Wife to the Boss (Managing the Bosses Series, #6) Read online

  She made it to the top and paused, letting out a shaky breath. There was no way she was going to reach the light fixture without standing on top of the ladder. The very top. “Only someone not afraid of heights would think this was a good idea to do this.” She chuckled as she tucked the light bulb package under her chin and moved up slowly as her stomach tightened. Maybe waiting on Alex would make more sense.

  She kept her hands on the top rung and moved up until she was bent over, her feet on the last possible rung before the top.

  Alex would have taken care of the lights had he been home. He promised things were going to get better a week ago when he moved both Mark and Paul up into management positions, which allowed him to move some of his senior advisors up to junior partners. Everyone was supposed to shift the weight of responsibility from Alex down, but she'd yet to see any relief from the decision. She was supposed to be a senior advisor as well, but she’d asked to just to stay his personal assistant for the next nine months, and then they could go from there.

  One thing had worked for the better... with Kristen gone, Paul and Mark had gotten back to being friends, though their joking around in the office could easily get on her nerves at time. It was all in good fun, and worth it if it allowed them to work well together.

  “Okay, man up.” She looked up and let out a grunt. There was nothing to hold on to but the fixture as she extended to a standing position. Her legs shook a little, and she began to second-guess herself. Just go back down. This isn't that important, and Alex is going to be as pissed as a hornet when he comes home and finds out you got on this ladder.

  A smirk formed on her lips as she reached up and grabbed the fixture. She steadied herself and pushed off her left foot carefully. Within seconds, she was on top of the ladder, and balancing well. “There. Easy as pie.” What in the world was she worried about anyway? Heights had never been a problem before. Why would they be now?

  Because I’m having a baby. Some part of her had to know that protecting herself also meant providing a safe place for the little one inside of her. The need to know the sex of the child rolled through her as it did ten times a day, but she dismissed it. No need to let anything distract her, though everything tried to.

  She used her free hands to work a light bulb out of the package, and lifted to her toes as the ladder moved a little. Jake.

  “Hey, buddy. Don't do that, okay? I’ll be down in a minute. No pushing on the ladder, please.” She held her breath, praying like hell he would run off, but unfortunately he didn't.

  Jake jumped again, and the small puppy from Christmas that had turned into a good-sized dog pushed the ladder just enough. “Jake! Stop it! No. No, buddy!”

  He pounced against it again, happy as could be.

  “Oh shit! No!” she cried out as she lost her balance. A million thoughts raced through her mind as she fell backwards toward the concrete floor. Hitting her car felt like running into a ton of bricks, but it was better than slamming into the concrete with nothing to cushion her fall.

  She smacked her face hard against the hood of her car before sliding down onto the floor. Jake moved in and jumped around her, licking at her as she tried to swat him away, but she couldn't get her hand to move.

  There wasn't enough air in her lungs, or the room, to formulate words, and she knew she was in trouble. The single light bulb high above her head blurred, creating several lights and colors as her eyes crossed.

  Just let the baby be okay. Don't let me have done something stupid that would hurt the baby.

  Tears burned her gaze, and pain ripped through her as a sob left her and the room grew dim. She was close to passing out, but the thought of closing her eyes scared her far more than anything. She blinked rapidly as Jake continued to dance around her.

  He took a few steps back and barked loudly as he moved back toward the house, barking again.

  She thought maybe Alex was home. If there was any way to find her voice to encourage him to go grab Alex, she would have offered it, but nothing was formulating past her tongue.

  Turning her head to the side, she grimaced and tasted blood. Warm liquid dripped out of her mouth, and the thought of Alex coming home to find her like this left her heart breaking. He wasn't doing too well keeping himself together with all of the stress as of late. This was only going to force more on him.

  What if she hadn't just hit her head, but maybe broken her back? Maybe that was why she was numb and not able to feel a damn thing.

  Not good.

  Would he still love her if she wasn't able to use her legs? If he had to push her around in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives? She would still love him. Warmth rushed across her chest as she realized he would do the same for her.

  Jake moved back into the garage, barking loudly. So damn loud it left her ears ringing.

  She blinked a few more times as her eyes grew heavy. A soft cry left her as she let her eyes close, but opening them was damn near impossible.

  Too much work for what it was worth. Alex wasn't there anyway.

  Darkness rushed in as she let out a long breath and let herself fade into it where nothing mattered, and nothing hurt. It was safe there.

  Chapter 2

  The sound of Alex talking to someone brought her from the deepness of sleep. She let out a soft groan as she tried to sit up.

  “No, baby. Stay down.” Alex moved up beside her, concern etched all over his handsome face. He ran his hand over her hair as she blinked past confusion. “Just rest. I'm here with you now, okay? You're okay. You knocked your head pretty good.”

  “Wh-What?”

  “It’s just a pretty good concussion and an ugly bruise on your face.”

  “Where am I?” She pushed the words from her dry throat and let her eyes move around the sterile room.

