I'm Not Telling: A Small Town Secret Baby Romance by Ella Parker

Author:Ella Parker [Parker, Ella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

I’m in a down, foul mood by the time I return to my office several hours later after back-and-forth negotiations and arguments with Doc. As I pull into the parking lot, I scowl when I see that not only has the protest group from this morning not dispersed, but it’s grown larger and louder. What the hell? What do I have to do to prove to these people that I’m not the bad guy here?

With a sigh and muttering under my breath, I climb from my Rover, briefcase in one hand, keys in the other as I stride toward the office building’s front door. The crowd sees me and rushes forward. I find myself having to force my way as gently as possible through them, their chants, epithets, and accusations battering me from each side. Suddenly, something strikes my head and I stop. Something’s oozing down the back of my skull, making its way beneath my shirt collar. Something slippery slides over my left eyebrow. I glance down and realize it’s a split egg. At the very same moment, I hear a plop at my feet. Someone has thrown a carton of eggs at me.

Rage builds as I spin toward the crowd, my teeth gritted, my jaw clenched tight as I glare at them, looking for the culprit. For several seconds, the crowd is silent, as if stunned themselves. Some of them start chanting again, although for the most part, most of them have backed off a bit. I want to let loose with curses, but I take a deep breath, turn my back on them, and enter the lobby. As I walk inside, I see two employees sitting at the front desk quickly avert their eyes.

Instead of taking the elevator, not wanting to make a mess in there for the janitor, I turn toward the stairway. I slam my hand against the metal bar that opens it and take the steps, my blood pounding in my ears, heat in my face, my heart racing with fury. How dare they? I leave the stairwell and enter the hallway, heading toward the lobby outside my office. Cheryl sees me and her eyes widen with dismay.

“Austin!” She rises abruptly. “I’ll go get a towel—”

“Don’t bother,” I mutter, my free hand tightened in a fist around my keys. “I’ll take care of it myself in my office.”

“Austin,” she says softly as I stride toward my closed office door. “They’re just worried about the merger. The employees—”

I pause, stiffen, and turn toward her, loosening my hand enough to point out the window that overlooks the parking lot. “Those aren’t my employees,” I say, my voice hard. “In fact, I just offered one of them a job.” Cheryl opens her mouth to speak but I wave her off. “Never mind.”

I stride into my office, nearly overwhelmed by the smell of paint as Kayla spins away from the wall, palette in one hand, a paintbrush in the other. She too stares at me, mouth open in dismay.

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