Coworker's Secret Baby: This Secret Baby, #7

By Rachel Foster

He doesn't know what it is about her, but Trey intrigued by his coworker Ella. She's beautiful, fun and intelligent. He lets his feelings get the best of him when he hooks up with her over their lunch break one day. Now their company has made budget cuts and Ella loses her job because of her seniority rank.  A fight with Trey makes her feel like he doesn't want anything to do with her. Now it's 7 months later, and Ella bumps into Trey. He looks at her and notices the obvious belly. She doesn't say much to him but tells him she's sorry. Plagued by trust issues because of his past relationships, Trey has to decide if he can commit to Ella in the way that she needs. Desperate for someone to take care of her, Ella will have to first learn what is best for herself. Can Trey and Ella overcome their own personal struggles, or will the hidden pregnancy make them go their separate ways? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: 3rd Publishing
• Release date: Mar 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215922170

Book preview

1

T

rey

Data, data, data, I said with a sigh as I clicked through a few screens on my computer. I’ve been seeing code for days.

Well, at least tomorrow is Friday.

I turned to observe my co-worker and best friend, studying the short brown hair, the stylish fade, and the dark brown eyes that refused to break away from the screen. His patterned work shirt was unbuttoned, the tie hanging loosely around his throat like he had yanked it a million times while reviewing his work.

Keenan, your tie, I pointed out.

When has my tie ever kept me from doing a good job?

When has that ever stopped Uncle Dean from chewing you out?

Keenan flashed a grin as he glanced at me. Oh, come on. I’m your cousin. I can get away with my tie looking like this.

You were up late again, weren’t you?

What? Are you my dad now?

I cackled, leaning back in my chair and listening to the hinges squeak in response to my weight shifting. Alright, what game were you playing?

The new one.

"The new what?"

Keenan sighed and pushed his chair back from his desk, swiveling to face me while folding his hands in his lap. You hate it when I talk about video games.

"No, I hate it when you spoil video games."

That’s because you don’t play enough.

I arched my right brow. That’s because I focus on work when I need to focus on work.

Wow, personal punch. Did that make you feel better?

Much.

Keenan grinned. Good.

So, you gonna fix your tie?

Ugh. Keenan buttoned his shirt, adjusted his tie, and slapped his hands on his knees. He gave me an appraising look. Better?

Much.

"Thanks, Daddy."

I cringed. Jasmine called me that once. It made me feel weird.

Oh, that’s...interesting. I didn’t realize she was—

Not important enough to talk about in more detail?

Keenan raised his eyebrows, squinting slightly as he scratched his face.

God, he needs to shave, too. Uncle Dean is going to have a fit, I thought.

Keenan let his hand slip and offered a smile. Alright, sorry.

It’s fine.

So, the game.

I grunted and turned back to my computer. More code. More data. More system analysis. It was a never-ending stream, and I was giddy with the prospect of digging through it all. Sure, I saw long lines of code and various other input functions circling my brain on the weekends, but it was worth it. The puzzles were worth it. The pay was great, too.

Is that what you’re doing this weekend? I asked as I perched my fingers over the keyboard to start typing. "Destiny, right?"

Oh, um...

That sounded like hesitation. It was enough to cause my head to swivel slowly toward my cousin, my eyebrows digging into my forehead and likely deepening the worry lines there. I blamed staring at a screen all day.

My cousin was red from his cheeks to his neck. He adjusted his tie, lifting the collar up a bit more to hide the blush that had trickled toward his shoulders. His ears were red. His forehead was red. He was a living beet, in the flesh.

I chuckled and said, You have a date, don’t you?

How can you always tell?

Because you look like I could purchase you at the farmer’s market.

He groaned. Shut up, Trey.

What’s her name?

He grumbled something while rubbing the back of his neck. The blushing fest had intensified and now there was a shy grin wavering on his lips. He cleared his throat and said, Shay.

Who’s that?

Shay—from HR?

I furrowed my brows together. Shay from HR?

