Page 59 of Fierce-Michael

“Are you all set? You know everything here is. Unless you don’t have faith in me.”

Alex snorted. “You’re trying to make me feel guilty. It’s working. I’ve got complete faith and I also know you won’t reach out to me for weeks about work.”

“I’ve got my orders too,” he said.

Alex lifted an eyebrow at him. “Cade or Jolene?”

“Maybe both,” he said, smirking. “Your mother and Gavin are added to that list. Everyone wants you to focus on the important things. The baby. Not work. It’s not going anywhereand there isn’t anything I can’t handle. If something that bad comes up, I’ll call Cade. He’s got a stake in it too.”

“I know,” Alex said. “Cade will do what he needs to, but you’re right. Nothing is going to happen that you can’t handle.” Her phone went off that had been in her hand. She looked down and sighed. “Cade is coming to get me now. He wouldn’t let me drive here knowing I’d stay too long.”

“Good,” he said. “He dropped you off and put a time limit on it.”

“I’m going to finish up a few things. If he sees me sitting at my desk he won’t be so annoyed.”

“Sounds like you’ve got him figured out too,” he said.

The two of them were in the room overlooking the production floor. He often worked here on his laptop so he could keep an eye on things or his supervisors could run over to talk to him more easily.

At times he learned they didn’t like going through the offices to get him, but he split his time as best as he could.

Twenty minutes later, Cade walked in and sat at the table across from him. “Did you tell her everything is fine?”

“Of course I did,” he said. “Because it is. And it will be. I reassured her that if there is an issue I can call you.”

Cade snorted. “Did she laugh at you?”

“Not at all. I did put some guilt on her shoulders and asked if she didn’t think I could handle it.”

“My mother told you to do that, didn’t she?” Cade asked.

“Nah. I’m a parent too. I know how to work the guilt when I need it.”

“I appreciate everything,” Cade said. “Not just from five years ago when the twins came or the past five years of what has become of this place, but in the past several months. I know Alex worries about the business, but there isn’t anything to worry about. It’s more than she ever thought it’d be.”

“I’m glad for her then,” he said.

“She owes it to you,” Cade said. “I just want to make sure you’re not putting your life on hold though.”

“Why is that?” he asked.

“I know everyone thinks I’m clueless, but I don’t think I am. My mother was in my office the other day asking who Kelly is dating.”

Shit. He knew that. He’d been told, but they’d been keeping it as quiet as they could.

Not even Alex had said a word to him, so he couldn’t imagine how the hell Cade figured it out.

Or maybe he was guessing.

“What does that have to do with me?” he asked.

Cade laughed. “I’d say nothing because I’m always the last to know. But I overheard Ella and Kelly talking yesterday and your name came up and Kelly laughed and said she’d see you today.”

There was no reason to lie about this and he’d have to let Kelly know. “I believe she is picking things up. Alex mentioned it.”

“You’re going to play that way?” Cade asked.

He sighed. Better to let it go now. “Did she know you heard?”