AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“When I’m done with this project at work, I’ll book a day for us. You’ll just have to tell me where.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “The richest woman I know doesn’t even have a clue where to book a spa day. There is either something really right with that or very wrong.”
“My father is wealthy, not me,” I kindly reminded her.
She playfully smacked me. “We all know you have trust funds up the wazoo, and you know your daddy is leaving you everything.”
I bit my lip. “Maybe,” I teased. Honestly, I didn’t like to think about it. Money had never bought my family happiness. In some ways, I think it had stolen it. Auggie had filled his life with business and women who were attracted to his money, thereby running from his pain. Though he never truly escaped it.
Speaking of pain.
“I’m dying to know, before Caden gets home, how is it working with Kane?” Mindy wagged her brows.
I cuddled Donovan closer and stroked his baby-soft chubby cheeks. “Uh . . . we don’t really see each other.” I tried to say it like it wasn’t a big deal, but the ache in my chest said otherwise. Ever since the conference last week, Kane and I had avoided each other. I kept trying to tell myself it was for the best, but I hadn’t convinced myself yet. It didn’t help that he had totally moved out of the house on Monday while I was at work. I’d come home that evening to find no trace of him left, except for his spicy scent lingering in his bedroom. I might have aimlessly walked around the empty room breathing it in, wishing he were there even though I had no idea what to do with him.
“Oh,” she said, obviously disappointed. “I thought maybe you would rekindle the flames and sneak in some sexy time in your office.”
“Mindy,” I spat out. “We’re professionals. Besides, we’re over,” I said, way too high-pitched.
“Of course, I forgot.” She gave me an evil grin. “I saw his post on Facebook. Was that the drive-in?” Her tone insinuated so much more.
“Maybe.”
“Come on. I need details—like rolling around on the floor, heavy panting kind of details. Heck, I would even take some minor flirtations. The only form of entertainment I get around here is listening to ‘Baby Shark’ on repeat.”
“What’s ‘Baby Shark’?”
“You don’t want to know. Do yourself a favor and never, ever let your child listen to it. It’s like crack to them.”
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
She tilted her head and gave me a thoughtful glance. “You do look good with a baby in your arms. Do you ever think of having one? When we were growing up, you said you never thought about it.”
I gazed down at Donovan, who was sleeping so soundly. There were definite stirrings. Ethan hadn’t known if he wanted children. He’d said it was something we could figure out later. At the time, I was okay with that. However, if I was being honest with myself, which apparently I had a hard time doing, the answer was, “Yes. I would like to have a baby of my own.”
Mindy peeked at her little guy. “They aren’t always this wonderful. Case in point,” she groaned, as Madeline and Sofia came back, fighting over the same doll. Mindy stood with a tired sigh. “I better break up Fight Club for the tenth time today.”
“Good luck.” I leaned back on the couch and snuggled Donovan closer.
Mindy ripped the doll from the clutches of her daughters. “Your daddy needs to get home.”
Daddy? I looked at the sleeping baby in my arms, wondering who the daddy of my children would be. I pictured a beautiful baby with olive skin, dark hair, and caramel eyes like his father. “I need help,” I whispered to Donovan. Lots and lots of help.
~*~
With Auggie still on his business trip and feeling like I needed a change of scenery from the floor in my bedroom, I spread out all my notes and books over the island while I made a nutritious dinner of boxed macaroni and cheese. This location also gave me a good view of the rainstorm tapping against the large windows in the kitchen. I had Confessions of a Forensic Pathologist on in the background. Even though Landon was no longer a hero in my book, he was still a genius, and I always learned something new from him. Wow. I really knew how to live it up on a Saturday night. Not like I would be going out even if I weren’t working on my business plan. Not only was I exhausted but visiting Mindy last night constituted what I had for a social life. And sadly, even that had been mostly business. Caden had given me some good insights on how we could more effectively market the vital importance of plasma donations.
