21. Leah

CHAPTER 21

LEAH

A knock on my office door makes me look up. At the sight of Jack standing there in a crisp, navy suit, my heart does a flip.

I've only seen him at a distance since he came with me to the ultrasound earlier this week, and it's hard to tell whether he's back to acting like I don't exist or not.

I've tried my hardest not to care.

And I really shouldn't.

Having him with me at the ultrasound was hard.

Hard because it felt so good.

For a few minutes there, it felt like we were a couple. Like I wasn't alone in this. Like I had the family I've always dreamed of.

But then I had to return to reality, and I couldn't get out of that clinic fast enough and back to the office, where I could distract myself with work.

"How is your car?" Jack leans against my doorframe.

"Uh… Good."

He offered to call a tow truck for me, but I couldn't accept any more help from him. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of things on my own. Especially when it comes to him.

The ride was fine. That was an emergency. Beyond that, though, I need to keep my distance. I don't know what game he's playing with this hot and cold behavior, but I don't have time for it.

"What was wrong with it?" he asks.

I hesitate before answering, not wanting to get too personal with him. But then I realize it's just a car problem, and it's not like he can use it against me.

"Bad alternator," I say simply.

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you got it taken care of."

He pushes himself off the doorframe and takes a step closer to my desk. I feel a flutter in my stomach, but I try to ignore it.

"Listen, Leah. I know things have been… complicated between us. But I wanted to talk to you about GourmetGlobal."

"O-kay." Pushing away from my desk, I stand.

His gaze instantly drops to my belly, and I don't know how to react. Especially after the other day.

Luckily, he almost immediately looks away. "I've been getting very busy, especially with our latest acquisition, and I've taken the time to review your work. It's only logical that you can take full creative control of GourmetGlobal."

I stare at him. "Um… What?" Surely, I heard wrong.

He nods. "It would still remain under the Leadsom umbrella, but I would be turning all decisions over to you."

I can't believe my ears. This is what I've been dreaming of, but I also knew it would never happen.

It's simply too good to be true.

Which is incredibly fishy.

The look on Jack's face is unreadable, but I can tell that he's serious about this. I can hardly contain my excitement as I listen to him lay out the terms of my new position. It's everything I've ever wanted — creative control, a team of hardworking and talented people, and the type of funds I only dreamed of before Leadsom Inc.

But then I remember that this is Jack we're talking about. The same guy who's been stringing me along for months. The same guy who's been giving me mixed signals and playing with my emotions. The same guy who sent his lawyers to talk to me about the children he fathered rather than man up and do it himself.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looks at me, and for a moment, it seems like he's about to say something. But then he hesitates, and his expression goes back to being inscrutable.

"I just think that you're the best person for the job," he says finally.

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "I understand that, but why now? Why not before?"

He shrugs. "Timing is everything, Leah. And right now, it just feels right."

I nod slowly, still unsure about this.

"There is one caveat," he says.

I feel my eyes narrow. "Of course there is."

His lips purse. "It's only practical. If you're going to lead GourmetGlobal again, you'll need to do it from here. Olympus City. This office."

I want to argue, but he's right. I can't manage something this big from a plane ride away.

Should I turn this new offer down?

No. That doesn't feel right. If I walked away from GourmetGlobal now, I would always wonder what could have been.

Which means I only have one choice: to stay in Olympus City.

"Okay." I nod. "Sure. I understand."

"I know it throws a wrench in your plans…"

I shake my head. "It's fine."

My grandparents will be disappointed, but they'll understand. And they can come visit the triplets whenever they like.

But is Jack really giving up control of GourmetGlobal because he finally believes I can handle the company? I'm not buying it. I was just as capable before as I am now.

"What's this really about?" I cross my arms.

He chuckles. "What do you mean?"

As he chuckles, I can feel the frustration beginning to build up inside me. "Don't play dumb, Jack. You've been giving me breadcrumbs for months, and now suddenly you want me to lead GourmetGlobal again? Something doesn't add up."

He won't look at me. "If this new role is too much to handle—"

"I never said that." I sit back down. I'm still frustrated, but I won't push.

When it comes down to it, I don't really care why he's handing over control. It only matters that he keeps his end of the bargain.

"I look forward to the new contract," I crisply say.

Jack nods. "It'll be on your desk by the end of the week."

He hesitates at the doorway, but then, before I can ask if there's something else, he's gone.

My alarm goes off on my phone, making me jump. That's my reminder to take lunch. Sometimes, if I don't set an alarm, I work straight through.

