Bossman’s Baby Scandal (Kings of the Boardroom #1)(36)
Author: Catherine Mann

Jason twisted open a bottled water. His old man would have gotten along great with Brock. Brock would also be one hell of a tough guy to have as an older sibling, always walking around in his shadow. But even though things were strained between the brothers, Jason didn’t intend to risk siding with one or the other either way. Better to just let Flynn play out whatever it was he wanted to say.

Flynn finished off the egg roll in two bites. “Things are tight all the way around, but the business is basically secure. There’s no cause for concern. Once we knock Koteas off his pedestal, we’ll have a lock on this sector of the country.”

“Okay, then.” That wasn’t the picture Brock had painted, but then, the Maddox brothers rarely got along smoothly.

“The tension between me and Brock is that obvious, huh?”

Jason shrugged noncommittally, swigging back his water.

“Brock and I need to work on not letting that show. Bad for business to put up anything other than a unified front.” Flynn swung his feet back to the floor, leaning forward on his elbows. “I imagine you’re wondering why I brought you in here.”

“I’m the man of the hour.” And not in a good way today.

Flynn’s face went serious, tension making him resemble his brother all the more. “Let’s put the Madd Comm crap aside for a second.” He plowed a hand through his hair as he seemed to struggle for words. “Hell, I’ll just come right out and say it. Don’t let your work come before your wife.”

Jason set his food aside carefully. That wasn’t at all what he’d expected to hear when he walked in here, and he didn’t know what to make of it.

“Lauren’s heading back to New York this afternoon.” He could already hear the empty echo of his house. He scratched under his tie, his chest going tight. “There are no other demands on my time.” Not until the baby came.

“It’s not too late for you, man. There’re no divorce papers signed. Listen to me, I’m speaking from experience here. I let my family and my work come between me and Renee, and I’ve regretted it more times than I can count.” More of that regret coated his voice even now. “Do you really want to end up like Brock? Breathing and eating the job so much he even lives here?”

Brock’s primary residence was none other than an apartment in the Powell Street office building. A luxury setup, sure, but Jason preferred his house.

His empty house that wasn’t even close to becoming a home until Lauren stepped inside with her ideas for filling it with furniture and plants. “It’s all a moot point. She and I went into this with our eyes wide open. We were working some damage control of our own, trying to find the best possible solution.”

“You’re not even talking like the Jason Reagert we see around here. I can’t see you giving up this easily.”

What the hell did Flynn know? Jason had worked his ass off this past week to show Lauren all the ways their lives blended, the great life they could provide for their baby.

A whole week?

Damn.

Realization slammed through him. He didn’t want to be that guy, the man who regretted not doing everything in his power to fight for the woman he loves. And hell, yes, he loved her. He wasn’t emotionally closed off like his old man. His father would never have cared whether Lauren was happy, and his dad certainly would never have gotten choked up over an ultrasound photo.

A week might not be much time when it came to winning something as big as a lifetime together, but it was enough for him to be sure his feelings for Lauren were real. Lauren was perfect for him in every way, as a friend, lover, wife, mother of his child. He wanted it all with her.

Flynn was right. Nothing, no one and certainly no job should come between him and his wife. He’d be damned before he would let his life be dictated by business the way his father’s was. He would follow Lauren all the way to New York, even if it meant starting up his own ad business there to be with her.

Once he finished his meeting with Prentice this afternoon, he would book the first flight out to reclaim his wife.

Lauren watched Jason’s house in the rearview mirror as the taxi pulled away from the curb. Her suitcase was packed, her flight back to New York booked, her brief marriage over. She’d even gotten her wish for a no-scenes exit since Jason had honored her request to leave for work before she awoke.Her life was such a mess she felt like a Picasso painting with her nose on crooked.

The city unfolded ahead of her, already crammed full of memories she’d made with Jason in only a week. Amazing memories. All those moments together merged in her mind in a bittersweet portfolio. She loved him, but didn’t know how to build a life with him if he didn’t love her back.

Her cell phone rang in her purse, jolting her. Could it be Jason? She fumbled fast to fish it out, read the screen.

Mom.

Lauren considered just pitching the cell back into her bag. They’d talked just yesterday about nursery murals, after all, and she really didn’t have the emotional energy to deal with her mother now. Except she was only delaying the inevitable.

She brought the phone to her ear. “Hi, Mom. What do you need?”

“I’m just checking up on you. How are you feeling?”

Lauren stilled in the taxi seat. There was a calm in her mother’s voice she hadn’t heard in a long while. Instinctively she flinched away from hope. Most likely her mother was headed for a downward spiral instead.

“I’m feeling a lot better these days.” Physically, anyway. Her nerves and heart, however, were in tatters. “In fact, I’m ready to work at full speed again. I’m, uh, heading to New York right now to tend to some business.” She would deal with explaining about the divorce later.

She waited for the sure-to-come advice and demands to spend every minute of every waking hour together. Her hand tightened around the phone.

“That’s fantastic, Lauren. I’m glad you’re doing well.” Jacqueline paused, inhaled a shaky breath on the other end of the line. “Listen, dear, I have a specific reason for calling.”

Lauren’s stomach clenched. Here it came. Although you never knew what that something might be with her mom, except that it usually included high drama, a lot of tears and then lashing out. “I’m listening.”

“This is very difficult for me to say, so please don’t interrupt.”

Lauren restrained a slightly hysterical laugh at the notion of her interrupting when most of the time she could barely get a word in edgewise. “Whenever you’re ready, Mom.”