Page 61 of Fierce-Michael

“Enjoy your sleep tonight,” he said. “You won’t get much after for a while.”

“We know,” Cade said. “But having one baby over twins, this should be a walk in the park.”

He watched his cousin waddle out of the door with Cade’s hand on her back.

A walk in the park. Michael sure the hell didn’t think that, but he got through.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a partner to help out though?

19

MAKING THE DECISIONS

“Ican’t believe Cade knows,” Kelly said later that night.

She’d gotten out of work and went to Michael’s for dinner.

He’d left to get Ty at daycare and drop him at Electra’s for a few hours and rather than go back to work came home so they could have a few hours together.

“He said it was by accident,” he said. “I believe it. I’m surprised he even processed what was being said with everything else going on in his life right now.”

“Tell me about it,” she said. “He has loose lips too, but he won’t be around much. I’m sure the next time he sees me he’ll say something. I’m surprised he didn’t today.”

“I’m sure he wanted to verify it with me first. Part of me wondered if he didn’t know for sure but was guessing. It’s easier to have that conversation with a guy.”

“Makes sense,” she said. “He could have just thought I was coming here to get a few things and Ella and I were having a business conversation. Cade isn’t one to normally put those things together.”

“He did this time,” he said. “Is it a problem?”

“Not if you don’t think so,” she said. “I just worry Jolene will find out next.”

And if Jolene didn’t think they were a good fit, would she let that be known?

Kelly didn’t want to think she’d change her mind or let that affect how she felt about Michael, but she never wanted to make anyone mad either.

“Is it a big deal at this point if she does?” he asked. “I know we said we wanted to keep it secret, but I’m not really doing it for Jolene. To me it’s more about everyone else that we work with. Jolene is the least of my worries.”

She laughed. “It’s easy for you to say that because you have no problem giving Jolene some grief. You don’t work for her; I kind of do.”

No kind of about it. Jolene and Gavin still owned part of Fierce with their kids. And though her boss was Cade and sometimes Ella, it was still Jolene everyone listened too if it came down to it. Most times.

“Don’t worry about her,” he said. “Hungry? I know you just walked in the door.”

“But we never have a lot of time,” she said. “I get it.”

He let out a sigh. “Does that bother you?”

“Of course not,” she said. “We’ve talked about this already.”

“I know we have. But we are a few weeks in now and maybe it gets old.”

“If it’s getting old a few weeks in, then there is an issue. There isn’t one for me. Is there for you? Do you want to spend more time with me and aren’t sure if I do?”

His head went back and forth. “I’d like to spend more time with you but not sure if you’re ready to meet Ty any more than I’m ready for you to meet him.”

She wouldn’t be hurt over hearing that. She understood it.

“I’ll be ready when you say you want me to,” she said. “How is that?”