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

happening, and when the door slammed shut, I figured it out. I knew it was miserable, but a part of me smiled anyway. It was part of being pregnant. If I could switch with her so I did the unpleasant parts, I would. But she was carrying our baby. Anything was worth that.

The fan in the bathroom turned off, and I could hear her brushing her teeth. When she was done, she opened the door sheepishly and made her way back into the bed, curling up beside me. I patted her on the backside and kissed the top of her head.

“I like getting back in bed with you,” she said.

“Does it make you feel any better?” She nodded. “Good. So, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“When do you want to tell everyone?” I asked.

“Now, if you want,” she said.

“Really? You’re okay with that?”

“If you are,” she said. “I don’t want to hide it anymore.”

“Do you mind if I call my mother?”

“Go ahead. I want to hear her reaction, too,” she said.

I opened my phone and found Mom’s contact info and clicked it. She picked up on the third ring and sounded groggy when she answered.

“Jordan? Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Late night, Mom?”

“Oh, you know,” she said in the way that she used to dismiss any critique of her newly found late-night shenanigans. “It was that damned Martha again, dragging us all around to different places.”

“Uh-huh,” I said. “I’m sure it was all Martha’s fault.”

“Well, it is,” she grumbled. It sounded like she was still in bed, which at nine in the morning for Mom was like getting up after noon. “Anyway, how are you, son?”

“I’m doing great, actually,” I said. “I had some news for you.”

“Well?” she asked when I didn’t come right out with it. “What is it?”

“Hannah and I are going to have a baby.”

The squeal was so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear, and Hannah began laughing.

“Oh, my baby boy, I am so happy,” she exclaimed. “Is Hannah there? Did I hear her? I thought you were in Portland.”

“I came back for the night,” I said. “But yes, she is here.”

“Let me talk to her,” Mom said, apparently already done with talking to me. I handed Hannah the phone, and she giggled as Mom gushed about the new grandbaby on the way. I lay back and listened to them giggle with a smile on my face. When she was done, Mom forgot to even talk to me again and hung up, promising to call her again later that day.

“I think the next person I call should be Matt,” I said. “But if you want to tell the girls to tell my other brothers, that’s fine.”

“How did you know I told them?” Hannah asked, shocked.

“I didn’t. I guessed. But you just confirmed it,” I laughed. “It’s okay. Tell them to spill the beans.”

Hannah got up to grab her phone and then tucked back into bed beside me, texting Ava. I called Matt’s number and waited for him to pick up. When he did, he sounded rougher than Mom did.

“What?” Matt asked as a way of greeting.

“Hey, brother,” I said. “I have some news that can’t wait.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I am really tired.”

“It’ll only take a second,” I said. “Hannah and I are having a baby.”

“That’s nice,” Matt said, not registering it. Then it sounded like he took a deep, sharp breath. “Wait, what?”

“Hannah’s pregnant. I am going to be a dad,” I said.

“Oh, no, not you, too,” Matt said, suddenly awake. “I mean, congrats and everything, but dammit.”

I laughed. “Your time will come, little brother.”

“Well, this is great news,” Matt said, sounding a bit apprehensive, “but if it’s possible, I need you back here tomorrow. We were swamped last night, and it looks like tomorrow will be just as bad. And Lamont got deployed. He leaves tomorrow.”

“Oh, I didn’t know Lamont was active duty,” I said.

“Yeah, I forgot to mention it to you,” Matt said. “Thought you two could bond over that. Now you won’t get a chance.”

“Well, I’ll get my stuff together today and I’ll head back tomorrow afternoon.”

“Sounds good,” Matt said. “See you then. And tell Hannah I said congratulations.”

“Will do,” I said, hanging up.

After getting dressed, we headed down to the mural to take a look at the almost finished product. Pulling in, it was immediately stunning. My eyes were drawn to it the entire time I walked toward it, and I gathered her up in a side hug as we stared at it.

“This is amazing,” I said. “Like, seriously amazing.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m really glad you’re here. I wanted you to be when I do the final coat of the finisher.”

“Let me get the blanket,” I said. I ran back to the car and grabbed the blanket we used for picnics and brought it over. I only had a few water bottles in the car with me, so it was a paltry spread, but I sat in the grass and watched her finish it up. When she was done, she turned to me.

“It’s finished,” she said. She ran over to where I sat and jumped into my lap. We stayed there staring at her mural for quite a long time. Finally, Hannah pulled up her phone and checked the time. “Looks like we better get going if we’re going to make it to work on time.”

“I don’t think anyone would fault us being a little late,” I said, grinning.

“Mr. Anderson,” she said teasingly. “We can’t do that to them.”

“I know. Come on.”

After the fanfare that was us coming in the doors of The Hollow and being greeted by hugs and handshakes, we got on with the business of running the bar’s night service. It felt nice, if disorienting, to be back in the old bar, and I was having a decent night when I noticed something seemed to be bothering Hannah. It wasn’t glaringly obvious or anything, but as the night progressed, she seemed less enthusiastic,