CEO Daddy (Crescent Cove 6.50)

“Emma calling.”

My chest tightened as it always did when one of them called me, but her smiling face filled the screen.

“Hey, Hannah Banana, how’s it going in New York?”

“Spring in central New York, you know how it goes.”

“Raining buckets?”

“You got it.” I sat down on the hassock in front of the end table with the video-chat unit tucked in the corner. I pulled it forward so I could see my little sister better. “You are a sight for sore eyes. And God, you’re so tan.”

“Well, a week in Cancun will do that.” Rachel, my other sister and Emma’s twin, peeked from behind her. “Hey!”

My eyes welled up. “Oh, you’re both calling me?”

“Yeah, we just wanted to call and tell you thanks for the extra money in our accounts. We can’t believe you did that.” Rachel tried to crane her neck. “What’s up with this new job?”

“I’m a nanny for a very sweet girl.” I twisted the video camera so they could see Lily. “The little girl’s father is…” What was a good way to say loaded and not make it sound cold and calculating?

I never really thought about Asher’s money in the day to day. This house was just his and Lily was more my…

Daughter.

Ugh, I couldn’t look at it that way, but some days I forgot she wasn’t mine. And I forgot all of this was a job, especially with the little bean growing inside of me.

Everything was so hard to define. The edges were growing hazier every day.

“Rich?” Emma moved her out of the way. “Dude, that place is swank.”

I sat back down. “Asher comes from quite the line of wealth. He’s a Wainwright—which might not mean much to you two. His family owns a lot of businesses, but the one you might know is the newspaper.”

“Ohhh.” They glanced at one another with wide eyes. “That’s quite the job you landed.”

“Don’t get too excited. I’m not sure how permanent it is.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “You always say that. How’s the boxed dinners deal?”

We spent a few minutes catching up about their classes and my business. I carefully avoided the big subject that I really needed to discuss with them. I wasn’t sure how to tell them. I mean, I could blurt it out like Asher had with his grandmother, but eeep.

“Yo

u seem like you’re a million miles away.”

“What? No. I’m right here.”

Emma and Rachel were squeezed into the screen, both peering closely at me. “Something’s different.”

“No.”

“There is.” Emma tipped her head. “Did you get laid?”

“Oh my God. We are not discussing that.”

“Is that scruff burn on your neck?”

“What?” My hand went right to where Asher had kissed me last night. He kept surprising me with sneak attacks.

“Ohhh.” Both girls made huge eyes at me. “Who is it?”