Page 98 of Say You Remember Me
“What?” Kiara asked, her jaw dropping as the rest of the table erupted into shocked gasps and cheers. “You’re actually pregnant?”
Cambrielle and Mack exchanged a beaming look before nodding. “Yep. Just made it into the second trimester.”
I glanced at my mom, noting her serene expression. “You already knew, didn’t you?”
“Of course she did.” Cambrielle chuckled, leaning back in her chair. “I needed someone to complain to about my morning sickness.”
“Was it bad?” Kiara’s brows lifted, her curiosity evident. “I’ve heard it can be horrible.”
“Mine hasn’t been as bad as some people have it,” Cambrielle admitted, resting a hand on her stomach. “But let’s just say I’ve been carrying around saltine crackers like they’re drugs for weeks now.”
The table erupted into more laughter and congratulations, and the conversation quickly shifted into an enthusiastic mix of baby talk and wedding plans. Yet, as the lively chatter swirled around me, my gaze flicked to the empty chair beside me. And even though I’d always been fine attending these family dinners without a girlfriend before, the absence of someone sitting there suddenly hit me—a longing for someone to fill the gap I hadn’t even realized was there.
My siblings had all found their life partners. Someone to share whispered jokes and stolen glances with during family dinners. But me? I was the oldest of all my siblings—older than Carter and Nash by almost five years—and yet, I was still a bachelor.
They’d all been able to grow up and mature in relationships in a way I never had.
Sure, I’d had my own life experiences that had made my life full and meaningful. But I couldn’t help but think it would be nice to have someone sitting beside me during events like this.
A permanent plus-one, so to speak.
An image of Maddie sitting there and her son Grant charming everyone at the table suddenly filled my mind.
And even though becoming a husband and father had always been more abstract in the past—things that would be nice to have someday—it was suddenly all I wanted.
And even though I was probably jumping a hundred steps ahead, at least for today, I couldn’t help but think that Maddie and Grant were exactly who I wanted that future with.
Hopefully, after she talked to HR, I wouldn’t discover that the future I was starting to picture with Maddie and Grant was never even a possibility.
“Ian,” my mom said as she stepped into my office on Monday morning, her long brown hair swept back into a sleek bun, her expression calm but serious. “Your dad and I just spoke to HR. Marsha’s ready for your interview.”
A flicker of nerves tightened my chest, quick and sharp. “Okay,” I said, blowing out a low breath as I pushed back my chair and stood.
For all the times my name had been splashed across tabloids, most people would assume I’d been through countless HR interviews. But the truth was, this was uncharted territory for me. And while I was sure—or at least mostly sure—that things would turn out fine, the stakes felt higher than ever.
I loved my job here, didn’t want to risk it, or have any of this reflect badly on the company. More than that, I didn’t want Maddie to face any fallout because of my choices.
The walk down the hall was quiet, save for the click of my mom’s heels against the polished floor. The office buzzed faintlywith the sounds of phones ringing and keyboards clacking, but it felt distant, muffled.
As we approached Marsha’s office, my mom reached over and gave my hand a quick squeeze. “Things should be fine,” she said, using the same soothing tone she’d always used when I was a kid and nerves got the better of me. “Just be honest, and it’ll all work out.”
I glanced at her, searching for any doubt in her brown eyes. “Do you really believe that?”
“I do.” She stopped in front of Marsha’s door, turning to face me fully. “Your dad and I went through something similar when I started working for him and it came out that we were dating. The scrutiny, the questions… It’s not easy, but as long as you were respectful with Maddie—and from what you told me last night, it sounds like you were—then it’ll be okay.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said, her words steadying me more than I expected.
She pulled me into a brief hug, patting my back. “Good luck. I’ll be waiting when you’re done.”
I nodded, releasing a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, and stepped into Marsha’s office.
Marsha greeted me with a professional smile, gesturing to the chair across from her desk. “Have a seat, Ian.”
The leather chair was stiff and unyielding, a fitting match for the clinical air of the room. My palms rested on my knees, slightly clammy, as Marsha shuffled some papers. The hum of the overhead light filled the silence, making my nerves prickle.
“So, Ian,” Marsha began, her tone neutral as she peered at me over the rim of her glasses. “Let’s start from the top. Can you explain, in your own words, what happened at the summit last week that led to this…situation?”
“It started with a misunderstanding.” I cleared my throat, shifting slightly in my chair. “We were at a restaurant, waitingto be seated for dinner with a client, when one of my exes came up to us and…well, I panicked. Without thinking, I introduced Maddie as my fiancée.”
