rk eyes and a rare, hereditary allergy she knew all too well – walked into her office. His mother, Hayden Cl
cold, distant alarm bell in her mind
asked, keeping her voice steady as s
nst the plastic. She wrote down a name, then slid the clipb
io T
axis. It had to be a c
dearly," she said, her tone dripping with a saccharine sweetness that made Elana's skin crawl. "But he's s
heart. Before she could formulate a response, Hayden's phone
eah, we're jus
storted by the phone, but Elana would ha
rs, numb and clumsy, flew across her own ph
re you
me back almo
. Our dinner might be late. I'll make
a secret, satisfied little smile, and hung up. "He'
pilot, her professionalism a thin shield against the shattering of her world. She p
ure of a man leaving a stressful meeting, but with the easy, relaxed smile of a man coming home. He swung Leo up into his arms, his mo
sighed wistfully. "Wow. Look at them. T
he final, crushing blow. A
ate-night emergencies at the office." The time she'd been doubled over with stomach cramps, and he'd
"Let's have a baby." He'd gone quiet, running a hand through his hair. "Not yet, Elana," he'd said, h
uring grueling 24-hour shifts, stayed by her side when she'd collapsed from exhaustion, and proposed in the st
was him. His name glowed on the screen, a sy
d, her hand
ew job?" His voice was warm, the sam
arly. Leo's voice yelling, "Daddy!"
ject team," he said smoothly.
ce cried out again
reeping in. "It's just... the kid of one
his forehead, his expression a perfect portrait of fatherly devotion. It
l a lawyer. She pulled up the contact for the director of a prestigious medical research fellows
or answered. "I'd like to accept the posi