You’re so observant. Have I told you that lately?

I don’t pay much attention to other departments. How the heck did you meet her?

He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. In the lobby, man. I ran into her downstairs in the lobby.

Slick.

I didn’t do it on purpose, you know.

I chortled and turned back to the monitor, my fingers whipping across the keyboard at lightning speed as I said, Uh huh. Sure.

Hey, I resent that you think I would run into a fine woman on purpose just to get her number.

I’ve seen you do it before.

He chuckled. Sure, at a bar.

But this was in the lobby.

Yes, it was. It was perfectly innocent.

I hummed curiously. At your job.

I sense a hint of judgment.

Oh, I’m judging you.

He sighed. Well, why don’t you take a look at her and tell me I’m wrong for it?

He slid his phone between my face and the screen, not even waiting for me to respond. I studied the picture in front of me. Long black hair, smooth features, dark blue eyes—she could have been a model.

Oh, I said, letting my fingers freeze on the keyboard. Wow, she’s gorgeous.

See?

Yes, I can see.

He shook the phone slightly. Now do you get it?

I get why you run into women, I just don’t get why they give you their numbers.

Someone is grumpy. He withdrew his phone, revealing the monitor on the other side, my eyes blurring slightly as they adjusted to seeing the screen again. I continued typing as he said, Well, she offered her number. I didn’t even have to ask.

Amazing. Do you want a cookie for that?

He laughed. You’re jealous.

Nope, I’m very happy for you.

Jealous.

I stopped typing and rested my hands on my thighs as I turned toward him. No, really. I’m happy for you. It’s good for you to get out.

Thanks, man.

"So, Destiny—what have you done?"

As he dove into detail about his recent run, I kept typing, multitasking, running through screens, running test after test. I was good at my job, and I was good at being a good friend, too. I took a lot of pride in what I did. I also liked living vicariously through my best friend. His exploits were interesting, usually ended the same way, and even though it was relatively predictable, it was nice to hear about it. I wasn’t interested in dating. I probably wouldn’t be for a long time, so I listened to Keenan. He was my connection to the world of romance.

I finished up the analysis I had started hours ago, created a report, and sent it in to be reviewed. I would work on the rest tomorrow. It was time for me to head home. I gave Keenan a brotherly hug and then drifted toward the coat rack to grab my navy-blue sports blazer. I tugged it over my shoulders, tugging on it to straighten the cloth over my cream white button-down, and did some partial squats. Sitting all day had caused my legs to go a little numb.

I smoothed my hands over my khaki work pants and then headed for the elevator, taking it down a few floors to the lobby. I glanced around, noticing the empty white tile, the clean shimmer of the black reception desk, the portrait hanging behind the reception desk chair which was now empty, and the modern furnishings taking up the area. I sniffed slightly, noticing the fading scent of coffee.

In the lobby—of all places, Keenan. Business and pleasure don’t mix.

Even though the woman worked in another department, it was HR—human resources. The people that screened us. The ones who had hired us even though my father and uncle started the company. Fairness, my father had told me, it was all about fairness. And that made sense.

So, why did Keenan want to dip his fingers into the place that could literally smash his career?

I chuckled to myself, shook my head, and wandered out of the building, taking five steps to my car and hopping in to head home. The ride was quiet. I liked silence after a long workday. It gave me time to reflect on what I had done at work, to tick off my to-do list, to think about dinner. As soon as I got home, I greeted my German Shepard at the door, his muddy brown fur and long snoot a welcome sight.

Max, I greeted while bending to rub his fur. He huffed in my face and then licked my cheek, causing me to cringe. Wow, you need a breath mint, buddy.

I stood up while keeping my hand on the back of his neck. He walked with me to the back door where I guided him outside and jogged into the yard, not bothering to close the porch door behind me. The yard expanded deep behind the house. The left corner hosted a gazebo surrounded by unlit torches with a grill right next to the structure. Bushes lined the fence, surrounding the entirety of the area and thickening it with life. A pool was dug into the ground to the right with a diving board and a few blow-up items for lounging floating lazily on the surface of the pool.

