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“I think I’m done with the numbers. Hawke, you feel like running me home?”
“Of course.” He stood.
“And maybe we should reschedule for dinner. If he’s getting an ear infection, I don’t want him out in the cool weather too late.”
Hawke’s brows went up. “That’s impossible.”
Sienna stopped on the way to the door. “Seriously? Like you know? He’s a child. Simi’s always been healthy, but I’m not going to ignore any symptoms either.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine.” She sighed. “I’ve had a long day, and I’m tired. That is no reason to snap at you. I know you love him. We’ll do dinner tomorrow night if he’s okay.”
Sienna thought she saw frustration in his expression before he schooled his face. Maybe he guessed her intention of suggesting a sitter so they could be alone. If Simeon was ill, it couldn’t be helped. They had plenty of time, and she would have one more night to be sure about making Hawke her lover. Somehow knowing that gave her relief.
* * * *
Sienna opened her eyes and turned to examine her little boy sleeping beside her. After they arrived home, Simeon hadn’t whined over his ear anymore, but she had watched him anyway to be sure. While she observed him, he opened big golden eyes and grinned. Sienna’s heart stirred. She touched a fingertip to his little nose. “Feel okay, baby?”
Her son nodded. “Can I have waffles, Mommy?”
She rolled her eyes. “If you let me get you cleaned up and dressed with no fussing. Is it a deal?”
“Yay!” he whooped and took a flying leap over the side of the bed. Sienna groaned and moved more leisurely. At least it looked like her son felt better. The ear infection was a false alarm, or his natural immunity to sickness had kicked in. Either way, she was relieved. Seeing her baby cry ripped her apart, and she’d never been able to take it long. When the kid figured it out, she would be in trouble.
She wanted him to grow into a strong and confident man someday, just not an alpha. Since Simeon had an excessively happy personality and she raised him among humans, she didn’t worry about it too much.
When they were dressed and had eaten breakfast, Sienna first dropped Simeon off at his preschool and then took the train to her boutique. She still had to go over the numbers and review some new designs she’d been working on. Every now and then, she created a new dress and then used local seamstresses to make a limited run of them. Usually, they were a hit in her store. This practice was small potatoes, and if she really wanted to go national, she would have to think bigger, but right now she had all she could do managing her store. That was enough, and no project was going to take time away from her little boy.
Period.
Halfway through the day, Sienna’s cell phone rang. She worked through a couple more numbers before looking at the display. When she did, her chest constricted. The call came from Simeon’s school. Sienna answered in a hurry.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Young?” Sienna recognized Simeon’s teacher’s voice.
“Sienna, please. Ms. Gaby, what’s wrong?” She called the teacher Ms. like the kids did and hadn’t broken herself of the habit even while she insisted the woman call her Sienna. “Is Simi okay?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure.”
Sienna scraped her chair back and stood, a knot in her stomach. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve never seen a rash like this—if it is a rash.” Ms. Gaby hesitated. “I think you better come pick him up.”
Sienna drew her drawer open and retrieved her purse from it. “Explain.” She didn’t apologize for the clipped tone.
“It looks like…goodness, you’re going to think I’m crazy, but his ear looks like it’s furry, and a little out of place. Maybe he always had a slight defect but—”
“Hold the fuck up!” The floor dropped out from under
Sienna even as her temper rose. “My son is not nor has he ever been defective. “
“I-I-I didn’t say that. I would never—”
“I will be there in half an hour.” She disconnected the call and rang Hawke. After it went to voicemail three times, she locked her office and ran toward the front of the store.
“Karen, I’m going to be out the rest of the day. Please lock up.”
