However, no one had asked. Kate’s impending joy had been the elephant in the room that they had all avoided talking about at the game and ever since. Even Billy had skirted the subject, instead favoring Seth with hard looks that said more than words ever would.
Now Seth was going to leave Kate behind. Because his first priority was his family. Because that was what Boltons did. Family was first. Family was everything.
And Kate was...
He was going to be sick.
“I made a promise to you guys and to the company,” Seth said slowly. “I haven’t made any promises to anyone else.” Which was true.
So why did saying it feel like a betrayal?
Because Kate was spending almost every night in Seth’s bed and every morning in his arms. Because they ate dinner together and talked about their days.
Because he had asked her if she wanted him to go with her to her doctor’s appointment where she found out she was having a girl. He’d discussed names with her. Because he had a diamond solitaire pendant with matching earrings already wrapped in silver-and-red paper with her name on it—his parting gift to her before he left.
Because, like an idiot, he had completely fallen in love with her. Deeply, irrevocably in love.
It didn’t help that Bobby was still staring at him. Usually, you couldn’t shut the man up. But today, he was acting more like Billy than ever. “Who else does she have? I did some digging, you know. Her ex-fiancé stayed with her parents’ firm. An old friend had to give her a job. And then a certain knight in shining armor rode in and threw some big commissions her way. But if you leave, who else will she have?”
It was not uncommon for the Bolton brothers to come to blows. Bobby and Billy were like oil and water, and although Ben did his best to keep them from pummeling each other, Seth had seen a few noses get busted in his time.
Aside from that one incident before his parents had gotten married, Seth had never been a part of a family brawl. Mostly because he wasn’t nearly as big as his dad and his uncles, but also it didn’t seem right to take on the men who’d made a place for him.
But right now? Right now, he wanted to break Bobby’s jaw. And maybe a few other bones, just for good measure. “If you’re going to say something, just say it.”
Bobby cracked that smooth grin of his. Seth wanted to push it in with his fist. “Wouldn’t be surprised in the least if your aunts didn’t descend upon that poor woman. Your mom, especially, wouldn’t like the idea of Kate being all alone when she has that baby.”
No, of course Mom wouldn’t. Even though Seth was twenty-five years old now. Even though Mom had been married to Billy for almost eleven years, Jenny Bolton still ran an after-school support group for pregnant teenagers because she didn’t want anyone to feel as alone as she had when she’d been pregnant with Seth.
“Are you done yet?” Seth ground out. “Because I don’t know what you want me to do here, Bobby. You show up with a plan that will have me in Shanghai for almost a year and then simultaneously make me feel like crap for doing my job? Go to hell. And get out of my office.” It felt damn good to be able to say that.
Bobby stood, in no hurry to go anywhere. He straightened his cuffs and popped his neck from side to side. “I’m not the one making you feel bad, kid.” He headed for the door, but paused with his hand on the knob. “And we are family, Seth. Family is the most important thing we have.” The words settled in the room like silt at the bottom of standing water.
Seth understood what Bobby was saying. His uncle had just been playing devil’s advocate—but they still expected him to put the family first and do his best to open up the Asian market. “I understand.”
He was definitely going to be sick.
Bobby gave him a measured look. “Do you?” And with that parting shot, he was gone.
“Katie, my girl,” Harold Zanger said, striding out of his office and snapping his suspenders. “How are you getting on this fine day?”
Kate patted her ever-growing stomach. “Fine,” she said with a smile as Harold beamed. She left out the part where she had to pee every seven minutes and her back hurt. According to the doctor, things were going perfectly. She only had another three months to go.
“Is that Mr. Bolton of yours going to be coming around?” Harold asked the question in a too-casual manner.
But Kate didn’t miss the yours in that question. “I don’t think it’s physically possible for him to buy any more real estate,” she said, dodging the question.
Seth was not hers. In fact, with Christmas weeks away, he was less hers every single day.
They hadn’t talked about it, but she knew he was leaving soon. And she knew it was selfish, but she didn’t want him to go. The last three months with him had been the best three months of her life.
Harold gave her a kindly look. “He’s done all right by you, hasn’t he?”
Kate looked away. “He has. But then,” she said, forcing a smile to her lips, “so have you.”
Harold patted her on the shoulder. “You’re a sweet girl, Katie. You deserve better.” Tears stung in her eyes as Harold gave her shoulder a squeeze and then turned away, politely pretending she wasn’t about to cry. “I’m off to show some houses today,” he announced loudly, giving his suspenders another snap just for good measure. “You’ll hold down the fort?”
“Of course,” she said, smiling through it all.
Seth had done right by her. Thanks to the purchase of the house—which still had next to no furniture in it—and the industrial property, she was able to plan to take six months off with her little girl, whom she’d decided to name Madeleine.
More than that, he had given her back her sexuality. Kate hadn’t even realized what she’d been missing until Seth had come into her life. But now? She wouldn’t settle for anything less. He had built her up instead of wearing her down, and never again would she go along just to get along.
Seth was leaving and she was going to let him go. It would be selfish to hold him here, but God, she was going to miss the hell out of him.
She was lost in these thoughts and others—what should she get him for Christmas?—when the chimes over the door jingled. “It’s a zinger of a day at Zanger, how may I...” She looked up to see a familiar figure standing in the doorway. Her stomach curdled because she recognized that man—and it wasn’t Seth.
“Roger?” What the hell was he doing here?
He looked like hell. Oh, he still looked good. His hair was combed, his face cleanly shaven, his suit nicely pressed. But as he stepped into the office, Kate could see the shadows under his bloodshot eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a week, maybe longer. “Kate,” he said, and then stopped when she stood up. His eyes widened. “God, you look so...”
She didn’t know