I waited for Max to do his business and then lifted a Frisbee, holding it up for him to see. He immediately crouched into position, preparing to dart as his wide eyes locked onto the Frisbee and his tail went wild. His ears perked up, he bounced once, and then he sprinted after it when I threw it across the yard.

He barked on his way to retrieve the Frisbee. I laughed as he scooped it into his mouth and trotted proudly toward me, laying the item on top of my work shoes. I knelt down to grab it and started rubbing his fur again.

It’s just you and me, buddy, I told. We don’t need anyone, do we? Especially after Jasmine.

Max barked.

I nodded. Yeah, well, why didn’t you tell me sooner so I wouldn’t waste my time?

He cocked his head sideways, lifting his right ear. I chuckled as I patted his head and stood up, dropping the Frisbee to the ground as I headed toward the porch door. I led Max inside, fed him, and then cracked open a beer. I tossed a few leftover slices of pizza into the microwave and waited for them to warm up. As soon as they were done, I grabbed them and took them with me to the living room where I slouched into the couch and turned on the television.

I ate quietly, sipped my beer, listened to Max huff contentedly in the corner of the living room where his giant dog bed was located. I glanced at my dog. His eyes were closed, a gentle smile spread over his snout—or whatever passed as a smile for a dog. He looked happy. That made me happy.

I focused on the television, trying not to think about dating, or romance, or women.

Or Jasmine.

The right corner of my mouth twitched slightly as I fished my phone out of my pocket. I stripped away my sports blazer, kicked off my shoes, and rested my feet on the coffee table as I texted Keenan.

If your date cancels this weekend, let me know.

Keenan replied instantly, You’re lonely, aren’t you?

Shut up.

But I didn’t argue with him. I didn’t deny it. I didn’t agree with it either. I mean, what was I supposed to say? I had a huge house to myself, the best dog in the world, and a job that I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. I was set. I was taken care of.

Lonely, I repeated in my head. Maybe. But it’s better to be on my own than with a woman who wants kids. I like having peace and quiet. I like drinking on the weekends. Kids would ruin that.

I texted Keenan for a few more minutes and then set my phone down, turning back to the soccer game on the flat-screen television. I shrugged my shoulders.

No, I’m not lonely, I decided suddenly. I just like being by myself.

2

E

lla

Paperwork piled into a mountain on the left side of my desk, crinkling slightly as I nudged it with the tip of my index finger. I sighed as I tugged the first folder down and popped it open. Policy updates were in the works. I set that folder aside. The next held a list of tweaks that payroll needed. The folder under that contained a new hire that needed proper placement. And then lodged under everything was a complaint from Sally in Marketing who was having trouble with Dell’s heavy breathing again.

I shrugged my shoulders to loosen the muscles. I couldn’t work with all that tension crackling between my shoulder blades, but I knew it wouldn’t go away anytime soon. It wouldn’t relax until I chewed through this mountain. Even then, it might not relent until I had a massage.

I mindlessly ran my fingers over the spot, digging beneath the collar of my blouse to place my cool hands on the sore muscle. I sighed with relief. At least I could manage some relief. The pile on my desk was only going to grow if I didn’t chip away at it.

I regarded the window overlooking the main part of the office. People wandered past the open blinds, folders and coffee in hand. A couple of people occupying the desks on the opposite side of the room near the expansive windows were on the phone. The click of a keyboard echoed from somewhere in the building.

I turned to the window in my office, noticing the breeze carrying leaves with it. Richmond, Virginia was gorgeous this time of year, even if it was a little hot. But the heat was welcome. I preferred the heat, which always made other people look at me funny. It was just in my blood. I liked the sun, the heat, the way sand felt under my bare toes.

I need a vacation already, I thought as I returned my eyes to the mess in front of me. I started digging through the first file I pulled. I should grab Shay, hop in the car, and just take off for the coast.

