Bedmates Soulmates

Austyn got there first.

What are you doing?

I could ask you the same thing" Austyn moved the entire plate of strawberries away from her. "You've had more than enough for breakfast. You're going to get indigestion." "But I'm still hungry!'

"Your protruding stomach says otherwise.

Kira looked down and saw that Austyn was right.

She hurriedly covered her belly with both hands, embarrassed.

'Elsie! Austyn's hogging all the strawberries! She sought help from the housekeeper.

Elsie, in the kitchen, pretended she heard nothing.

It was best not to get in the middle of a

a couple's fight.

Besides, she had to watch the bone broth on the stove.

This one didn't come from any cookbook

It was her sister's secret recipe.

Austyn had to head into the office for a couple of meetings.

He was already running late.

Kira was too stuffed to move

She waved goodbye to him from her seated position in the chair.

'Elsie, don't give her too much food for lunch. Austyn had to warn the housekeeper not to get too carried away.

After he left, Kira fell into a food coma and napped on the sofa downstairs.

The meeting with officials from the Energy Market Authority lasted for two and a half hours.

It was way past lunchtime when Austyn finally saw them off.

He had just sat down when Andrea knocked and came into his office. 'Mr McCarthy.

""What is it?"

'There's a Miss Connelly downstairs. She came in forty-five minutes ago. She claims to be a personal friend of yours but she doesn't have an appointment. She insists on seeing you and refuses to leave.' The secretary finished her report with trepidation

Which turned into dread when she glimpsed the dark look on the president's face,

Are You Sure He'sDaddy?

Andrea had only agreed to pass along the message because the woman didn't look like the usual half-crazed stalker type who wanted to meet Mr McCarthy and then propose marriage.

On the contrary, Miss Connelly was rather courteous and easy to talk to.

She didn't make a scene when her request was denied and just sat in the lobby quietly.

She was wry slim

Her skin was pale to the point of being almost translucent.

In her knee-length white dress, she looked so delicate and helpless.

Andrea took pity on her and volunteered to pass on her request to the president.

Now she was starting to regret that decision.

Austyn pushed back his chair and stood up. "Where is she?

His voice was raspy.

The meeting had been a tense one.

Austyn locked horns with the regulators over the M Group's plan to push for decentralised energy

He and the officials didn't see eye to eye on the issue, and neither was able to persuade the other side to come round.

He had talked for hours and not had a drop of water in the meantime

"She's in the lobby downstairs, Andrea sald

Austyn

massaged his throbbing temples. Bring her to Meeting Room Two on the forty-seventh. And bring me a cup of coffee." 'Yes, Mr McCarthy," Austyn rested his eyes for a minute and waited for his coffee.

Andrea returned five minutes later. 'Miss Connelly is in the meeting room'

Austyn downed the cup of espresso in one gulp and stood op

'Um, Mr McCarthy.' Andrea hesitated.

Austyn left the room before she could get her sentence out.

The secretary sighed.

Hopefully, the president wouldn't get mad at her when he realised he had more than one visitor.

Austyn detoured to the restroom and washed his face.

The nicotine patches were not working as well as he hoped.

Without the help of cigarettes, he had to resort to downing gallons of coffer to get through the day.

He had another meeting in two hours.

After that, he would go straight home.

Without him there to supervise, Elsie was sure to go overboard with dinner again and Kira would gorge herself.

Austyn made a mental note to call Jesse later and ask him to recommend a good gynaecologist,

Dr Lynch was capable, but he might not always be available

Austynnended to rearrange his schedule so he could accompany Kira on her weekly trips to the hospital.

He dried his face with a paper towel and wondered what Kira was doing right now.

Cal had left to find a contractor.

By the time Austyn reached home, a lift should have already been installed in the villa

Austyn ran through the checklist in his head and realised how much more work he still

He had yet to babyproof the house, yet to brainstorm baby names, yet to decide on which room should be converted into a nursery,

And nanies and baby clothes and maternity clothes and diapers and Infant formula and prams and preschools...

Austyn gripped the edge of the porcelain sink and took a deep breath.

One thing at a time, he told himself.

He took the stairs to the 47th floor and passed outside the meeting room when he plim

Deborah and Alden.

Austyn scowled.

Andrea had not told him about the boy.

He entered the room without knocking and closed the drapes over the glass wall.

*Deborah. His voice was cold.

She stood up and smiled as if she didn't notice his aloofness. "The secretary told me you were in a meeting. Is this a bad time? I hope I wasn't interrupting" 'You are

Deborah blanched