Page 39 of A Bossy Surprise

“I guess you’re right.”

“I am more worried about what this means for you professionally.”

“Me too! But Adam thinks I’m being paranoid.”

She shakes her head. “If word gets out that you have a child with our new boss, people are going to think that’s why you got your promotion. I’ve already been hearing whispers around the office concerning why you got the promotion over everyone else.”

“Really? What are people saying? And why haven’t you told me about this before?”

“I haven’t told you because it’s not important. That’s the same reason I’m still not going to tell you. My point is that once people know about you and Adam things are bound to get difficult for you.”

“Nobody knows for now. We are keeping this under wraps.”

“Yeah, but people will find out eventually. Someone will see the three of you out together being domestic or whatever and word will spread.”

“Yeah, but hopefully by then I will have proven why Arthur took a chance on me.”

“I hope so.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Just be careful. Between the two of you, you have more to lose.”

Her words are the exact same thing I’ve been telling myself for weeks now, but hearing it come from someone else gives it a little more gravity.

Regardless, I’ll stick to the plan and hope everything turns out well.

12

ADAM

“Who do you think would win in a fight? Superman or Thor?” Brady asks as he pops his last chicken nugget into his mouth.

“Superman, of course.” I split my last piece of broccoli into two with my knife and fork.

“No way!” Brady yells, sending bits of nugget across the table.

“Brady, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Kayla chastises as she flips her hair over her shoulder.

Brady makes a huge show of chewing then swallowing his food then says, “Thor is the god of thunder. He would totally win.”

“Yes, he is the god of thunder,” I say. “But Superman has done way more impressive things than Thor. I mean, Superman has moved actual planets. Thor is strong, but what he does is just pomp. He impresses with all that lightning.

Brady giggles. “What’s pomp?”

Kayla and I laugh then I answer. “It’s basically showing off, just for the sake of showing off.”

“Nuh uh. He isn’t showing off. How can he be the god of thunder without lightning?”

“Maybe, but Superman is still stronger.”

Brady is about to argue when Kayla points at the untouched pile of broccoli on Brady’s plate with her fork. “Finish your vegetables, young man.”

“But I don’t want to,” he whines. “I ate my carrots and corn, but I don’t like broccoli.”

“Eat it. It’s good for you,” Kayla counters.

“No, it’s not. It tastes bad,” Brady says.