I worked until lunch, crunching through the complaint and making a note to follow up with Sally. It didn’t matter how many times I told her Dell had a condition. She always complained. I considered moving her desk somewhere else, maybe even transferring her to a different department. Dell couldn’t help it. I needed her to understand that.

I shrugged my shoulders again and grabbed my purse, locking up my office before walking to the office right next to mine. I poked my head inside and smiled at my best friend who was typing rapidly at her computer. Her long, black hair was smoothed up into a professional bun and her black eyes darted across the screen, following her lightning-fast typing.

Sending a love letter to a handsome prince? I teased. Or just responding to emails?

Just emails. She sighed without looking up. Lunch?

Yeah, it’s lunch.

What do you want?

I huffed and shrugged. I don’t care.

Let’s get sandwiches from the deli.

Oh, yes. That’s a great idea.

She pursed her lips, slapped the ‘enter’ key on her keyboard, and then hit the button on the monitor with a grin. When she turned to me, her peach lips stretched into a wide smile, a smile that made her close her eyes.

You’re happy today, I stated.

Yeah, it’s a nice day.

You’re never happy. What’s up?

She rolled her eyes, grabbed her things, and yanked me down the hallway toward the elevator. We made our way quietly through the building, wandering through the main lobby that would spit us out on the street. We paused at the edge of the road, waited for traffic to clear, and then hopped to the other side of the street where the deli was located.

As we wandered inside, I inhaled the delightful scent of freshly baked bread, roasted tomatoes, and coffee. I sighed as we walked up to the counter to order. I kept stealing glances at Shay, noticing the rich red dazzling her cheekbones and the smile that was cutting lines into her face. She looked way too happy to be on her lunch break. Something was up.

I elbowed her when we sat at a small table in the back. Okay, spill it.

What?

You never answered my question. What’s up?

She giggled. Not much. You?

Shay.

She wriggled her nose in my direction and then hopped up when our names were called. She collected our sandwiches, set them on the table, and slid back into her seat.

She slowly peeled back the wax paper around her sandwich. So, I need your help.

With?

I have a date with the owner’s son, Keenan.

I gasped. I knew it!

Ella, hush.

No, don’t even try that on me. You’re practically glowing. I knew something was up!

She blushed suddenly, the color trickling from her cheeks to her forehead. Ugh, he’s cute, right?

Adorable. I saw you two chatting in the lobby. I saw the way you smiled at him. He doesn’t even work in the same building.

Lucky me, right? I’m looking forward to it.

I grinned warmly and opened up the wrapping of my sandwich. I lifted it, took a bite, and sighed contentedly as I sat back to chew. Shay was still blushing.

I chuckled. So, what do you need help with?

An outfit. I need to look fresh.

How about we hit the shops tonight after work?

She nodded. That’s a good idea. I mean, I was going to do that anyway, but you know how I am. I can’t make a decision. Not like this. Not when it’s so important.

Honey, you’re going to be just fine. I’ll help you.

Thanks, Ella. You’re the best.

I smirked. The owner’s son—wow.

Don’t say that too loud.

Why?

She shrugged while trying to guard a smile. I don’t know.

Hey, you deserve to be happy.

Thank you for saying that. You do, too.

I shrugged. I’m perfectly fine.

That’s not happy.

I’m fine, Shay.

She lifted a potato chip from the bag next to her sandwich and poked the chip in my direction, using it to point at me. "That’s not happy."

Shut up. This is about you and your date. I want to help.

Alright. Fine.

I chortled and shook my head. And we should curl your hair.

Oh my god. I was just thinking that.

Twins, we both chimed together.

We fell into giggles for a minute, Shay snorting like she always did when something was incredibly funny. The sound only made us laugh harder. By the time we got our laughter under control, we had fifteen minutes left on our lunch break. We finished eating, tipped the staff, and then returned to our work building, trudging back into the mess of folders, complaints, and policy updates.

