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“Um, a Monty Leith. He called and suggested that we find a replacement for you, seeing as you wouldn’t be working here for that long,” my manager said. “He sounded very convincing.”
I felt the heat rising up inside me, anger threatening to blow the top of my head off.
I’m going to kill him.
I smiled at the manager, but it probably didn’t translate into my eyes because he looked a little taken aback. “I assure you that’s not the case. I was simply running late today.”
“Oh, alright then.” He looked a little flabbergasted when he said, “Well then, you can get to work. You can take section two.”
“Alright. Thank you.”
But even as I worked my shift and tried to present a friendly face, the rage simmered underneath the surface. Just who the hell did he think he was? I understood that he might mean well, but how dare he try to force my hand on this and quit on my behalf? What was it with men thinking they owned me?
The more I thought about it, the madder I got, and by the time I went home, I was ready for a fight.
I walked in through the door and steeled myself for one, but he wasn’t in the living room. A pleasant aroma was wafting out from the kitchen, so I headed there, figuring that was where I would find him, and lo and behold, there he was.
Shirtless.
I swallowed.
While he wasn’t wearing a shirt, he did have an apron on, but that somehow made him even sexier. He must have just finished making whatever was in the pot because he turned off the stove.
“Do you think Mommy will like this?” he turned to ask Hunter, who was in his carrier across the kitchen.
Hunter giggled his response, and Monty nodded.
“You’re right. It’s amazing. How could she not?”
Was he…was he trying to have a conversation with our son about the food he had made? For me?
My heart softened despite itself, and I felt some of my anger dissipate just like that. It annoyed me, so I stubbornly held on to my temper. It was about the principle of it, after all. Right then, Monty looked up at me and smiled, not surprised at all to see me there. I squeezed my hands into fists and tried not to be distracted by his appeal.
“Hey, you’re back,” he said. “I’m making baklava.”
“Did you tell my manager that I wouldn’t be working at the restaurant anymore?” I asked, trying to remain calm.This could all be a misunderstanding. Please let this be a misunderstanding.
“Yes,” he answered simply.
Damn.
“Why the hell would you do that?” I berated, my annoyance exploding out of me. “How did you even manage to convince him that I would be quitting?”
“I’m a very persuasive person.”
His offhanded comments were only pissing me off more. “Okay. It seems I have to explain this to you because you apparently didn’t get it the first time. Just because you are Hunter’s father does not make you the boss of me. It doesn’t give you the right to try to control me or override my decisions, and it does not give you the right to talk to my boss and convince him that I’m quitting!”
“But—”
“No buts! Look, I know you probably mean well, but you’re not getting that this is the exact type of thing that will drive me away and make it impossible for us to co-parent or have any kind of relationship whatsoever. You are not in charge of my decisions, and I don’t need you for anything!”
“If you’ll let me explain—” He had started walking toward me as I spoke.
“I don’t need any explanations. I think you’re just used to doing whatever you want and having girls fall at your feet in happiness because you’re so hot or whatever, but not me, mister. I am not like that. I am—”
I wasn’t sure what I was about to say next because every single thought flew out of my head when he suddenly kissed me.
