Another

“Yes, sir,” Ian answered, setting the bag and drinks down on my coffee table, way too far from me. “Nice to see you again.”

“Again?” Jake asked, looking Ian up and down with shrewd eyes.

“Your father and I helped set up his company almost nine years ago,” Dad explained to Jake.

“Yes, sir,” Ian said, giving his most charming smile. “Still going strong. I was sorry to hear about Mr. Wellington.”

“He was a good man.” There was a moment of silence for the other half of our company before Dad spoke again. “This is his son, Jake. He’s been filling in perfectly the past few years.”

Jake stood and shook Ian’s hand, and it was a bit surreal to see the man I was supposed to marry right next to the man whose baby I was having.

“Are you here to talk to Carina about the London project? She usually meets you there, right?” Jake asked.

And all at once it hit me.

I hadn’t told my father or Jake that Ian was the father. I’d been so busy with work I honestly hadn’t even thought about it. My skin prickled with panic at the scenario about to unfold. Like a train wreck, I could only stand by and watch.

Ian’s gray eyes lifted to mine, and I knew it was coming. My pulse thundered in my ears, and I couldn’t hear anything but saw his lips move. Saw their heads jerk my way.

“When the mother of your child wants a cheeseburger, you bring her a cheeseburger.”

“The what?” Jake and my dad said in unison.

I think I started laughing, but it was dangerously close to a cry. “Yeah, didn’t I tell you?”

“You sure didn’t,” my father growled.

Ian’s brows dropped low, and something like hurt flashed behind them. The baby chose that moment to kick hard up into my ribs. I gasped and placed a hand on my stomach, bringing Ian to my side. “You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” The heat from his hand on my back wasn’t helping the light-headed feeling. “Just a kick to the ribs.”

Ian’s hand dropped to my stomach, and he leaned low. “We talked about this, Peanut. Only kick out and avoid all vital organs.”

Forgetting everyone in the room, I smiled at the dark head hovering over my belly. I think I swooned a little when said head shifted and the beautiful lips I’d been thinking of too much lately, smiled up at me.

“Carina.” Dad barked my name, bringing me out of the trance. “What the hell is going on?”

I quickly recapped the story of how Ian and I ran into each other, and by the end, Jake looked a mixture of contemplative and concerned, while my dad’s chest puffed up more and more.

“You going to make an honest woman of her?”

“Dad,” I gasped.

Ian laughed softly. “She won’t let me, sir.”

My father’s shoulders dropped, and he laughed too, shaking his head. “Sounds about right from my daughter.”

I felt like I was in an alternate dimension when my father stretched out his hand, and Ian grabbed it.

“Don’t let her walk all over you. I raised a real ball-buster over there.” He winked my way, and it might have been one of the best compliments he ever gave me. “I’m glad to hear the business is doing well. I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”

“It helps that we had a solid foundation to build on, thanks to your work.”

My father stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Don’t be a kiss-ass.”

“Dad,” I gasped again. Jake laughed beside me, and I slapped his arm. “It’s kind of funny,” he defended.

“Traitor,” I muttered.

“Well, I won’t stand between my daughter and her cheeseburgers. We made it through with barely any cravings, and this one came at us hard. Thankfully, we’re all here to support her addiction.”

“Oh, my god. Just go,” I pleaded.

Jake pulled me in for a hug and kissed the top of my head. “Let me know if you need anything.”

When they stepped out, Ian closed the door behind them.

“Who was that?” he asked far too lightly.

“What do you mean? My dad and Jake?”

“Who’s Jake to you?” he asked, his eyes sharp like a knife.

I thought about playing dumb, but it wasn’t like I had any reason to lie other than to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.

“My ex-fiancé.”

“The guy who left you upset at a bar doing shots that night?”

Sometimes I forgot how I’d met Ian initially. I forgot that he’d seen me at one of my lowest points. “The one and only.”

“Dick,” he muttered.

I huffed a laugh. “He’s really not. It’d probably be easier if he were.” Ian hummed and looked at me, but I was over this conversation. “Now bring me my burger.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Silence descended in the office other than my hums of happiness with each bite.

“Oh, my god. This shake is giving me life.”

Ian laughed, polishing off the last of the fries before tossing the box in the trash. “Yeah? You want to share so I can know how good it is.”