The Boss Project by Vi Keeland

My eyes widened. “You didn’t tell Ben yet?”

“He worked late and wasn’t supposed to be home until ten. I wanted to tell him in person. But I had to tell someone!”

“Oh my God. Go tell the poor man!”

“Alright. But hurry home. I want to start a list of potential names!”

I laughed. “I’ll see you in a little while. And congratulations, Greer.”

As soon as I hung up, Merrick smiled. “I guess your sister didn’t need me after all?”

“I can’t believe the artificial insemination worked the first time.”

“That’s great. Congratulations.”

“Yeah. They’ve been trying for five years. I’m so happy for them. She’s going to make such a great mom. Greer was like a second mother to me in a lot of ways because she’s ten years older. She’s a natural caretaker. Which reminds me, I told her about us when I got back from Kitty’s, and she’s already bugging me to invite you to dinner one night.”

“Should I bring a lab report with my sperm count when I come?”

“You heard that, huh?”

“It was kind of impossible not to.”

I sipped my soda. “Do you want to have kids someday?”

Merrick looked away. “If you’d asked me a few months ago, I would’ve said no.”

“And now?”

He reached across the table and took my hand. “I don’t know. Things can change, I guess. I’m only now realizing how much I’ve let my past control my future. I don’t want to do that anymore.”

“You mean things with Amelia?”

He nodded.

A worker walked over and pointed to the trays in front of us. Our plates were both empty. “Can I take those?”

“Oh, that would be great. Thank you.”

Merrick took out his phone. “I was planning on kidnapping you and bringing you home with me. But it sounds like you need to go home to your sister’s.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

“Tomorrow night? Bring what you need with you to the office so you can stay. I’ll make you dinner.”

“You’re going to cook?”

“You don’t seem so hard to please, considering we had hot dogs tonight. I can top that.”

“Okay.” I smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

He lifted his cell as we stood. “I’ll call you an Uber.”

“That’s okay. I’ll just jump on the train. There’s a station at the corner.”

Merrick ignored me and typed into his phone before looking up. “It’ll be here in three minutes.”

“Do you have something against the subway?”

“I have something against you not staying safe—same reason I think you should have an alarm in a first-floor apartment.”

As soon as we walked outside, the Uber pulled up. I kissed Merrick goodnight. “Thank you for coming to look at apartments with me. Oh my God—I didn’t even tell Greer I found a place.”

He leaned down to open the Uber door. “You had a lot of excitement tonight. I’ll have to work to make tomorrow evening as good.”

I wiggled my brows as I got into the back of the car. “I can’t wait.”





CHAPTER 24

Evie



“Come in!”

The door to my office opened, and Merrick poked his head inside. Finding just me, he let himself in.

“Hey.” I closed the notebook I’d been writing in. “Good timing. I’m done for the day.”

“Wish I could say the same thing. I’m running behind. The market went a little crazy today because of some unexpected news. The analysts just finished working on what it means so we can talk about it and decide on our holdings. Sorry, but I’m gonna be another hour or two.”

“Oh…” I shrugged. “That’s okay. I can find something to do.”

Merrick looked at his watch. “It’s already six thirty. Why don’t you go up and get comfortable? Order some dinner since it’s going to be too late to start cooking by the time I’m done.”

“I’ll just work some more.”

Merrick frowned and held out a key. “I noticed you left this behind yesterday when you left my place.”

“I figured you were just loaning it to me to let myself in. I didn’t think you wanted me to keep it.”

“Will it freak you out if I tell you to hold on to it? This is a copy.”

“Do you want me to answer that honestly?”

He smiled. “How about you take it and go up now, and we talk about it later?”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Merrick handed me the key. “Go get changed and settle in. I don’t want you to stay just because I’m stuck for a while.”

I tilted my head. “You’re just hoping I greet you like I did before, aren’t you?”

He chuckled. “Go. You can snoop around some more.”

“I don’t think you realize the danger of making that statement to someone like me.”

He closed my palm with the key inside. “Have at it. I’ve got nothing to hide.”

It wasn’t lost on me that my ex wouldn’t even let me look at a picture on his phone without hovering to take it back. But then again, there was no comparison between Christian and Merrick. “What do you want me to order?”