CHAPTER 4

“When can you start?” his gray eyes held her blue ones, and Mandy felt her stomach flip.

“As soon as possible, Mr. Brand.”

“Excellent, I will have movers come to your home in the morning,” he turned and pressed the intercom key on his desk.

Mandy moved without thought touching his arm. The moment her fingers brushed the fabric of his suit coat he froze. It was as if she’d burned him.

To make matters worse, she was now in his personal space. She could smell his spicy cologne and the mint on his breath.

Immediately, Mandy backed away, “I beg your pardon, Mr. Brand.”

He was frozen to the spot. His arm tingled where her fingers had just resided, and desire flared to life. Elliot was used to being around beautiful women. Hell, they threw themselves at him consistently. So, this insane attraction to a woman that was heavy with child was alarming to him.

“Is there anything amiss?” his voice had deepened an octave.

Mandy shivered as she remembered other things he had said in the same tone. Like, how amazing he found her tits and ass, and how he was going to fuck her until she couldn’t see straight.

“Please, don’t arrange for movers. I will only have a few boxes. I can rent a bed and dresser to be delivered.”

She would most likely buy a cheap air mattress, but he didn’t need to know that.

He was an ass, Elliot thought to himself. Of course, she wouldn’t have furniture living at her shit-head parents’ home.

“I do apologize if I didn’t make myself clear,” Elliot lied through his teeth, “The apartment is fully furnished, will that be a problem?”

Mandy’s cheeks heated as a happy smile crossed her face, “No, sir. That would be perfect, Mr. Brand.”

Elliot’s dick hardened at her use of ‘sir.’ That was something he could get used to. And then he felt disgusting for lusting after this pregnant woman.

She was about to be a mother for fuck's sake! Pull yourself together!

“I will see that someone is there in the morning to convey anything you wish to take with you to the new apartment, Ms. Johnson. For now, I will turn you over to Ian. He will get you into human resources to fill out paperwork.”

Mandy nodded, “Of course, Sir.”

His dick throbbed. This was going to be interesting.

**

Mandy returned down the elevator feeling a kernel of hope flickering in her belly. For the first time in a long time, she felt like things were going to be okay.

The peanut kicked, and she laid a hand on her belly, “I agree, Peanut, he is sexy as fuck.”

Giggling at her own words, she exited the elevator when it opened and made her way back to where Ian was sitting behind the large reception desk.

“Got the job!” he whistled, “Are you ready for this?”

Mandy was beaming, “More than ready! Tell me, how long have you worked for Mr. Brand?”

Ian wrinkled his brow in thought, “It’s been almost seven years now. He is tough. I won’t lie. But the man is fair. Hang in there, beautiful lady, we are happy to have you with us!”

Mandy filled out all the necessary paperwork and then accepted the cab back to her sister’s coffee shop.

She opened her purse to pay the man, but he smiled kindly at her and said that Mr. Brand had already accepted the charges.

Mandy could hardly believe her luck. If she weren’t such a whale, she would have skipped into The Grind. As it was, she happily waddled inside to greet her sister Kim.

But what she found, wasn’t her usually bubbly sister. There was a line almost out the door, and poor Freddy behind the counter looked as if he was going to explode. His hair was frazzled, and his usual frat boy smile was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is Kim?” Mandy immediately walked behind the counter and grabbed an apron. Kim hadn’t wanted Mandy to work there, but she’d filled in on more than one occasion.

“She and the prick are fighting in the office.”

It was no secret that Freddy wasn’t a fan of Kim’s husband, Andrew. But Mandy had no idea why he felt that way.

“They don’t usually fight?” Mandy said as she wrapped the strings around her swollen belly.

Freddy scoffed and said something under his breath.

Mandy turned to the next customer, “What can I get you?”

As they rattled off their order, Freddy and Mandy got to work. It was another hour before the office door opened and Kim’s husband, Andrew came storming out. Across his cheek was a large red handprint.

We wrenched our eyes to Kim who was next to appear.

Mandy had seen her sister upset. She knew what Kim looked like when the world was falling apart. You didn’t grow up in their house without getting a few hard knocks, usually from their father but occasionally from their mother.

But the look on Kim’s face startled her. Mandy had never seen Kim look so completely devastated—broken.

Mandy didn’t think about it as she marched up to Andrew and smacked his other cheek, “What did you do?”

He flushed a dark red, “You both are fucking crazy!”

“Get out,” Kim’s low tone was almost devoid of emotion. That scared Mandy most of all.

He huffed, “I won’t be back!”

Kim’s lip trembled as she straightened her shoulders and Mandy knew that something dreadful had happened. This wasn’t just a run of the mill fight.

“Go to your bitch. It’s over.”

Andrew turned on his heel and slammed out of the coffee shop. Mandy immediately went to her sister and wrapped her arms around Kim’s waist.

“He cheated on me,” her whispered cry almost ripped Mandy apart.

“Kim, he is a bastard,” Mandy clutched her sister tighter as she felt Kim’s shoulders begin to shake.

“He said that I put too much pressure on him to have a baby. He didn’t want kids, and he didn’t want to be tied down.”

The words were tumbling out of her, every syllable like a punch to Mandy’s gut.

“It’s been going on for almost a year,” Kim clutched at Mandy’s back.

Mandy felt the peanut kick out against her belly.

They were both pissed as hell.

“Did you get the job?” Kim’s hesitant note caused Mandy’s heart to sink.

“I can call and turn it down,” she said without a second thought, “I will move in here and help you, Kim.”

Kim pulled back shaking her head, “You can move in if you want. But I won’t take your new job away from you.”

“You’re more important than any damn job,” tears had gathered in Mandy’s eyes. “You’re the most important thing in the world.”

“I will be here,” Freddy said gruffly. “I can work more hours. You won’t be alone, Kim.”

Kim turned to look at him, “I should have believed you.”

Freddy hung his head, “I didn’t know for sure. Something had just been off about him.”

Mandy turned to Freddy, “You suspected Andrew was cheating?”

He shrugged, “I thought he was a little too friendly with the female customers is all. I mentioned it to Kim, but I didn’t realize it went this deep. I’m terribly sorry.”

And Kim fell apart in Mandy’s arms, “I’m pregnant,” she whispered in anguish.

Mandy’s eyes grew wide as she met Freddy’s over her sister’s head.

Freddy’s jaw clenched, neither one knowing how to respond.

Kim and Andrew had been trying for a long time to conceive. Why now? Why when the world was crumbling did fate decide to smile on them?

Kim pulled back drying her eyes, “I’m happy about the baby. I wanted to tell you, Mandy. I just was waiting to tell him first.”

“Does the prick know?” Freddy said through gritted teeth.

Kim nodded slowly, “That’s what started all of this.”

Freddy swore and ripped his apron off, “I’m going to kill him.”