your new boss?”
“Nothing,” I exclaim, jumping to my feet and blowing past Owen to gobble Rory up in my arms. “Hey, lovebug. How was camp today?”
“I passed swim today,” she exclaims, oozing delight.
“Level four, to be exact,” Owen supplies.
“You did? Level four?!” My eyes widen, and my eyebrows hit my hairline. I glance up and meet Owen’s gaze before I turn back to my girl. “That’s amazing! I’m so proud of you.”
He chuckles, ruffling her hair. “All that time spent in the pool with her godmother is paying off.”
I rub noses with Rory. “Totally, right? You’re on your way to being a mermaid.”
“Like you were.”
I kiss her cheek. “Like I was.” Because when I was her age, I had just lost my parents and I threw myself into The Little Mermaid for no reason other than that Ariel was beautiful and a mermaid, and I thought that was so cool. So I told my uncle Callan I wanted to be a mermaid, and he put me in swim lessons, and I swam and swam. All through grade school, high school, and college—where I got a scholarship for swimming. I still swim as often as I can, but having Rory love swimming just fills my heart with joy.
Stella comes out of the kitchen and hugs and kisses all of us. We order our usual, and then Stella takes Rory back because Rory likes to help Stella make her dinner, and Keegan goes with her, leaving me alone with Vander and Owen since Kenna still isn’t here yet.
Vander fills Owen in on the discussion we had before he arrived. “Are you looking at donors?” Owen asks.
“I haven’t officially started yet. I need to find a place to live first and finally move out of Keegan and Kenna’s office and off their sofa bed. I just haven’t had the time to really start looking and figure out what I want and what part of the city I want to be in. But I got the green light from my endocrinologist as well as my gynecologist. My endometriosis, so far, hasn’t grown back after my surgery, my A1c and blood sugars are in good control, and my ovaries are cyst-free.”
“So you’re ready,” he confirms, smiling at me in a way that tells me he’s as excited about this for me as I am.
I beam. “I’m ready.” And then I frown. “Except don’t think my boss is too keen on me having a kid.”
Vander curses under his breath, and Owen scowls in that big brother, overprotective way of his. “He’s not allowed to make a decision about a fellowship based on a woman’s family situation, only her skill.”
“That’s what I told her,” Vander states flatly.
“I know.”
Owen growls, and I can see he’s working up a head of steam here. “If he does, he’s messing with the wrong fucking army.”
“No joke,” Vander agrees, tossing his arm behind my chair and leaning in to speak softly. “I’d happily take him out of the picture.”
“Guys.” I give them a chill-out smile. “I’ve got this. I am a grownup despite the way I act sometimes.”
“Fine.” Owen holds up a consolatory hand. “But if your boss turns out to be a misogynistic dick, there are other fellowships. Brigham, Tufts, and BMC all have trauma programs, and though you haven’t specialized in pediatrics, I could put in a good word for you at Children's.”
