Page 8 of Protective Boss
I chuckle and wrap my arms around him a little tighter, savoring the moment of cuddles. “We'll go to the park later today, how about that?” I suggest gently. “But first, we need to get you ready for school.”
Oliver sighs dramatically, but he nods in agreement. “Okay, Mommy,” he says, with an expression that indicates he's making a big sacrifice.
“You're such a good boy, Puppy,” I tell him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Now, let’s get you dressed and ready for breakfast.”
I get out of bed, taking Oliver's hand in mine, and together, we head to the bathroom. We go about our morning routine as usual; I get Oliver prepped for school, and while he's having breakfast, I quickly get ready for work. In another forty minutes, I've dropped Oliver at school and I’ve arrived at the office.
As I settle at my desk and back into my work routine, I start to feel the anxiety over Oliver’s custody ebb a bit. I am hoping that if I stay busy today and just focus on my work, I will be able to keep the thoughts at bay and feel more like myself. I need to be in a better space for Oliver when I get home today, I want to be able to enjoy our time at the park without the weight of potentially losing him weighing me down.
After I finish updating our source lists, replying to Jason’s endless scheduling requests, and organizing my workspace, I decide I deserve a fresh cup of coffee. I rise from my desk and immediately find myself face-to-face with Jason, who must have just arrived.
I’ve placed my hands on his chest in a feeble attempt to hold myself steady. I definitely could’ve picked a better spot to put my hands, but I can’t seem to move them. The warmth radiating from his body and through my hands is sending a wave of desire through me. He looks at me, his blue eyes darkening, and swallows.
“I-I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I stammer out, beginning to lift my hands. As I do, he grabs my wrists and holds my hands to his chest. I am… so confused.
“Quite alright, Miss Harris. I apologize for spooking you,” he says, his hands still wrapped around my wrists. With a squeeze, he lets go of my wrists and continues into his office.
What the heck just happened?
Is it possible that Jason finds me attractive? He’s a handsome man, despite being quite a bit older than me, he has blonde hair that gives him a younger-looking, yet severe edge. I’ve thought he was hot from the moment I met him, but I never would’ve risked pursuing anything further between us.
As my mind whirls with the aftermath of our interaction, I finally begin my walk to the break room to grab my coffee.
As my latte brews from the pod-based machine, I feel my phone vibrating in my hand. My stomach drops when I see it’s Oliver’s school.
“Hello?” I answer, barely hiding my nerves.
“Miss Harris, hi. It’s Kelly Jenkins, the nurse at Oliver’s school. I am calling to let you know that Oliver has come down with a stomach bug and needs to be picked up immediately,” she informs me.
“I’ll be right there,” I say before hanging up and abandoning my half-brewed latte to race back to my desk. I remember Oliver trying to tell me he wasn't feeling well this morning. I'd dismissed his complaints as an excuse for not wanting to attend school. Guilt washes over me as the implication of my actions dawns on me.
With a deep breath, I steel myself to tell Jason I have to leave to pick up Oliver. I haven’t even mentioned that I have a son to him before, so this could be awkward, especially in the wake of our encounter this morning.
I knock on his door and he waves me in, "I'm sorry, sir but I just got a call from my son's preschool about him being sick. He has a fever, and I need to pick him up. I will take my computer with me, so I can work from home for the remainder of the afternoon.”
He gives me a long, unreadable look, one that makes me feel warm and gooey under my clothes. I can feel my face warming up under the intensity of his gaze, my heartbeat picking up at an uneven tempo. I wonder what must be going on in his head but only briefly. I’ve learned he is near-impossible to read.
“Why can't your spouse pick him up?” he asks in a flat tone that contradicts the intensity in his eyes as they quietly search my face.
“There's no spouse…” I reply, shifting awkwardly on my feet. “I’m a single parent.”
I never feel uneasy talking about my single-parent status, but the way Jason stares at me makes me feel exposed in a way I'm not used to. It's as if he's assessing me, but for what, I can't quite tell. The moment stretches on for a heartbeat too long, and I have to fight the urge to fidget under his scrutiny.
"Very well then," he says with a dismissive nod. "Go and take care of your son. I'll be in touch within the next hour or so, please make sure you’re available.”
“Yes, sir,” I respond and start to leave, but for some reason, I pause and turn around to look back at him.
“Thank you,” I mutter awkwardly, slipping out before he has the chance to say anything else.
Outside, I stop by my desk to pick up my bag and laptop and rush out to the elevator. On my way to the garage, I make a mental list in my head of what I have at home and what I may need to grab at the store after picking Oliver up. Sure, my day took an unexpected turn, but once my baby is in my arms, it’ll get better for both of us. Maybe this is what I need, especially after the stress of yesterday coupled with my strange interaction with Jason today. Some cuddle time, sick or not, always does Oliver and I both good.
The thought reminds me of the last time Oliver was sick. I had taken a day off work to stay home with him, and he spent the day curled up on the couch with me, his little head on my lap. We watched his favorite shows, and read his favorite books, and I let him have a little extra screen time on his tablet. Even though it was hard seeing him under the weather, it was also a time for us to bond.
He had suddenly looked up at me at one point, with those big, blue-gray eyes, and said, "You're the best mommy in the world."
Those simple words touched me deeply and reminded me why I chose this path–because it's fulfilling. Even on challenging days, knowing he needs me makes it all worth it. His smile and laughter are like medicine to my soul, and I'm grateful to have the chance to be his mom. If I were to go back in time, I'd choose to be Oliver's mom over and over again.
When I get into my car and try to start it, I quickly realize that things aren't going to get better just yet. My car won’t start.