18. Stressful And Complicated

18

STRESSFUL AND COMPLICATED

“ W ill you stop worrying,” Michael said to Alex the following week. “I’ve got everything under control.”

“I know,” Alex said. “You did a great job when I was out with the twins five years ago. I’m not sure why I seem so worried this time around.”

“Because in five years the business is more than five times bigger,” he said, laughing. “Not sure we can even put a number on it.”

“My CFO can put a number on it,” Alex said, laughing.

“I’m sure Tony could,” he said. “And you never thought you’d have a CFO or any of the other positions that make up your admin office, did you?”

“No,” Alex said. “This is thanks to you. I know it.”

“Not really,” he said. “You had to be willing to put the risk and the money up. I had the idea to expand and the timing was right. But ideas don’t pay the bills.”

Cade had put in a lot of money, he knew that. And the business wasn’t just Alex’s anymore because of it. He didn’t think his cousin minded all that much about it either.

Though Cade tried to be hands-off, as he was too busy helping to run his family’s business.

“No,” Alex said. “My father saw that when the business was failing. I came back and started slow and conservatively. I’d still be doing more local orders if you didn’t come here.”

“Don’t get all sappy on me,” he said. “That is what family is for.”

“Yeah, but your returning home didn’t turn out the way you thought it was going to either.”

Michael grinned. “No, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Is life more stressful and complicated? Sure. You’ve got kids. You’re having your third tomorrow morning. But you know, kids are a joy in life. Ty is my world.”

“He is,” Alex said. “You’re so good with him. Better than Cade ever was with the twins, but don’t tell anyone I said that.”

He laughed. “Cade is a great fun father. You two balance each other out. And we know Cade’s weak stomach. Do you want him changing nasty diapers and then you’ve got to pick up puke on the floor?”

“You make a good point,” Alex said, rubbing her belly. His cousin looked extremely uncomfortable, yet she was still here before lunch talking to him about work when she should be home getting everything ready for her C-section in the morning.

“Are you all set? You know everything here is. Unless you don’t have faith in me.”

Alex snorted. “You’re trying to make me feel guilty. It’s working. I’ve got complete faith and I also know you won’t reach out to me for weeks about work.”

“I’ve got my orders too,” he said.

Alex lifted an eyebrow at him. “Cade or Jolene?”

“Maybe both,” he said, smirking. “Your mother and Gavin are added to that list. Everyone wants you to focus on the important things. The baby. Not work. It’s not going anywhere and there isn’t anything I can’t handle. If something that bad comes up, I’ll call Cade. He’s got a stake in it too.”

“I know,” Alex said. “Cade will do what he needs to, but you’re right. Nothing is going to happen that you can’t handle.” Her phone went off that had been in her hand. She looked down and sighed. “Cade is coming to get me now. He wouldn’t let me drive here knowing I’d stay too long.”

“Good,” he said. “He dropped you off and put a time limit on it.”

“I’m going to finish up a few things. If he sees me sitting at my desk he won’t be so annoyed.”

“Sounds like you’ve got him figured out too,” he said.

The two of them were in the room overlooking the production floor. He often worked here on his laptop so he could keep an eye on things or his supervisors could run over to talk to him more easily.

At times he learned they didn’t like going through the offices to get him, but he split his time as best as he could.

Twenty minutes later, Cade walked in and sat at the table across from him. “Did you tell her everything is fine?”

“Of course I did,” he said. “Because it is. And it will be. I reassured her that if there is an issue I can call you.”

Cade snorted. “Did she laugh at you?”

“Not at all. I did put some guilt on her shoulders and asked if she didn’t think I could handle it.”

“My mother told you to do that, didn’t she?” Cade asked.

“Nah. I’m a parent too. I know how to work the guilt when I need it.”

“I appreciate everything,” Cade said. “Not just from five years ago when the twins came or the past five years of what has become of this place, but in the past several months. I know Alex worries about the business, but there isn’t anything to worry about. It’s more than she ever thought it’d be.”

“I’m glad for her then,” he said.

“She owes it to you,” Cade said. “I just want to make sure you’re not putting your life on hold though.”

“Why is that?” he asked.

“I know everyone thinks I’m clueless, but I don’t think I am. My mother was in my office the other day asking who Kelly is dating.”

Shit. He knew that. He’d been told, but they’d been keeping it as quiet as they could.

