Page 19

Kelly

Trying to handle a boisterous toddler and find a job was a task in itself. Oliver Creek didn’t have anything for me in terms of a job. I was nearly seven months pregnant now, and while some of my energy had come back from the first trimester, now that we were in the home stretch, I was feeling low on energy most of the time.

Gideon and I decided to put Wyatt in daycare two days a week. It gave me some time to rest and search for a job, and Gideon would sometimes come home and have lunch with me. Plus, Wyatt got to interact with other kids and different kinds of shifters. It was a good thing all around. I worried for the first few weeks, but there were video cameras inside the rooms, and I could pop onto the internet and see him anytime I wanted to.

Finding a job was a problem. I wanted something fun, and yes, that was a privilege since Gideon took care of us so well, but I had the time and opportunity to find a job that suited me and didn’t make me feel like I was chained to the computer. I saw one place where workers put their mouses on a moving object while they went to the bathroom so their bosses saw they were working.

That wasn’t the job for me.

Especially since I peed every thirty minutes lately.

I got up from the desk, aggravated about doing nothing to contribute to the household and decided to go ahead and make our lunch. Gideon was coming home today. He was always so excited to see me even though he’d woken up with me and we lived together now. He never left in the mornings without a kiss and he always said good night.

The little things counted, sometimes more than the big ones.

I put together some pasta with veggies and roasted some chicken for Gideon and had just finished up when he came in the door. The smile on his face, well, he was beaming with joy over something.

“Hi,” I said, laughing as he hugged me and then leaned down to kiss my stomach.

“Hello, yourself.”

“What’s the smile about?” I asked. “Good things at the bakery?”

“I think so but let’s eat first. I have something exciting to talk to you about.”

We ate our lunch, but I didn’t eat my fill. His exciting news was making me a touch anxious. “Okay. Tell me. I can’t wait any longer.”

He chuckled. “Impatient omega.” He wiped his mouth and put the napkin on the table. “I have been thinking about expanding my business to take online orders. Taking orders over the phone and relying on texted pictures of reference is not only outdated, but it’s cutting into my baking time. The other day, I almost burned three full trays of croissants because I was on the phone listening to a customer give me a laundry list of details he wanted on his wedding cake.”

“That sounds like a good idea. I’ve heard how your phone rings off the hook.”

He nodded. “With that in mind, I have someone to build the website and get everything in order, but I need help on the ground. I need someone to schedule things. Keep the online orders straight. Print out the reference pictures and specifications for each job. You know I’m bad with computers, mate.”

I did. He could do the basic things but other than email and social media, he simply wasn’t interested. I wouldn’t be either if I could bake mouthwatering goodies.

“So you need an assistant,” I said. “That would certainly help.”

He stared at me as a new smile formed on his face. “Kelly, if you want to, and don’t feel any pressure, but would you be that for me? Be my assistant? I’ll pay you the same as I would pay anyone else.”

“Gideon, I’d love to, but I’m about to give birth.”

He nodded. “I know. It’s going to take time to get everything going. The website done. Things integrated. We projected everything will be up and running in four to five months. Do you think you would be ready to work then? Everything is online. You could stay home with our young and still work. I’ll pick up the files from home.” He paused. “I just wanted to help you. If you don’t want to…”

“I do,” I answered. I started to cry because happy and pregnancy hormones. “I really do. Please tell me you didn’t work all of this out for me.”

Gideon shook his head and pulled me into his lap. He said it broke his heart when I cried. “I have been thinking about this for a while. Maybe a year or two. You gave me the inspiration and the drive. I’d do anything for you.”

He would’ve. I believed my alpha would turn the world over for me without question.

“I guess I’m your assistant, then,” I said. “I might need to take some online classes to learn a few things.”

“That’s good. Take all the classes you need. But, right now, I need dessert.”

“I didn’t make anything,” I giggled, already knowing where this was going.

“I’m talking about you.”