Page 75 of Bad Boy for Hire

She hummed, but said no more about his choice of profession. Instead, she hit him with a surprise left hook. “Lynx said you have a girlfriend. Were you planning on telling me?”

Xavier paused, digesting that bit of information. He hadn’t sworn Lynx to secrecy, but maybe he should have.

“Yes, I’m seeing someone.”

“How exciting!”

He tried deflecting with, “What are you doing up so late?”

“I stay up after ten sometimes. And don’t change the subject. What is she like?”

He hesitated for a beat before saying, “She’s great. One of the best people I know.”

“Well, I hope you’re planning to introduce her to us. You know, the holidays are coming up. I have an extra seat at the Thanksgiving table for whoever you and Lynx are dating.”

His first instinct was to say no, that May would not be joining them for Thanksgiving. But he and May were having a baby. His parents were going to be grandparents. And just as important, she didn’t have parents to spend Thanksgiving with.

“I’ll talk to her. I’m sure May would love to meet you.”

“Your friend May? You didn’t tell me you were dating May.”

How did his mom know about May? He must have mentioned her in passing and hadn’t realized it.

“We’ve been friends for going on three years, and she needed a date for a wedding. So I went. We hit it off.”

And made a baby.

“Well, now you have to bring her. Tell her that your mother expects to see her there.”

“Will do,” he lied. He wasn’t going to make any demands on her. He was on thin ice as it was.

“Is there something going on with Lynx I should know about?” his mom asked.

“Yes. He’s twenty-one and sometimes he’s an asshole.”

“Language, Xavier.”

“Mom, he’s fine. He needs a break. I’ve got him tonight. He’ll be home soon, and you can grill him then.”

“You’re a better role model than a lot of the guys he hangs out with. Take care of my boys, and I do mean both of you. Love you.”

“Love you too.” He ended the call and headed home. Lynx could stay with him for the weekend, but come Monday, he had to go. Xavier had better things to do than babysit a grown man.

Chapter Twenty-Two

May swiped her phone’s screen to answer the incoming call. “Hey, Lou.”

“How are you this fine Sunday?”

“Well, I’m sitting at a red light wondering if driving to Xavier’s house after he ghosted me all weekend makes me desperate. So, not great. How about you?”

Silence greeted her. May had intended to confront him about the whole asking-Jewell-if-she-could-work-from-home thing and hadn’t had the chance to do that yet. She was no longer seething, but neither was she upbeat about the situation. It’d been a huge overstep, and she intended to tell him that.

“I’m sorry, hon. I assumed you’d be on cloud nine!”

That sounded oddly specific.

“What are you not telling me?”