Not even Alex had said a word to him, so he couldn’t imagine how the hell Cade figured it out.

Or maybe he was guessing.

“What does that have to do with me?” he asked.

Cade laughed. “I’d say nothing because I’m always the last to know. But I overheard Ella and Kelly talking yesterday and your name came up and Kelly laughed and said she’d see you today.”

There was no reason to lie about this and he’d have to let Kelly know. “I believe she is picking things up. Alex mentioned it.”

“You’re going to play that way?” Cade asked.

He sighed. Better to let it go now. “Did she know you heard?”

“No,” Cade said. “I won’t tell her. I sure the hell won’t tell my mother; don’t worry there. Everyone looks at me as the last to know and it’s fine. I would have been if I wasn’t in the right place at the right time. And though I slip with secrets at times, I’ll be out a few weeks and my guess is someone else will figure it out by then.”

Cade wasn’t wrong there.

“Your mother has brought up setting me up for years. I’m not interested. But I do know that Kelly has asked her in the past and said she was seeing someone now when Jolene went to her office.”

“That’s right,” Cade said. “And she won’t rest until she knows who that person is so she can put her stamp of approval on it. With me out, she won’t bug me and will go after others in the office. Ella won’t say a word.”

He didn’t like hearing that. He didn’t need Jolene’s stamp of approval on anything in his personal life.

He didn’t even care if he got his parents’ approval though it was nice they were supportive of him dating and willing to take Ty when needed.

“Not my concern,” he said.

“I knew you’d say that,” Cade said. “I’m just giving you a heads up. My mother likes to pester me. She’ll be distracted with the baby for a bit so you’ll have a reprieve, but if I overheard it, she’s likely to find out sooner rather than later.”

“Thanks for that,” he said. “Alex doesn’t know?”

“I didn’t see a reason to tell her when I found out yesterday. She doesn’t need another thing on her mind. She worries you do too much as it is here, and though she appreciates it, you’re a single father with no life.”

“I’ve got a life,” he said, smirking.

“Now you do, but you haven’t had one for a long time. She’ll be happy for you, but she’ll worry that now she’s putting more pressure on you with work and you might lose what you just found. She might want to rush back and I’m not letting that happen.”

“I’m not worried about that so no one else should be. Make sure you are clear with Alex about that. You know Kelly well. She’s pretty accepting and understanding of things.”

“She is,” Cade said. “She’s a great person. For what it’s worth, I think you two are good for each other and good together.”

Michael was oddly touched Cade said that, but Cade always was the more sentimental of the Five, that he’d learned. “Why do you think that?”

“Because you’re more serious at times and she’s not. She’s always happy and bubbly. A people pleaser.”

“I don’t want her to be that way with me,” he said. “If it’s not what she feels inside.”

“She isn’t,” Cade said. “There I go putting my foot in my mouth and shouldn’t have. I’m just saying she likes being around people and having a good time. She likes to bring it out of them too. You don’t get out all that much.”

“I don’t,” he said. “But I’m trying to more.”

“What are you two talking about in here?” Alex asked. “Making sure that Michael doesn’t work too hard for the next two months?”

“Yes,” Cade said, turning to look at his wife. “I told him to not put work first all the time.”

“I try telling him that too. Glad to know I’m not the only one. And here I am ready to go and you’re gabbing like always.”

Alex had her laptop with her and Cade stood up to take it out of her hands. “Just double checking on a few things,” Cade said. “Now we can go home and you can look over all your lists to see you’ve got everything set before we bring the twins to my mother’s.”

“I thought for sure your mother would get them tonight,” Michael said to Alex.

“No,” Alex said. “I’ve got to be at the hospital by six thirty. Birth is planned by eight or earlier. My mother will be there by seven for sure and Jolene will bring the kids to school, then come over with most of the rest of the family.”

“I’ll be by after work tomorrow with Ty to say hi,” he said. “Unless you’d rather I wait until you’re home. Cade can let me know. I know the family is big and you’ll be tired.”

“I’ll text you after Jordan’s birth,” Cade said. “Along with all my employees too.”

It was the smirk on Cade’s face that said Kelly would know at the same time so he would have found out that way.

“Don’t forget some of the women here,” Alex said. “Don’t leave it on Michael to spread the news. Guys don’t always get all the information that the women want.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cade said. “We are out of here.”

“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?