Page 44 of Triplet Babies for the CEO

None of it’s sticking, though.

An email from a contractor detailing supply delays sits open on my computer screen, and I read the same paragraph three times without actually processing a word.

I stare blankly at a blueprint for the new office complex, and the lines of text swim in front of me. I manage a few perfunctory nods and grunts as my project manager updates me on safety regulations and some zoning changes, but all I can think about is how I need to find Tasha, how I need to talk to her and make this right.

I glance down at my watch, a sense of dread building within me.

I can’t go on like this, half here and half somewhere else. I need to see her. Now.

It’s later in the day when I finally spot her at one of our newer, empty job sites.

She’s finishing up some measurements, her hands steady, her focus intense, but when she sees me approach, there’s a flicker of apprehension in her eyes. I step forward, careful not to crowd her, not to spook her into walking away.

“Don’t run off, Tasha,” I say softly, holding her gaze. “Please, just…just talk to me.”

Her expression shifts suddenly, she’s trying to be brave, but I can see the fear lingering there. It tears at me.

“Whatever happens,” I tell her, my voice steady but laced with a nervous edge, “I’m here. I’ll help with the baby. You’re not alone in this.”

Saying the words aloud makes it all feel more real, more terrifying, but also more right. This is my child, too.

“I’ll be there for you. For both of you,” I continue, my chest tightening as I realize just how monumental this promise really is.

My hands clench slightly as I let out a shaky breath.

I’m scared. Hell, I’m terrified!

Becoming a father again at this point in my life is something I never saw coming.

But I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I want to do the right thing.

I won’t leave her to face this alone. “I don’t know what this looks like for us,” I add, my voice faltering, “but I want you to know you’ll have my support, no matter what.

Tasha’s eyes fill with tears, and she nibbles her lip, struggling to keep them at bay. “Brody, I was just…I was just getting my life together,” she chokes out, her voice breaking. “And now…now this.”

She lets the words fall, and each one feels like a punch to my chest. Hearing her refer to our child as “this” stings in a way I hadn’t expected.

It’s a cold realization, slicing through my resolve and making my heart ache.

I try to keep my face neutral, but the memories rush in, unbidden and raw.

I remember the way things with my ex had slowly unraveled, the distance growing over time until there was nothing left between us but formality and obligations.

And as I stand here, I can’t ignore the gnawing doubt, that maybe trying to make this work with Tasha is a mistake, that maybe it isn’t reasonable. She’s a young woman, close to Josh’s age, with her whole life ahead of her.

She should be out there enjoying herself, not bound to a life she never planned. Guilt tightens in my chest as I look at her, feeling a profound sadness for both of us.

She deserves a fresh start, a future free from the complications I’ve unknowingly added to her life.

My heart sinks as I realize how much of this weight she’s been carrying alone, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m the reason she feels trapped, like her life’s spiraling out of her control.

I reach out and pull her into a hug, wrapping her tightly in my arms. “Everything’s going to be okay, Tasha,” I murmur against her hair, trying to keep my voice steady, trying to believe the words myself.

Tasha feels so small, so vulnerable, and I tighten my grip, wishing I could take away every ounce of her fear and uncertainty. She pulls back slightly, looking around at the job site… looking at the building plans for the house that will go here, her eyes misty.

“I always imagined one day being able to afford a house like this,” she whispers, her voice wavering. “All on my own, because I was a success. I wanted to make something of myself, Brody. I wanted to prove I was more than where I came from.”

I feel a sudden pang of sadness hearing her say this, knowing just how much of herself she’s poured into her dreams, how far she’s come despite the odds.

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