The Expectant Executive

And if he was struggling to come to grips with it all, he couldn’t even imagine how hard it was for Fin. Within the past couple of months, she’d found her first child and become pregnant by that child’s adoptive father with her second child.

Sliding into the backseat of a taxi, he gave the driver the name of his hotel.

As an afterthought, he asked, “Would you happen to know where I could order some flowers?”

“My cousin Vinnie’s a florist,” the man said. “His shop is a block down from your hotel. Tell him that Joe sent you. He’ll give you a deal.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that.”

Travis wasn’t certain what the protocol was, or even if there was one, for waking up to find that he’d impregnated the woman he’d just spent the most incredible night of his life making love to, but he figured a nice bouquet of flowers surely wouldn’t be considered offensive. He not only wanted to show Fin that he meant what he’d said about being supportive, he also wanted her to know how honored he felt that she was giving him a second go-round at fatherhood.

“What the hell’s going on, Fin?” Her twin brother, Shane, barged into her apartment as soon as Fin answered the door.

“Good evening to you too, Shane,” Fin said dryly. She wasn’t surprised that he stopped by on his way home from work. His apartment was only a few floors up from hers.

When he turned to face her, his expression was filled with concern. “Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine.”

He frowned. “Then why didn’t you come into the office today? I can’t remember the last time you took an entire day off and neither can anyone else. Cade and Jessie have no idea what’s going on and you have poor Chloe worried sick. She said you were having some problems with dizziness and she’s convinced that you’ve worked yourself into physical exhaustion.”

Fin had known that her absence would create a stir, but that couldn’t be helped.

“Would you like to sit down while you’re taking me to task or would you prefer to stand?”

Her question seemed to erase much of the irritation from his handsome face.

“Look, I’m sorry if I came across a little strong, but you’ll have to admit that missing a day at Charisma is completely out of character for you. Especially when we’re neck and neck in the competition for CEO.”

Fin could understand her twin’s confusion. She’d made it clear from the moment Patrick made his announcement about the contest that she had every intention of winning. But several things had changed in the past couple of months and she was having to realign her priorities.

“I appreciate everyone’s concern and I truly didn’t mean to cause you or anyone else any undue worry, but I had some personal business to attend to.”

He cocked one dark eyebrow. “Would you care to elaborate?”

“No.”

He looked taken aback. “But—”

“As I told you, it’s personal.”

She could tell he was more than a little mystified by her lack of details. But as close as she and Shane had always been and as much as they’d always shared, she wasn’t about to discuss her pregnancy with him or anyone else. At least, not until she and Travis had the opportunity to talk things over and decide how to spring the news on everyone.

To soften her refusal to explain further, she smiled. “I’m sure there are things about yourself that you keep private, aren’t there?”

A slow smile began to spread across his handsome face. “A few.”

“Shall we agree to leave the matter alone, then?”

He nodded. “Agreed.” As she watched, her brother turned his attention to the beautiful bouquet of two dozen long-stemmed red roses arranged in a crystal vase on top of her coffee table. “Do those have anything to do with the personal part of your time off?” he asked, his smile turning to a knowing grin.

Reaching down, she snatched up Travis’s card before Shane had the opportunity to pluck it from the plastic pick and read it. “That, dear brother, is none of your business.”

The cad threw back his head and laughed. “I’ll take that as confirmation that it does.”

“Don’t you think it’s past time that you went on up to your apartment and left me alone?”

“Expecting the sender of those flowers to show up soon, sis?” he teased. Before she could get the words out, he answered his own question. “I know, it’s none of my business.”

“Give the man a prize,” she said, ushering him toward the door.

“All right, I’m going.” Opening the door, he stepped out into the hall and turned back to face her. “Then you’ll be at the office tomorrow?”