Boss Daddy: A Secret Baby Romance by Black, L. (good books for high schoolers .TXT) 📕

He was trying to be nonchalant about it, but the question hung heavily between us. It reminded me of the argument we had before he left. Just like then, I wasn’t willing to back down.

“I just started getting settled in Astoria,” I said. “Moving out here from New York was huge. I’m still trying to get used to it and really find my way here. I’m really comfortable and happy here, and I’m not ready to just pick up and move all over again. Besides, I like having my own place. I never have before. I’ve always been surrounded by people and suffocated by what they want from me.”

“You think I would suffocate you?”

“That’s not what I’m saying, Jordan,” I said. “This isn’t about you. This is about me. I told you from the beginning leaving New York and coming all the way out here was about me reclaiming my life. I didn’t want to be controlled anymore.”

“So, now I’m controlling, too,” he said.

“Stop it. You’re twisting my words. I just said this isn’t about you. I just can’t be expected to make decisions like this so fast, or to just give up everything I’ve started to build here already. I wasn’t expecting any of this. Right now, I just need to take one step at a time,” I said.

Jordan let out a long breath. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just… Never mind. You’re right.”

His words fell off into tense silence. We tried to pick the conversation back up, but it was weird and awkward. Finally, I told him I was going to take a nap, and he agreed he needed to get ready to go to the bar. We stumbled our way through a tense goodbye and got off the phone.

I curled up on the couch and brought the blanket down over me, just wanting to close my eyes for a little while. It seemed the tiredness Samantha warned me about was setting in more now, and I didn’t want it to catch up with me too much. I had only just relaxed when someone knocked on the door.

It couldn’t be Jordan. As dramatic as that would be, I doubted he would have that whole conversation with me while on his way to my house and not tell me. The payoff of showing up at my door wasn’t really enough to justify that.

Wrapping the blanket around myself, I went over to the door and peeked out. I was surprised to see Becca and Ava standing outside. They smiled at me when I opened the door, but their expressions turned to concern when they saw the blanket.

“Are you okay?” Ava asked.

“What’s wrong?” Becca asked.

I shook my head. “I was just resting a little. I’m fine. What are you two doing here?”

Becca glanced over at Ava. “We just thought we would stop by and check on you. See how you’re doing.”

“Come on in,” I said. They followed me inside, and I brought them into the living room. “Anybody want some tea? Ava?”

“Sounds good,” she said. “This little one is causing me some trouble this time around. It wasn’t so bad last time.”

“I’m with you there,” I said. “I mean, I don’t have any prior experience, but so far, it’s a doozy.”

The women laughed as I headed into the kitchen to put the pot on to heat. I could hear them in the living room talking about Becca’s pregnancy and the symptoms she went through. She laughed, saying how she didn’t believe Tyler didn’t catch on. She was sure there were days when it was so obvious.

It made me feel good to hear them in there. Not just because I didn’t feel so alone in my situation with Jordan and the baby, but also because of the friendship I’d found in them.

I filled a tray with the pot, cups with tea bags, and a plate of cookies and brought it into the living room. Setting it on the coffee table, I curled back into the corner of the couch and draped my blanket over my lap.

“So,” Becca said, looking at Ava, then at me. “Have you told Jordan yet?”

“Ah, so now the truth comes out,” I said with a teasing lift of my eyebrow as I poured hot water into my cup. “The real reason you came over here.”

“No, we really did want to check on you,” Becca started.

“Yes,” Ava said, nodding.

“I told him,” I said.

“So?” Ava asked. “How did it go? How did he react?”

I let out a sigh, some of the humor draining away from me. “I mean, he took it better than I could have imagined. Really. There was a misunderstanding with the phones, and he actually drove all the way back here just to talk to me about it. He was really sweet and supportive. Said he was happy about it.”

“So why do you look less than pleased?” Becca asked.

“Because he’s still in Portland,” I said. “I know I’m being selfish and maybe a little ridiculous. But I just hate that he’s there. And he has no idea when he’s going to come back. He told me today he got an apartment.”

Ava nodded. “I heard about that. But just because he thought he would be more comfortable having his own place than being in the hotel all the time.”

“And you’re allowed to be a little selfish right now,” Becca said. “It’s not like you’re just clinging to him because you’re needy. You want him here because you’re carrying his child. That makes sense. I can’t even imagine having Tyler away from me while I was pregnant. Even when he didn’t know. I just wanted him around. Even when I acted like I didn’t.”

Ava laughed. “I remember those days. At least you told him. I’m really glad you didn’t try to hide it. I know it wasn’t easy, but you did the right thing. And I’m really glad Jordan took it so well. I figured he might. I’ve known him pretty much his