How to Have Your Boss's Secret Baby - London Casey Page 0,51
complain that the bedroom had too many windows, but every window had a curtain. And the windows faced west, so some nights I got to watch the sun set. And the wall next to the windows had a built-in desk so I got to sit there, type words, and watch the sun set.
It was perfect.
Face it… I loved the place.
I loved the look, the feel, the smell, everything.
Most of all, the apartment was quiet.
I could come home from the office, take a deep breath and do whatever I wanted. If I wanted to strip naked just inside the door and have a naked night, I could.
Even though I didn’t do that - yet - it was still an option.
Take today.
I came home from work and wanted to cry.
It was just that kind of day.
I came into a silent apartment and walked right to the kitchen for a drink.
Of water.
Cole had fancy water bottles in the fridge for me to drink. I could definitely tell a difference compared to the water I normally drank.
Before I finished the bottle of water, there was a knock at the door.
The only small thing about the place that was weird… it was technically Cole’s. Meaning he knew where I was and he could come over whenever he wanted.
Although he usually just came into the apartment.
So who the hell was knocking?
I opened the door and saw a t-shirt.
BE
ROOM
EV
“Bev?” I asked.
The shirt lowered and Bev looked right at me. “Get it?”
“What?”
“The shirt.”
“Oh. No. I don’t get it.”
“Look again,” she said.
She lifted the shirt.
I shook my head. “I don’t…”
She lowered the shirt again. “Can I come into your guilt pad?”
“Guilt pad?” I asked.
“Yeah. You’re living like a wild one over here. You know that, right?”
Bev walked by me and I shut the door. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on, Maya. This is amazing in here. And it’s all because Cole feels guilty. He wants to take care of you but he doesn’t know how to. So he’s going to flaunt money at you like crazy. Like this place. Look at it. Why does he need this place?”
“I told him what I wanted,” I said.
“You wanted to move out?”
“No,” I said. “Bev… it’s complicated. I thought we talked about all of this.”
“We did,” she said. “I’m just in awe every time I see this place. It’s like… hush money. He wants you silent about the baby, right?”
“It’s not that easy,” I said.
“Yes, it is,” she said. “Are you happy here?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I mean, it’s cozy. It feels like a place a writer would live. I have a place to write in the main bedroom. And then there’s two more bedrooms. It’s kind of unique, you know? It’s like a studio but it has rooms too…”
Bev looked around. “I’m being petty and jealous. I miss you.”
“Oh, Bev, I miss you too. It was just…”
“I know,” she said. “I’m busy, loud, and stinky.”
“You’re not stinky.”
“The ink is.”
“Well, yeah…”
Bev held up the shirt again. “You don’t get it?”
“It’s been a long day. And I think I have that pregnancy brain people talk about.”
“Sure,” Bev said. “It’s supposed to say Best Roommate Ever. But I cut the text in half. So this is your shirt. And then I wear the other. That one says… well, you can figure it out.”
“Bev, that’s awesome,” I said. “That’s a really cool idea.”
“You think?”
“Yeah. Thank you.”
She tossed me the shirt.
I looked at it and it finally made sense.
I smiled. “Seriously. Thank you.”
“So… let me ask you something.”
“Sure.”
“This is his place. That’s his baby inside you. What are you to him?”
“I’m his secretary.”
“That’s it?”
“For now, that’s it. It’s kind of hard to explain. I’m okay with it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Bev… what are you trying to get at?”
“Two things in mind. The bad thing. Is he just trying to control you? And you’re kind of stuck? Because that’s fucked up. You’re not out there parading around that you’re pregnant. This is a big deal. You’re having a baby. Now for the good thing… his place. His baby. Your body. Please tell me the whole fucking your boss thing is still happening.”
I swallowed hard.
That was a lot to take in at once.
“Uh… wow. That was…” I shook my head. “Cole and I have not been together since the night… this happened.”
I touched my stomach.
“What?” Bev asked. “You’re pregnant. You can’t get pregnant again. You could be having all the free sex in the world right now.”