Page 34 of Playing Pretend

IT WAS NEARING SEVEN P.M when I finally switched my laptop off for the day. I was appreciative that the upcoming fashion show was keeping me busier the closer we got, an appreciation very few of my colleagues shared. My mind was preoccupied for the majority of the day, something else I was grateful for, and Aaliyah had the good sense to leave me alone. With Macy cooped up in her office doing damage control, and Caleb doing whatever he was off doing, I was free of distraction.

My desk phone rang, and I considered leaving it to go to voicemail on the account of me being off the clock, but thought better of it.

“Kadence Kavanagh -”

“Kadence.”

I pulled a face, but couldn’t bring myself to be rude.

“Mr. Callahan,” I greeted. My tone was inhospitable, and unwelcoming. Okay, so perhaps I could bring myself to be rude. “What can I do for you?”

“For one thing you can stop with the ‘Mr. Callahan’ bullshit and talk to me. You’ve given me the cold shoulder all day, I think it’s time you stopped.”

“I can’t give you the cold shoulder if I didn’t even know you were in the office,” I argued. I hated the way he got me riled up within seconds.

“I was giving you space,” his voice lowered, and God if I didn’t hate the way that affected me too. “And I was in a Board meeting.”

“Is there a reason you’re telling me this?” I was being snooty, and didn’t even feel bad about it.

“Yes,” he exhaled into the receiver, “I need you to come to my office before you go home.”

I ignored the swift flip of my stomach at the way Caleb said ‘home’, and opened my mouth with a retort when something struck me. “If you’ve been in the office all day, who stayed with Braelynn?”

The line went quiet, and then Caleb said, “She’s here. I had Aaliyah look after her while I was in the meeting.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t expecting that.

“Yes, ‘oh’. Now will you please come into my office? Macy and I have something we’d like to discuss with you.”

“Mr. Callahan, did you just say ‘please’?”

He chuckled, and some of the lingering exasperation was chipped away by the richness of his laugh.

Damn him.

And his stupid, sexy laugh.

“I won’t say it again, Ms. Kavanagh. My office. Now.”

The line went dead, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. That was the Caleb I was used to.

I checked that I had everything, and then walked down the hallway into Caleb’s office. He was sitting behind his desk, his hands folded in front of his face. He looked exhausted.

Macy wasn’t far behind, and when she came in my anxiousness grew. I spotted Braelynn’s portable mini crib just behind Caleb, and wanted so much to go to her, but after everything that had happened today I wasn’t sure how Caleb would feel about that. Instead, with an awkwardness only I could manage, I waited somewhere between the desk, and the door.

“Okay, let’s get this over with.” Macy smiled at Caleb, but something was a little off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it though. I did however get the distinct impression that I wasn’t going to like it.

“Right.” Caleb stood up, and rounded his desk before leaning against it and crossing his feet at the ankles. “I had a meeting with the Board of Directors, and in light of what happened with Braelynn, they’re concerned that I won’t able to balance my responsibilities as C.E.O and my responsibilities as a new father.”

“O-kaaay,” my gaze bounced between Macy and Caleb, “What does this have to do with me?”

“Well,” said Macy, “We came up with a plan that will both appease the Board, and convince them Caleb is more than capable of running this company and being a dad.”

My brows knitted together. “I still don’t understand.”

Caleb swallowed, and I thought I saw a glimpse of trepidation flit across his face. It looked like he was preparing himself for something.

“I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend.”