CEO'S Secret Baby: A Standalone Surprise Pregnancy Romance by Iona Rose (books for 5 year olds to read themselves .TXT) 📕

had now been significantly reduced, I accessed the employee’s portal and found the announcement for the competition.

The rest of the afternoon was spent preparing and polishing up my proposal, and by the end of the day, I sent it in, anonymously as the requirements requested. Regardless of what happened from then on, my heart was now settled and grateful for the chance.

When I was done, most people had already left for the day, so I picked up my purse, and went home to Carter.

Chapter 34

Carter

At the end of the following week, I sat anxiously in my office, awaiting the result of Leah’s presentation to the Vita500 team. Just as I’d predicted, her anonymous proposal amongst two others had been selected, and I couldn’t wait to hear what the final result would be.

“Are you even listening to me?”

At the offended tone, I lifted my gaze and was reminded once more that Mark was sitting across from me. He had flown in from Minnesota to try to settle a discord about the suit at our Chicago’s office.

“I am,” I told him, the knots in my stomach tightening even further at the reminder of the legal annoyance. “I’ll have to ponder on the best way to counterattack this. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.”

“I say we just pay them off and make this whole thing go away.”

“And then make ourselves an easy target for anyone else who wakes up on the wrong side of the bed in the future? No way. You know what, I’ll head over there myself tomorrow, and when all this is resolved I’ll also stop by St. Paul to review things there.”

His smile was wide. “I was beginning to think that you’d never travel out of Indianapolis again.”

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to, but yet here we are.”

His face fell. “Is that a shot at me? Because I’m going to send it right back to you. My job is to increase your assets, not help you manage them. With your move here, I have been bearing the brunt of the work and my salary has still remained the same.”

My phone vibrated with the arrival of a message then, so I picked it up. “You already earn much too much money for your own good, Garrity,” I said.

‘We’re done,’ Leah had written in the text. ‘I won! My legs are about to give out.’

I laughed out loud at the news, much to Garrity’s surprise.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

I filled him in.

“Wow! That’s great news,” he said.

“Amazing news.” I beamed.

“What are you both doing after work today? I’d like to buy her a drink.”

I cocked my brow. “You want to buy her a drink?”

“Of course! What were you expecting? That I’d buy you one too? You’ll pay for yours.”

“Well, I’m declining,” I told him.

“C’mon man. Who knows when next I’ll be here?”

“From your pattern so far, I’d say in about two weeks.”

“Carter,” he called. “I’m serious. She seems very special to you. I want to meet her, officially.”

“Well you can’t, at least not tonight. Her friend is having an engagement party and we have to be there.”

“Great! Can I come along?”

With an inward groan, I dialed Leah’s number and was a bit surprised when she picked up.

“Hey,” she said.

I could hear the breathlessness in her voice. “How’s it going down there?” I asked.

“Overwhelming. It seems like the whole world is congratulating me. I need you. Why aren’t you here?”

“It’s your moment. I don’t want to distract others from that. I’ll have all night to congratulate you.”

I heard a sudden cough then and remembered that Garrity was in the room. I gave him a sour look and turned away. “We’re still on for Tracy’s party tonight, right?”

“Yes we are,” she replied.

“Mark Garrity wants to come along, my CFO from Minnesota.”

“Oh, I know him. Of course, he can. I’ll talk to Tracy about it.”

“I was hoping you’d say no,” I said.

“I heard that!” Mark called out. “Thank you, Leah! See you tonight.”

“Did you hear him?” I asked her.

“I did,” she said, sounding amused. “Tell him I said he’s welcome.”

“Sure will.”

“See you at 6?”

“See you at 6,” I replied.

“Oh wait, I have one more question,” she said. “I didn’t bother asking before because I wasn’t too sure I’d win, but what position am I going to be promoted to in the new Ad Department?”

“That’s between me and the management team.”

“Carter!” She called out.

“I love you, Leah,” I told her.

Her silence at the sudden declaration was deafening.

“See you later,” I said with a grin and ended the call.

I returned to Mark but just as I took my seat, her text came in. ‘I love you too, Carter. Thank you for believing in me.’

My heart felt like it was going to burst but I pushed the phone away, as I tried my best to focus on Mark.

“What position is she going to hold in the department?”

“How does Creative Director sound?” I asked. “It lines up with her interest and her past performance. I think she’ll excel at it.”

“Sounds great to me.” He nodded.

Chapter 35

Leah

I walked into my new office and could not believe the space I’d been granted.

It was a small corner office in the north wing of the building, and for a moment, my legs felt just a bit shaky. I needed Carter here, but he was already on his flight back to Minnesota.

A knock sounded at the door. I turned to see a bouquet of flowers through the glass wall… I knew who it was. “Come in,” I called, and to my amusement, he hid his face behind the bouquet.

“Thanks, Jeremy,” I said, as I began to unpack my personal items from my box. The first was the framed picture of my love. The one we had taken at the park, with our faces imprinted with the paint covering of the others palm, and other splotches of lavender and red.

“They’re not from me,” he said. “I wouldn’t know that your favorite flowers are orchids.”

“Ah,” I replied.