Page 71 of Nothing to This

Once in a while, something urgent or unusual might crop up.In those times, the assistants called through for an immediate answer.Hence the conversation she’d just had.

It didn’t matter.At all.She’d done the right thing this time.Made the right decision.They were at work.This was professional, not personal.In that building, it was her place to deal with calls as JD’s employee, not the mother of his children.

Still, her insides churned.

Picking up the memos and documents requiring his review, she put the half dozen phone messages on top, tucking the most recent one into the middle of the stack.

It was time for her to leave, time for her twins, time for fresh air and freedom.One last stop in his office, then she’d be out of there.Holding her breath, she knocked on the door and ventured inside.

JD and Greg were seated at opposite sides of the desk, relaxed, enjoying an informal chat by the looks of things.

Smirking, JD leaned back in his chair, holding a pen by each end in his fingertips.“Did you just knock?”he asked, swinging his chair side to side as she crossed the room.“Did I hear that right, Greg?Did Rylee Hampton just knock on my door?”

Bending over, she put the pile of papers in front of him.While she squared it, his hand slid up the back of her thigh.Oh, no, buddy, she swatted it away.She was not on the menu and wasn’t interested in a spot in his schedule.

Greg hissed.“Oh, man, what did you do?You were the Brady Bunch at lunchtime when the sprouts were here.”

“Yeah,” JD said, curious, probing.“We were.Babe…” He got more matter of fact.“What did I do?”

“Nothing, Overlord,” she said, pushing his hand away when he tried to touch her leg again.“The kids have their dental checkups, I have to get going.”

“Want me to come?”

She tidied up the other documents scattered around.“No, they’re on the dental plan I get through my job.We don’t need you.”

“Hmm,” he said.“You sure I did nothing wrong?”

Greg hid a smile.“This is like the perfect vision of marriage.”

“Right?”JD agreed.“I pay the bills.Get put in the doghouse for breathing the wrong way.And I don’t get laid.”

“Sounds like marriage to me.”

The men laughed.Weren’t they just hilarious?Ha, ha, ha.Didn’t matter they were the only two enjoying themselves.

She snickered out her exaggerated false effort.“You two have to be downstairs for the finance meeting.”

“After that I can come and join you,” he said.“We’ll take the kids to the burger bar they love… the one with the ice-cream machine… Greg, you want to come?We’ll call Nichelle.Last night went okay, from what I saw.”

Typical of men that they could get through an entire day without talking about last night’s double date.If it could be called that, doubtful.It would’ve been the first thing she and Brenna talked about if they’d been setting up a friend.JD hadn’t even thought to ask.

Sure, it had been a busy day; it hadn’t beenthatbusy.

“The kids and I are going to stay at Brenna’s tonight.Lotta’s out of town.”

Greg made a sound like he’d witnessed a gut punch.

“When did this happen?”JD asked.

“Brenna called me earlier, I said I wasn’t sure, but it’s on now.We’re going to have a sleepover in her living room.The kids love to camp out there.We put two mattresses together and sleep under a canopy.It’s been too long since we did it last.”

“And I’m not invited?”

“No,” she said, setting the paperweight on a stack of papers.As of yet, he hadn’t looked at anything she’d put in front of him.“Kye’s the only male we need.”

“Or I can pick him up?We’ll have a guy’s night at home.Poker, beer, porn—”

“You have plans tonight.Read your messages,” she said, plucking them up to hold them to him, without meeting his eye.“You have a date.”