Page 106 of Anti-Hero

Below it, she’s sent a photo of her stomach. In profile, so the subtle bulge of her midsection is more obvious.

Collins:Too much turkey.

I grin.

“Oh, I get it now,” Bash says.

I glance at him. “Get what?”

“Youlikeher. That’s why you’re so defensive.”

“I’m not defensive. And of course I like her. We work together, and she’s the mother of my child.”

“Nope.” Bash shakes his head. “It’s more than that.”

“Whatever. I’m going to change. Leave that”—I point at the sonogram—“in the kitchen when you’re finished looking at it. Been meaning to put it up on the fridge.”

Bash salutes me. “Will do. And congrats, by the way, on the whole baby thing.”

“Thanks,” I reply, then head down the hall.

28

Ireread my letter of resignation yet again, a surprising amount of sadness and dread warring with relief.

When I received an offer from Bradford, Nash, & Monroe LLP yesterday, Iwasrelieved. Grateful. Everything felt a little lighter.

But now, faced with the prospect of telling Kit, I’m mostly apprehensive.

I already attempted to quit once. He knows I’ve been actively looking for other jobs. This position doesn’t start until early January, so I’m not leaving him in a lurch. I’m giving him a fullmonth to find a replacement, not just the traditional two weeks.

Kit and I don’t have a standard boss-employee relationship, however.

Which means I have no idea how he’s going to react. I also don’t know if he’s aware Bradford is the firm Perry works at. Or if I should disclose that, considering the subject of our last argument. Or if I should tell him Perry and I are friends, nothing more.

Ever since the ultrasound, I’ve inserted an extra layer of space between us. I know Kit thinks it’s because of how he reacted to Perry’s message. But I basically used that as an excuse. I was a lot more freaked out by what’d happened earlier in the day.

When I had decided to keep this baby, I had been prepared to do it alone. Even after Kit committed, I was prepared to do it alone. But I’m not sure I would have walked into Dr. Bailey’s office without his reassurances.

Andthatscared me a lot more than single parenthood.

I wanted him there forme, not as the baby’s father. And if there’s a more potentially catastrophic choice I can make after the series of events that landed me as Kit’s pregnant assistant, it’s falling in love with the man.

Not because he’s my soon-to-be former boss. Or Lili’s brother. Because he’s thefather of my child, and that’s not the guy you can casually date without consequences.

“You almost ready?” Margot asks, popping over the ledge of my desk.

I startle, nearly upending my water bottle with my elbow. “Margot! You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry.” She giggles. “I’m trying to be stealthy.”

We’re throwing a surprise engagement party for Aimee tonight.Her boyfriend proposed when they were visiting her family for Thanksgiving.

“So?” Margot prompts. “Are you ready to go?”

I glance at the clock—5:02. Stop deliberating and hit Print on the letter. “Yeah, almost. Five minutes.” I stand. “I just have to give something to Kit.”

“Okay. Hurry, yeah?” Margot rushes down the hallway.

---