Still reeling from this new turn of events, I collect my purse and head for the elevator. Taylor and I are getting salads at a place a few blocks away, with plans to meet in the ground-floor lobby.

I find her sitting on a leather couch, writing on her phone, her eyebrows knit with concentration.

"Hey," I say.

She glances up, her eyes landing on my belly. "Look at you, mama."

It's so weird to be called that, but I love it. Instinctively, my hands find my belly. "I can't believe I'm already showing."

"That's triplets for you. One day soon you might even have trouble walking around."

God, I hope not. Even though I'll be taking maternity leave before the triplets are born, I plan on bringing work home with me. I would go crazy otherwise.

Plus, with GourmetGlobal back in my hands, I'll have an endless amount of work to do.

"You're in a good mood," Taylor comments.

"Yeah. It's a pretty day." I smile as we step outside.

As we walk down the street, I can't help but replay the conversation with Jack in my head. It doesn't add up. Why would he suddenly give up control of a company he so ruthlessly took from under my nose? And now he wants to give up creative control? And to me, of all people?

"What's on your mind?" Taylor asks as we wait in line to order our salads.

"Work stuff," I say, trying to keep it vague.

She raises her eyebrows. "Oh, is this about the new job offer?"

I nod, surprised that she knows about it.

"I overheard Jack talking about it on the phone," she explains as we step up to the counter.

I order my usual, a kale salad with grilled chicken and avocado. As we wait for our food, Taylor drums her manicured nails on our table.

"It's amazing," she says. "This is exactly what you wanted."

"Yeah."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

I sip my iced hibiscus tea. "No. I mean, this does mean I can't move back home."

"Of course, and that's exactly what he wants."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. No, it's not."

"Yes, it is. He wants you to stay here, close to him." She waggles a finger. "Going to that ultrasound with you changed him."

"What? No." My skin heats up, and I don't know if I even want to believe her.

Jack was nothing but a fantasy. I've worked hard to let that go, and it's for the best.

Our number is called, and Taylor hurries over to grab our salads, giving me extra time to think about all of this.

Is she right? Did seeing our babies on that screen shift something inside him?

"Here you go." She sets the salad in front of me.

"Thanks." I take the lid off, but I don't have an appetite. "If he feels differently, then he should tell me. I'm not a mind reader."

"I agree completely, but this is Jack Leadsom we're talking about."

"What does that mean?" I chew a strawberry, knowing that if I don't eat, I'll regret it later.

"It means that he's probably not used to being in a vulnerable position. He's used to taking what he wants and not being sensitive about it."

"He's not vulnerable with me," I say with a laugh.

"He is if he has feelings for you." She gives me a pointed look.

I swallow hard, my heart suddenly racing. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, come on. You two have history. You've been through so much together."

"We've been through some stuff, yes, but that doesn't mean he has feelings for me."

"Maybe not at first, but something changed. Maybe it was seeing those babies on the ultrasound, or maybe it was something else. But I do know one thing: Jack Leadsom doesn't give up control easily. He's probably freaking out right now, not sure how to handle what he's feeling."

I stare down at my salad, feeling overwhelmed. The thought of Jack having feelings for me is both exciting and terrifying. But even if he does have feelings, what does that mean for us? Can we really make it work, especially with our complicated situation?

I shake my head. These thoughts are silly. Jack hasn't even apologized for his rude behavior regarding the pregnancy. And he's certainly not knocking on my door asking me to be his girlfriend.

Taylor notices my discomfort and quickly changes the subject. "So, have you thought about what you're going to name the babies?"

I let out a sigh of relief and take a bite of my lunch. "Not really. It's too early to start thinking about that."

"Well, you should start thinking about it soon," she insists. "Triplets are a huge deal. You want to have their names picked out ahead of time."

"I know, I know," I say, rolling my eyes playfully. "I just haven't had the time to think about it. Plus, I don't know their genders."

As we finish our salads, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. What's going on with Jack doesn't really matter. It's not my job to crack the mysteries that are him.

I got what I wanted. I have GourmetGlobal back. I'm happy.

Well… mostly.

Because as Taylor and I walk back to work, Jack dances across my mind once more. He's frustrating and unpredictable and sometimes mean, but in another world maybe we could have been something.

It's a nice thought, but it also gets me down.

Head high, I walk into work. It's time to get back to my desk and focus on my career, the thing that really matters.

And Jack Leadsom?

At the end of the day, when it comes down to it, I don't really give a damn what he does, so long as he stays out of my way.