Page 31 of The CEO

Any other time she might have smiled, but now a smile over anything wasn’t in her. Regardless of the fact he looked like a mad professor, with his hair up in all different directions. Today it didn’t amuse her.

He turned back toward her with a frown. His nostrils flared. “Oh, don’t put it that way. You enjoyed yourself, too. We’re married. There’s nothing wrong with what we did.”

“Right. Nothing wrong.” She jumped out of bed. “I’ll get Lilly. Why don’t you go to work and get to your meeting?”

He took a deep breath. “I can come with you to pickup Lilly. The meeting can wait.”

“There is no need for that. I’m perfectly capable of picking up our daughter from her grandparents. Now, I need to shower and prepare to go. You can shower and get dressed for your meeting…in your room.” She turned on her heel and headed for her bathroom, leaving Adam with his mouth open.

“This isn’t over,” he called after her. “Not by a long shot.”

“We’ll see.” She stopped long enough to turn and glare. “We’ll see.”

CHAPTER 8

Bree showered and dressed. Then she picked up her purse and placed the items from her clutch to it.

In the garage, she slid into the driver’s seat of the Navigator SUV because Lilly’s car seat was already in it, and she didn’t have time to transfer it to another vehicle. She told herself she wouldn’t look to see if another of Adam’s vehicles was gone. But as she backed out of the garage, she couldn’t help herself and saw that the Camaro was missing.Good let him stew and think about what he did.

By the time Bree reached Madelyn and Rocky’s home, she was in a better mood.

Lilly was in her highchair eating Cheerios. Though she had more of the cereal in her hair and on the floor than on her tray or in her mouth, but she was happy.

That was all Bree cared about.

She stopped next to Lilly. “How was my girl? Did she give you any problems?” She kissed the baby’s head.

Madelyn, sitting at the table, next to Lilly, waved off her concern. “She was an absolute angel. I’ve never known such a happy baby. Certainly, none of mine were.”

Rocky laughed. He sat at the opposite end of the table with a copy of the Denver Post newspaper. He still hadn’t made it to the computer age where he read his news online. He much preferred to have the newspaper in his hands.

“You’ve got that right. I think all our children were holy terrors, even Megan. And I thought the kid being a girl would be easier. I was wrong. She might have been the worst of them because she was the baby and the only girl. She got spoiled by all of the boys, though none of them will admit it now.”

Bree plucked Lilly out of the highchair, brushing the Cheerios off her cheeks and out of her hair. “We need to get going, sweetie. Mommy has a lot to do today.”

Madelyn lifted a brow. “What’s got you so busy?”

“I’m working on my business plan for the gardening center I hope to open one day. And I need to write while she sleeps. I have a book due to the editor.”

“That sounds like the garden center would be right up your alley. You do love your garden. Will you put one in at Adam’s house now that it’s your house, too?” asked Madelyn.

Bree nodded and then pulled her hair from Lilly’s grasp. “That’s the plan. I’m doing flower gardens. Carole already has a vegetable garden. I’ll plant the tulip bulbs in the fall, around October, and then everything else in the spring of next year.”

Madelyn nodded. “Okay, we won’t keep you. I have everything packed in her diaper bag.” Madelyn pointed at the bag on a chair at the table.

“Great. Thanks so much for watching her. I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”

“She is never trouble. She’s our granddaughter, and we love her and love having her here. So, when are you and Adam going to add to your family?”

Bree was blindsided and couldn’t speak for a moment. “Umm…what?”

Madelyn cocked her head to the side and clasped her hands in front of her. “You—Adam—children? You are planning to have more, aren’t you?”

“Um, well, we really haven’t discussed it much. I guess we’re waiting to see how well raising Lilly goes. We want to make sure we’re good parents before bringing another baby into the family. Besides that, I don’t want two children in diapers at the same time. So, it will be years before we decide to have another child.”

How do I keep from telling them that will never happen, because a repeat of last night will never happen? Adam doesn’t love me and probably never will. Now, I know that and won’t fall for theI need youline again. I need you doesn’t mean I love you. I must remember that.

Bree buckled Lilly’s car seat into the SUV and headed home. By the time she arrived, the baby had fallen asleep with her pacifier in her mouth. The sight made Bree smile. “I love you so much, little girl. I never believed I could love someone as much as I do you.”