Page 13 of Triplet Babies for the CEO

One of them, a thick, burly guy named Dave, smirks at me with a condescending glance. “Think you can lift just one bag of cement, sweetheart?” he asks, nodding at a fifty-pound bag on the ground. There’s a challenge in his brown eyes, and I know he’s expecting me to shake my head and back down.

I’m not about to give him the satisfaction, though.

And I never back down.

So, I walk over, bend my knees into a squat position, and hoist the bag up before walking it over and dropping it at Dave’s big feet.

It’s heavier than I expected, but I keep my face steady, not letting it show. “You mean like that?” I ask, my voice light and airy.

There’s a moment of silence before Dave breaks out into a cheesy grin. “All right, I see you,” he says, tipping his hard hat at me.

The other guys chuckle and murmur amongst themselves, and I can tell I’ve earned a little bit of respect.

I feel Brody’s electric gaze on me, and I see there’s an amused glint in his eye.

The day goes on like that: me trying to prove I can handle whatever they throw at me, and them testing me.

To be honest though, in a way, it feels more like they’re welcoming me into the fold than trying to push me out. Like by having me do these menial tasks, I’m proving my weight in their world.

Construction is dangerous and tough, I kind of get that they have to vet me to some degree to make sure I’m not going to sit and sulk on the ground because I chipped a nail.

There are a few moments throughout the day when things feel like they could get…steamy. Like when Brody leans over to point out something on a blueprint, and his thick arm brushes against me, or when we’re walking side by side and our hands almost touch.

I know to keep it professional, but I can’t ignore the way my heart skips a beat whenever he looks at me like I’ve surprised or pleased him.

The sun is low on the horizon by the time we’re driving back to the office from the last site, bathing everything around us in a warm, orange glow.

The truck is quiet, the radio playing softly, and Brody glances over at me. I feel a surge of excitement every time his warm, maple-colored eyes turn to me.

“So,” he says, his voice casual and smooth, “what do you want to do with your life, Tasha? I mean, long term.”

I pause, mulling over the question. In all fairness, I wasn’t expecting it, and now I feel on the spot to say something impressive or lofty. Instead, I find myself answering honestly.

“I want to get out of this loop my parents have always been in,” I say, staring out the window. “I really want to go to college. I don’t want to be stuck, you know? Working dead-end jobs, married to someone I’m just…settling for. I don’t want any of that.”

He nods, understanding crossing his gorgeous face. His eyes still look down the road, but I can see him listening to me. “Sounds like you’ve thought a lot about it.”

“I have,” I admit. “I just need to figure out how to make it happen. And what exactly I want to go for. Something where I can make some real money, though. Finance, accounting…I dunno…something that I can give the life I never had to my future children.”

There’s this thoughtful look on Brody’s face but he doesn’t say anything, and it makes me wonder what he’s thinking.

“I can’t help with all of that,” Brody finally says, glancing over at me as he drives. A smile stretches across his face. “But if college is something you want, the company has programs that can help. We support employees who want to get their degrees.”

I blink a few times, trying to process what he’s saying.

For a second, I don’t believe it.

But he just keeps looking at me with this steady, sincere expression, and my chest suddenly feels like it’s going to burst, like a balloon someone keeps pumping air into.

College has always been this hazy, impossible dream: something other people get to do, not me. But now, hearing him say that, it feels like there’s this door slowly creaking open.

It feels like I might actually be able to step through it and follow my heart.

“Seriously?” I ask, my voice a little breathless. My eyes stare at him with anticipation.

“Seriously,” he says, nodding. An amused smile curls in the corner of his perfect lips. “If you’re interested, we can talk more about it.”

“Yeah, I’m interested.” I can’t help the huge grin spreading across my face as I reply, trying not to sound too eager but failing miserably.

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