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“We’ll let you find that out for yourself,” Trevor said, smugly.
“If you plan to be an involved parent the way you say, you will.”
“Make sure you take lots of pictures so we can laugh about it later.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll have my assistant get right on that.”
Trevor punched my shoulder. “Seriously, man, we’ll be glad to have you on Team Alpha Dad. Life’s better over here. You’ll see.”
I smiled, putting on a poker face to hide my nerves. “I’m about to find out.”
Later that afternoon, I was in my home office looked over some paperwork when I got a knock on the door. My head of security poked her head in. “Sir, DHS is here.”
“Show them in.” She radioed to the guards at the gate, and I made my way down to the guest parlor and made myself comfortable.
It was a different man than before, with a much better attitude. He had a couple of blue baby bags in one hand. In the other, a black carrier. I stared at it, thinking of all the ways my life would change when I met the little person inside.
The new man put the bags down on the floor and the carrier on the table. He pulled out an iPad in a neat little sleeve and a stylus to go with it.
“Here are all of Peter’s things. It’s not much, as I’m sure you can imagine, but there are some diapers and formula to get you started, along with some clothes and a blanket given to him by his mother.” The blanket covering his carrier was stained and frayed, well-used for goodness-knows-how-long before Petey was taken by the county.
I gave him a business nod. “Noted. He’ll have everything he needs from here on out.”
“I just need a few signatures and he’s all yours.” I took the stylus and signed on the iPad several times, and that was that. “Thank you very much, and I’m glad to see Peter go to a fine home where he’ll have a bright future.”
“A bright future, indeed.” I nodded to a staff member, and they showed him out, never to be seen at my home again.
There I was, alone with a baby. “What happens now?” The little carrier’s handle stuck up, covered with the tattered blanket with dancing bears. Was Petey a bear shifter, too?
I reached out a hand and touched the soft hem of the blanket, ready to remove it and have a look at my nephew. I would make sure to keep that for him. It was all he had of his mother, the only thing to prove that she cared for him before the drugs took her over. I took a slow, cautious step closer, shifting my nose to the elongated bear snout, sniffing carefully. It was still and silent, so I got closer and closer until...
A little coo came from under the blanket. I jumped back, startled out of my mind.There’s definitely a little person in there. It’s alive and kicking, literally.The baby started babbling as I came closer again.
Petey snuffled, and he must have caught wind of me, best next thing I knew he was kicking up a fuss. I pulled the blanket back to reveal an absolutely adorable baby, his green eyes watery and pitiful and sweet. My A-Dad instincts went crazy, and I hurried to undo the straps from his carrier and hold him for myself.
Petey cried a little more as I held him, his lip poking out in anger, like I had betrayed him by making him wait this long to be held.
“Shh, buddy, it’s okay, I got you. I should rock you, right? Like this?” I bounced him, swaying back and forth the way I saw parents do in the movies. “Am I really this clueless?”
Thankfully, Petey was satisfied. He calmed down and just looked at me. I looked at him. “Damn, you’re cute.”It feels good to do this, but I always assumed it would be with my fated mate by my side.A quick twinge of pain in my ribs, a physical reminder that I was missing my other half. I might never find them, but now, at least, I had a family.
I called a meeting of my staff, business, domestic, and otherwise. I needed all hands on deck to help me tend to Petey’s needs. Everybody cooed over him, taking turns holding him. Petey was lapping up the attention.
Nori, head of my cleaning staff, spoke up. “Of course we can help, Sir, but it would be best to get someone specializing in child care, who can focus on him exclusively.”
“Like who?” They all exchanged looks, grinning, and I heard what they didn’t say.For a billionaire, he sure is dumb.
“A nanny, Sir.”
I slapped myself in the forehead, laughing. “A nanny! Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Because you only think in spreadsheets,” Nori teased. “This is what we’re here for.”
“How do I hire a nanny?”
My executive assistant Diana spoke up. “I’ll take care of it and get someone over here right away.”
“Thanks for being my brain when I don’t have one.”
