He was home early today, just past four. The children had been shocked and delighted. He’d told them to start getting used to it. What does that mean? He’s been working off and on this evening but he’d told the children to come to him if they needed anything. It’s irregular even if the routine has been altered. It’s almost like he doesn’t need me here at all.
“You wanted to talk?”
“Yes, come in and close the door, please.”
I settle in the chair opposite him and wait for him to speak. He stands and paces around to the front of his desk, leaning back against it with his arms folded over his muscled chest. It’s not a defensive posture though, purely conversational… and hot. “How’d the interview go?”
“It went well. I got the substitute post. She’ll be taking leave starting in mid-February assuming the baby doesn’t come early and I’ll be there until the summer break.”
“That’s good. You’re happy about it, right?”
“I am.”
“Good. How’s our baby?” he asks next, his expression softening as his eyes drop to my abdomen.
Our baby. Damn, hormones. He’ll have me weeping in a moment. “Still too small to make his or her presence known… except for the nausea.”
He chuckles before sobering again. “Quinn, I know I fucked up the other night when you told me but I want you to know I’m happy about the baby.” He leans towards me slightly and my body mirrors the movement but he doesn’t attempt to touch me. “I don’t want you to doubt that I want this child, in case you’ve been wondering.”
“I have been. I knew you didn’t want more kids.”
“I hadn’tconsideredmore kids. It’s not quite the same thing. But even if I had said I didn’t want more children, now that it’s happening, trust me, I want him or her. Very much.”
“Oh.” My chin starts to quiver and my heart swells. “I needed to hear that. Very much.”
He smiles and leans a little closer.Go ahead and touch me. “When do you go back to the doctor again?”
“Not until next month since everything was good.”
“Okay. I’d like to be involved, go to appointments, support you, be there for… well, whatever you’ll allow me to be a part of.”
“I want you there. It’s your baby, too. And as far as the teaching position goes, I double checked that I’ll be able to arrive with Jill and Ryder in the mornings and they’ll only have to hang out for a half hour or so in the afternoons with me before I can take them home. I’ll make sure there’s some activities to entertain them if they don’t have homework to do. Then, I’ll bring them home every-”
“No, you won’t.”
“What?”
“I don’t want you driving over here every morning before seven, teaching all day, taking care of the kids in the afternoons and evenings and then spending your nights grading papers and planning assignments. Pregnancy is taxing, even in the first half. I won’t see you stretched too thin, not when I can help that.”
“Don’t be silly. Who else is going to take care of them with your hours? You can’t send them off to your mother’s every night.”
“I won’t be. I asked her to take them tonight so we could talk. Effective immediately, I’ll be significantly reducing my in-office hours in the coming months.”
“But, you’re the CEO.”
“Yeah, I am. A CEO with a reliable right-hand man who wants his shot and it seems fitting that the man in charge can adjust his hours if he’s needed at home. Don’t worry. I’ll still work my ass off. I just don’t have to do it all from behind my desk downtown ten to twelve hours a day. Someone told me I work too much.”
“You do but… I don’t understand what this means for me.”
He reaches behind him for some papers which he places in my hands. “It means you’ll be able to focus on teaching in the coming months and on your own needs. I talked things over with my personal attorney today.”
“Your personal attorney?”
“Jonathan. Mia’s offered to be yours if you need any assistance.”
“Why would I need an attorney?” I ask, a chill settling around my throat.
“You shouldn’t. She just offered. She told me to tell you she’ll gladly put me through the wringer if you ask her to. Jonathan helped me draft this today along with one of the HR people at Wolfe Media.”