The end of the day was a relief. Sunlight slanted across my office window, casting orange lines over the carpet. I shut off my computer and locked everything up, gathering what I would need for the weekend. I left with Shay, walking the same path back down to the shared lobby and wandering into the humid evening. Even though the sun was setting and dipping behind the buildings, it felt so much hotter. I guess the heat had time to bake the city.

We climbed into my Volkswagen beetle and chatted about work while I maneuvered through downtown traffic. I pulled up to the curb in front of Dana’s Designs and cut off the engine. I grabbed my purse, followed Shay inside, and sidled up to the first rack.

Okay, I said. Dress or blouse?

What do you think?

Dress. I plucked a cute maxi dress from the rack and passed it to her. Go with red or purple. That looks best on you.

That’s why I brought you with me.

I chuckled. Are you guys going out to eat?

Yeah, we’re going dancing after, too.

That sounds nice.

She smiled while fumbling with the tag of the dress. Why don’t you come with us?

And be a third wheel? No, thanks.

Well, since we’re going dancing later, you can come to that. There will be so many people at the club. You definitely won’t become a third wheel.

I sighed as I thought it over. I knew the club would be full on a Saturday night, but I didn’t exactly want to watch my best friend grind against the owner’s son half the night. Even with her best efforts, I would become a third wheel simply by being there.

She gave me her most dazzling smile. Please?

I’ll think about it.

Ella, you need to get out. You’ve been moping around ever since Tanner left.

I huffed and turned back to the rack, mindlessly digging through outfits. "I mean, he did leave me, so I have a reason to mope."

It’ll help to get out for a bit. We can find you a date, too.

What if I run into Tanner? I don’t think I can handle that, Shay.

She shook her head. Well, that would be great so he can see what he’s missing.

I don’t know. I don’t like that idea.

Ella.

I crossed my arms over my chest. Shay.

She gave me a pouty face, exaggerating her features until I broke into laughter. After a moment, she gave me her dazzling smile again and shook the hangers, causing the fabric of the dresses to shudder. I’m going to try these on. Why don’t you pick something, too?

If it’ll make you happy, I’ll do it.

"It would make me so happy."

She shimmied away to the dressing rooms in the back of the store, and I sighed as I plucked through a few dresses. They were pretty dresses, made of soft, silky fabric that invited me to rub my fingers along the length of them. I picked a sunflower yellow dress with blossoming red petals trailing along the end of the dress. It was the same color as my eyes. I just had to try it on.

I chose the stall next to Shay and sighed again.

She chuckled. If you keep sighing like that, I’m going to take you to get your nails done tomorrow afternoon.

I let out another sigh, this one much more forced and exaggerated, causing her to guffaw.

That’s it, she said in a firm but playful tone. Nails. Tomorrow.

Yes, ma’am.

Okay, I’m coming out. Tell me how I look.

I tugged the dress on and slipped from the stall, keeping the door propped open with my hip. Shay looked stunning. I smiled as she spun around, causing the hem of the dress to flutter up around her work heels.

Yes, I said with a nod. Absolutely. You have to get it.

And you have to get that dress. It matches your eyes.

I grinned. I thought so, too.

Well, that was fast. Should we get dinner after this?

I stifled another sigh and smiled instead. Yeah, I’m starving.

As I retreated into the stall to change, I met my gaze in the mirror next to me, realizing it wasn’t food I was hungry for.

3

T

rey

The afternoon sun beat down on my shoulders as I tossed a few hoops in the driveway. Max was lounging in the grass beside me with his paws extended and his face tilted toward the sky. His tongue hung lazily from his maw and he panted rhythmically, appearing content. He was a happy dog. And that made me a happy dog dad.

I caught the basketball as it bounced back toward me and shot it again. I made hoop after hoop, dancing around the pavement as if I were playing with a group. Cars drifted behind me, a few of them honking and prompting me to pause. I waved at the neighbors. I returned to my fantasy game, practicing my runs until they were perfection.