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Ash nods. “Of course, I’ll be in touch to reschedule.”
“Sounds good.” I head to my office to shut down, then head up to see my father.
The moment I enter my father’s office, he takes one look at me and shuts the laptop. “Son, what’s wrong?”
He knows me well. Others would look at me and see a fierce businessman. My father, on the other hand, sees the pain hidden in my eyes. “It’s Karri.”
Lifting a brow, he asks, “Your assistant?” I nod. “Is she hurt?”
“No.”
He sits back and folds his hands over his abdomen. “Did she do something illegal?”
“No.” I came up here to talk to my father and get some sound advice, but for some reason the words won’t flow from my lips.
“Son, spit it out.”
Grabbing a bottle of water from his personal fridge, I down half in one breath. How do I tell my father that I have kids? That my new assistant is the mother to said kids. Averting my gaze, I speak before I lose the nerve. “I met her last year, after Tammy and I split.”
“Okay.” He leans forward. “She’s been working for you for some time now.”
“Yes.” Downing the rest of the water, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Today, I found out she has twins.”
“So, what does that have to do with you meeting her last year?” Immediately after asking, I watch the wheels turning. He’s putting the pieces together. Eyes wide, he asks, “They’re yours?”
“She said they are.”
“You don’t believe her?” My father gets up and comes to stand in front of me. “Son, a simple paternity test will ease your fears.”
“That’s not it, dad.” I know my parents look forward to the day I settle down and give them grandchildren, but that’s not something I desire to give them. “You know I don’t want kids. This life takes up so much of my time. It would be unfair to bring a child into this world and devote my time to work rather than them.”
“Son, it’s a little late for that.” He claps me on the back. “If what she says is true, you already have children in this world. What would be unfair, would be to ignore them knowing they’re yours.”
He’s right, I know he is, but am I cut out for that kind of lifestyle?
Chapter Seven
Karri
Picking up Jasmine, I kiss her nose and plop down on the sofa. Mom is bouncing Sophia, staring at me in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me that Mr. Prescott was the father?” She hands me a tissue to wipe the tears off my face. “Never mind that, why didn’t you tell him before today? It’s been months, Karri.” Tossing a hand up in the air, she paces. “Honey, you’re dating the man, you should have told him weeks ago.”
“Seriously, mom, can you not come at me right now?” We just got back from the doctor’s office. Turns out that Jasmine has an ear infection. Thank God, I could not bear it if she were seriously ill. Wiping my face, I cuddle my daughter to my chest. “Trust me when I say that I wanted to tell him. But how was I supposed to do that when the man blatantly said he did not want kids.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Mom sits next to me, carefully placing Sophia in my arms. Now that Jasmine has medicine running through her system to stem the pain and attack the infection, she is sound asleep.
With both of my girls in my arms, I kiss each of their heads, feeling the need to comfort them the way I need to be comforted. “He fired me, mom.” Things are such a mess. I have no idea which way is up. “How am I supposed to take care of the girls if I don’t have a job?”
“I’m sure once the shock wears off, he will apologize and ask for you to come back to the office.”
Mom doesn’t get it. Honestly, I don’t expect her to. She fell in love with my father in high school and the two of them married shortly after graduation. Unlike me, getting pregnant by a man I barely knew.
What am I going to do with my life? I already hate being away from the girls during the week. I’m missing out on so much, yet I can’t afford to stay home to love on them all day either. Maybe I’ll just take this week and search for job openings while spending extra time with my babies.
“I doubt it. He made it very clear that he never wants children.”
Mom rubs my back. “Karri, whether he wants them or not, he is their father. He has a responsibility.”
“I know, mom.”
