Olivia agreed as well, and Mr. Mansfield clapped his hands together.
“Amazing! This is going to be great.”
“Sir, what about your partners?” I asked.
He snorted. “Don’t worry about them. They’ll be staying at the firm we have now. I’ll be coming over with you and Olivia. Together, we’ll make it thrive.”
My heart leaped in my chest as my gaze shifted back to the building, tall and skeletal and in the final touches of being built. This was my future. But what about Dare? My gut dropped out from beneath me and I curled my arms around my middle. We’d always been together, from school, through college, and at the office we were in now. I didn’t know what it was likewithouthim, and now I had to learn. The thought was terrifying.
Dare didn’t speak to me about anything but work after I got back to the office. By the time we were done for the afternoon and arrived home, he was still quiet. I began to worry. I checked my phone: 5:50 p.m. Every day after work I ran up to the bedroom, got naked, and waited on the bed with my fake belly like he’d ordered me—6:00 p.m., that had been what he’d said, but this time was different. He didn’t seem to be in the mood for sex.
“Daddy?” I reached out to touch him when he strode past me into the kitchen. A vanilla candle I’d had burning this morning was still sitting in the middle of the table, but he’d made sure I’d blown it out before we left. Even so, the house still smelled sweet, and it was a nice scent to come home to. “Are you mad at me?”
He stopped at the table, his back tense, and when he finally turned to me I held my breath. His mouth was pressed together tightly, and my heart jumped to my throat. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him like this. “I don’t think you can handle opening an office by yourself.”
My mouth dropped open. Shock reverberated through me as I shuffled back from him and hit my leg against the coffee table. “Are you serious?”
“Z, I’m just worried—” He stepped forward to reach for me, but I snapped my hand away from him, glaring.
“Fuck off, you’re worried. You’re jealous.”
“What?” His eyes widened and the tightness around his mouth loosened. “I’m not—”
“You are.” I jabbed my finger at him, anger burning hot until it felt like my body was on fire. “You think he should’ve asked you.”
“That’s not true. You’re going to make yourself sick. You’ll be overwhelmed by trying to keep up with all of Mansfield’s demands,” he said, but he didn’t reach for me again, which I was grateful for because I was too mad at him right then.
I snorted and stepped back farther, nearly tripping on something on the floor. I didn’t bother looking at what I’d stumbled over because I was too focused on how angry I was at him. “Admit it, Fern, you’re jealous.”
His gaze was hot. “I’m not arguing with you about this, Zayden.”
“Fine. Don’t.” I sliced my hand through the air between us. My heart hurt, but I resisted the urge to rub my chest. “I’m sleeping in my bed tonight.”
Without waiting for him to respond, I swung around and stormed up the stairs, making sure to stomp my feet extra hard. I went into his room and grabbed my belly before placing it on my bed, then got some boxers and went to the shower. A part of me hoped he would come in and say he was sorry, tell me he was in the wrong, but that didn’t happen. I wanted to cry. I didn’t. Instead, I showered as quickly as I could, dressed, and went back to my bedroom.
Strapping the belly on, I glanced at my closed door. Nothing happened.
I curled my arms around the belly and settled onto the bed, burying myself under a fort of blankets until they covered my head. Forcing my eyes closed, I took deep breaths to stop myself from screaming in frustration. The belly didn’t help this time. There was no comfort. What I wanted more than anything was my Daddy, my best friend, and the love of my life.
I couldn’t remember the last time we’d fought over something so trivial. Our friendship always came first, no matter what, and he’d always been proud of me. I didn’t know how this was so different.
My shoulders shook, and I buried my face against my pillow as the tears finally welled up.
The sound of the door opening had me freezing. I waited.
Dare sighed. “You didn’t lock the door, so that means I can come in, right?”
“I couldn’t lock the door since the last time you broke in. The lock won’t catch,” I said angrily but without any fire. I wanted him here, more than anything.
The blankets were pulled back, and I blinked up at him as he slid in behind me. He wrapped his arms around me and dragged me against his chest, and I went without any real fight. “I’m sorry.”
The urge to say “me too” was on the tip of my tongue, but I held it in. He’d always told me to stop apologizing so much, so that’s what I was going to do. I wasn’t in the wrong here. But I turned and buried myself into his hug anyway.
“You’re right. I am jealous,” he whispered.
I held my breath and chewed on my bottom lip.
“But it wasn’t because you got the job,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I was jealous of Olivia and Mansfield. They get to be there and watch you grow, and I’m left behind. Boy… we’ve always been together. It’ll feel weird without you. I’m worried I won’t be there to have your back when you need me.”
