Two Little Secrets From My Boss

Chapter 15

The phone call came at six-thirty in the morning, while I was still wrestling Nina into her jacket. The daycare called to inform me that they’ve had an outbreak of stomach flu.

They’ll be closed for the whole week…

I couldn't miss work. Not now, not with the Ashford partnership requiring constant support, not with Bianca watching my every move for signs of weakness. But I had no backup childcare.

Charlotte was traveling for work. My usual emergency sitter had moved to another state last month. Then I remembered.

Last week, Xander had mentioned casually, almost too casually, that if I ever needed to bring the girls to the office, I was welcome to.

"They can use the side conference room," he'd said, his voice carefully neutral. "I don't mind."

At the time, I'd dismissed it as an empty gesture. Now it was a lifeline.

"Girls," I announced, forcing brightness into my voice, "how would you like to come to Mommy's office today?"

Nina's eyes lit up. "The one with the Tall Man?"

"Yes, baby. The one with the Tall Man."

I arrived at the office thirty minutes early, the twins in tow. Debra's eyebrows rose when she saw us, but her expression quickly softened into understanding.

"Daycare closed," I explained, already feeling defensive. "Mr. Hale said it would be okay…"

"Say no more." Debra waved her hand. "I'll peek in on them whenever I can. We'll make it work."

I settled Nina and Lisa in the familiar room with their tablet, coloring books, and enough snacks to survive a siege. "Stay quiet, okay? Mommy's right outside if you need me."

"We know, Mommy," Nina said with exaggerated patience. "We're professionals."

The morning passed smoothly enough. I checked on the girls every hour, finding them happily occupied with their activities. They were being remarkably well-behaved, perhaps sensing that today required their best cooperation.

Mid-morning, my desk phone buzzed. "Ms. Carter, could you come to my office? There's a scheduling conflict we need to resolve."

Xander's voice was neutral, professional. I gathered my tablet and headed down the hall.

My mind drifted, unbidden, to yesterday. Archie's car parked at the curb. The way he'd leaned closer, his eyes searching mine for permission. The soft press of his lips—gentle, unhurried, like he had all the time in the world to convince me.

It had been... nice. Sweet. The kind of kiss that promised safety and patience and uncomplicated affection.

I shook the thought away and pushed open Xander's office door.

His office door was open. He stood at his desk, documents spread across the surface, his brow furrowed in concentration. He looked up when I entered, something flickering in his eyes before he schooled his expression.

"Close the door, please. This might take a while."

I obeyed, my pulse quickening despite myself.

"The Belgium investors want to move the presentation to Thursday," he explained, gesturing for me to approach. "But that conflicts with the quarterly board meeting. Take a look at these options."

I leaned over the desk, scanning the pages. Calendar printouts, meeting agendas, flight itineraries. I was trying to focus on the logistics when Xander moved behind me to point something out.

"If we shift the board meeting to morning," he said, reaching past me to indicate a date on the calendar, "we might be able to accommodate both."

His chest pressed against my back. His arm extended alongside mine, his hand splayed on the desk near my fingers. I could feel the warmth of him, the solid weight, his breath near my ear as he explained the issue.

My mind went blank.

His cologne surrounded me—that same woodsy scent from years ago. I could feel his heartbeat through the thin fabric of my blouse, steady and strong against my shoulder blade. Neither of us moved.

The moment stretched, thick and charged, the air between us electric.

"The problem is the travel time," he continued, his voice lower now, rougher. "If we…"

"I think the Thursday option works.” I forced myself to step aside, my cheeks burning. “I'll coordinate with the board members this afternoon."

"Right. Good.” Xander cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair. “That's... that's good."

The tension hung between us, impossible to ignore. No matter how hard I tried to push him away, the feelings refused to vanish. Before I could escape, he spoke again. His voice was quieter now, almost tentative—nothing like the commanding CEO I saw in meetings.

"Daphne, I was wondering lately..." He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. "Could I see the girls sometime today? Just to say hello. If they're not too busy with their coloring books."

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to refuse—to keep them separate, protected, away from the complicated mess between us. But another part remembered Lisa asking why they didn't have a daddy like other kids.

"I think they'd like that," I said finally. "They keep asking about the Tall Man."

Something softened in his expression. "The Tall Man?"

"That's what they call you." I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "Nina's very impressed by your height."

"I'll try to live up to the reputation." His eyes held mine for a moment longer than necessary. "Thank you, Daphne."

* * *

Later that afternoon, when I slipped away to check on the twins, the door to the side room was slightly ajar. I could hear voices inside—Nina's high-pitched chatter and a deeper, warmer response.

I stopped in the doorway, my heart catching.

Archie was crouched at their level, fully engaged in an animated conversation. He'd somehow acquired a plastic dinosaur, probably from Lisa's bag, and was making it stomp across the carpet while Nina directed its movements.

"No, no, the dinosaur has to bow to the unicorn first!" Nina insisted. "It's the rules."

"My apologies, Your Majesty." Archie made the dinosaur execute an elaborate bow. "I didn't realize I was in the presence of unicorn royalty."

Lisa giggled, holding up one of her drawings. "Look, I drew you! See? That's your hair, and that's your smile."

Archie took the drawing with exaggerated reverence. "This is the greatest portrait ever created. I'm going to frame it and put it in my office. Everyone will be so jealous!"

They adored him. It was written all over their faces. The easy trust, the genuine laughter, the way they'd already accepted him into their small world.

I watched from the doorway, something warm settling in my chest. Maybe Archie really was the right choice. The least complicated one. The one who made everything feel simple and safe.

I finally stepped into the room. "I hope they're not causing too much trouble."

Archie looked up, his hazel eyes finding mine with a warmth that made my breath catch. There was no awkwardness after our kiss—only a shift. His gaze lingered on me differently now, deeper, like I actually meant something to him.

"They're perfect," he said. "We're just establishing the proper dinosaur-unicorn diplomatic protocols."

"It's very important," Nina added seriously.

I laughed, settling onto the floor beside them. Lisa immediately crawled into my lap, showing me her latest drawing while Nina continued directing Archie's dinosaur duties.

Then I felt the air change. My stomach dropped when I looked up to find Xander standing in the doorway, his expression hardening instantly. Displeasure radiated from every line of his body as his eyes fixed on Archie.

On Archie crouched beside his daughters. Making them laugh. Winning their affection like it was

I didn't like where this was heading.