Chapter Sixteen

Nolan’s second diaper change went far smoother than the first time; he needed to wash his hands only twice when finished. He picked Archie up and his head went straight for Nolan’s shoulder, as he’d done before when tired. Nolan took a walk around the building, and when he returned, Archie’s eyes were closed.

Huh. Maybe he had a better handle on this parenting thing than he’d thought.

He settled at his desk, but now had only one hand free to work. He needed to get that fabric wrap contortionist thingy from Izzy, but he’d already proven he couldn’t get the thing to work on his own. Instead he scrolled through his work, typing up slow responses, feeling computer illiterate, pecking with one hand.

There were many things he failed at, but computers weren’t one of them.

His light flashed, and he saw Deanna at his door. “Careful, baby fever is contagious,” she signed.

Deanna probably would have had a different reaction if she knew he was the father, a reaction that would result in him being let go, or Izzy, or both of them.

“What’s up?”

Deanna’s smile faded at his curt sign. “I wanted to go over the meeting order for tomorrow. Seems you’re trapped anyway, so good timing.”

He forced a smile, trying to get back to the good vibe Deanna usually projected.

“We’ll start with a budget update, then shift into the programs and important issues. Since your presentation should bring fresh life to our social media presence, we want to wait for the end.”

He swallowed. He preferred to get things over with whenever possible. Less time for things to fester and for him to worry about the inevitable fallout. But he was new here, his job new. Lowest person on the totem pole meant he had to go with the flow. Besides, pushing for earlier would just look bad. “Works for me.”

“Good, not that you had much choice.”

Deanna’s face held only good humor, but Nolan wondered if he somehow had a camera in his mind that others watched without shame.

“You’ll be in charge of getting your technology set up. The room is available an hour ahead of time, will that be enough?”

He could do it in five minutes, maybe ten if he got stuck with Archie. “Plenty.”

“Good.” Deanna glanced behind her, then stepped farther into the room, blocking any eavesdroppers. “How are things going with Izzy?”

Nolan’s signing hand went to Archie’s back. How the hell did he answer that? Not appropriate to share that she blew his mind with sex, or that having a permanent connection to her felt like a blessing and not a curse. “Good?” If his hand held any less confidence, his position would slip and he’d end up signing bad, and either way he looked at things, bad had nothing to do with Isabel Fineberg.

“I know you talked with me about helping out, but you seem to be watching the baby a lot. This isn’t a problem?”

Nolan’s throat felt like ten razors trailed down it. It made perfect sense for him to be watching Archie, to anyone who knew his relationship. And no one here did, or could. “Not a problem. I offered to help because if I didn’t, Izzy would need the week off and I needed her assistance.” At least that much held truth.

Deanna nodded, as though he’d signed something more potent than he did. “I received a complaint that the baby was being watched more by you than Izzy, and even though I hadn’t seen proof of that and know other staff are pitching in as well, I needed to follow up. Glad it hasn’t been an issue.”

“Complaint?”

“Yes. And then I find Archie here, with you.”

Archie belonged here as much as he did with Izzy, but Nolan couldn’t share that small detail. He really needed a warning label inked on his forehead: caution, may cause mistakes, including pregnancy, best to avoid.

“I’m just helping out as needed.” He felt like absolute crap minimizing his importance in Archie’s life. The whole conversation set off a fear deep in his gut, a fear that he’d have to keep up this disconnected act until one of them changed jobs. He didn’t know Izzy’s story, but he knew how few and far between his options were. Another reason he took that job in New York. Odds were he’d find something far enough away it wouldn’t allow him to be present in Archie’s life the way he wanted to.

“Helping and not taking over?”

Nolan shifted, careful not to wake the baby, feeling trapped in a room without air. Maybe he had taken over, but that had to do with his parentage and nothing related to work.

If he explained that, however, they could both be out of a job, no meeting going poorly to cause it. Deanna had her stern boss expression on, and Nolan’s gut continued to sink.

“Not taking over. Doing what I can when Izzy needs it. Then she can help with the presentation. She’s been a great support, and I couldn’t have done it without her.” His words felt cold and distant. Like the supervisor he was supposed to be and not a man who had a complex personal relationship with the woman.

Deanna tapped the door twice. He tried to read her face, to see if he’d settled the concerns, but the poker face held only professionalism, not calming his fired-up nerves. “Looking forward to seeing what you two have created.”

If she wanted to see what Izzy and he could create, all she had to do was look at Archie.

Archie. He glanced down at the baby. His responsibility, only he had to pretend it wasn’t.

Life was a bitch.

…

Izzy felt only a smidge bad for leaving Nolan to handle the diaper change. She figured with one needed every three hours or so, times nine months, she could put Nolan on diaper duty until Archie turned one without batting an eyelash.

Lisa sauntered into the area, a smug smile on her face. Before Izzy could ask what happened, Lisa settled in at her computer, not offering any details. Izzy refocused on her work. Best not to get involved in workplace drama.

A few minutes later Nolan walked into the area, a sleeping Archie over his shoulder. Izzy checked her computer for a missed message or issue with the social media, but nothing obvious jumped out at her. Lisa glanced up, gave Nolan an overexaggerated wave, then went back to her work, though Izzy didn’t miss her chair now swiveled enough in their direction that she’d be able to see them.

“Something wrong?” Izzy asked as Nolan got close, placing a hand on her son’s back.

Nolan shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong.” Then he shifted, blocking Lisa from seeing him. “I know it’s not time to switch yet, but I think we need to.”

Izzy narrowed her eyes, trying to read Nolan’s face and find the hidden meaning. He wasn’t in view, but she still was, so her options were limited. “Of course.”

They transferred the sleeping baby, and Izzy breathed in his scent, using it to calm her rising worry that something was wrong here. Very wrong.

Lisa got up and left, and Nolan tracked her movement until they were alone, his thumbs twitching by his sides. “Sorry about that. Someone complained to Deanna about the amount of time Archie’s been with me.”

Izzy’s jaw hinged open. “What?”

Nolan shrugged. “I don’t get it but figured we needed to be extra cautious.” His gaze lingered on Archie, an almost sad one that turned Izzy’s worries into hope—hope for the future of Archie with Nolan.

“I think we have to.”

“Are you O.K. taking him?”

Izzy nodded. “We’ll be fine. I’m used to this.”

“I know. You shouldn’t have to be.”

Izzy’s insides melted at his words and how he’d stepped in for their son. Then her gaze settled on Lisa’s empty desk and the animosity the woman had toward her. Izzy had a suspicion she knew exactly who had filed the complaint. She needed to be extra cautious. If Lisa discovered her real connection with Nolan, both past and present, their jobs would be done for.