  “We're in the hospital, baby.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, breathing in softly. “Damn, you scared me so badly, Jamie. Jake was barking his damn head off when I came home. I thought I was going to have a heart attack seeing you on the floor, bleeding from your mouth.”

  “Did I break something?” She lifted her hand and wedged it under him to brush her fingers by her mouth.

  A female doctor moved up beside her as Alex moved back. “I'm Dr. Jensen. Nice to meet you, Jamie. You gave us all quite a scare.”

  “Is anything broken?” She touched her mouth, finding it tender.

  “No, you just hit your head and face pretty hard and bit the tip of your tongue. It's not severed, so you should be okay.” She reached over and pressed her fingers to the side of Jamie's face, causing her to grimace. “Bad bruising right here, but it should heal quickly seeing that you're young.”

  “The baby.” Jamie jerked up as the room spun. Her fingers spayed out across her stomach as tears filled her eyes. “Is the baby okay?”

  “The baby’s fine, sweetheart.” Alex moved in closer and helped her lie back down. “No sudden movements. The baby’s fine, but you need stay still until your concussion gets a little better.”

  A knock at the door surprised her, and she half expected it to be Mark who walked through, but it wasn’t him. She blinked, not sure if she was dreaming... her family? Really? Her dad she could understand, but her mother and sister? Had they come to make fun of her? To point fingers and berate her for being so careless?

  Alex moved back and smiled. “I'm going to make a quick call now that your family’s here. I'll be right back. I'm not going into work today.”

  “Today? Isn't it Sunday?” Jamie blinked a few times in an exaggerated manner.

  “No, it's Monday afternoon.” He leaned down and kissed her lips a few times. “I love you. I'll be right outside should you need me.”

  Jamie tried to give him a warning look, not wanting to be left alone anywhere with her family; it obviously didn't come out right, seeing that he left without another word.

  “Pumpkin. Are you okay?” Her dad moved up beside her and touched the top her head. “You scared
us. Bad.”

  “I'm fine. Just a little tired and sore.” She looked up to the other side of the bed as her mother moved in.

  “You need to be more careful. You have a baby to watch out for now. What pregnant woman gets on a ladder and goes to the top? A stupid one, that's who.” Her mother scoffed and gave her a look of disdain.

  Dr. Jensen walked to the door. “If any of you upset her, you'll be booted, so watch your words closely.”

  Jamie wanted to whisper thank you, but didn't want to start anything more than would start on its own. Drama followed her mother and sister like a stray dog. It was only a matter of time before something unconventional went down.

  “Is Christine here?” Jamie turned her attention back to her dad, realizing that it would probably be far safer to concentrate on him.

  “Yeah, but she's a little out of it.” He gave Jamie a tight smile. “She hasn’t been the same since Stephen attacked you and Alex.”

  “It wasn't about the attack, but the fact that the courts didn't seek medical treatment for whatever is going on with him. He's not right in the head. Surely everyone has to know that.” Jamie's mother rolled her eyes and moved back from the bed. “Right, Christine? He's a good guy that got caught up in a bad situation?”

  My father clenched his jaw and turned his warm brown eyes back to Jamie. “Ignore them. I swear they live on a different planet from those of us with logic and half a brain in our heads.”

  “I'm right here. I can hear you”!” Jamie's mom barked.

  “I'm aware.” Her father glanced up and then back down. “What do you need me to do for you? You need me to grab some clothes? A cheeseburger?”

  “I want to go home.” Tears filled her eyes. “Can I go home, seeing that nothing’s broken?”

  “I don't think so, sweetheart. I'm pretty sure they want to keep you for observation tonight at least. That bump to your head was bad.” He brushed her hair back again and stood to his full height. “I'm going to get these two back home, but I'll come see you if you don't get out tomorrow. If you need anything, all you have to do is call; you know that, right?”

  “She has Alex, honey. Stop acting like she's a child. She isn't.” Jamie's mother walked to the door with Christine beside her.

  A chill ran through Jamie at the dark circles under Christine's once-vibrant eyes. Her hair was stringy and looked like it needed to be washed several days before. She was beyond depressed.

  It wasn't Stephen who needed help. It was Christine.

  “Alright, we're going to go.” Her dad moved toward the door as her mom let out a quick 'oh!'

  “You guys grab the car, and I'll meet you out front.” Her mom pushed them out the door before turning back to Jamie. “What's going on with the baby? Did you find out for sure that you're pregnant?”

  “Yes, Mom. I told Dad to tell you.” Jamie pressed the button that caused the bed to move up to an almost sitting position. “Didn’t he tell you?”

  “He did, but I didn’t know if it was a lie to seal the deal with Alex. I don’t know how you think.” She stared at Jamie and finally rolled her eyes. “Well, you'd better start taking better care of yourself. I had three miscarriages before you, and most of my pregnancy was spent on my back in a bed.” She let out an angry sound. “You'll lose that baby if you don't want it. And Alex, too.”

  “Great, thanks for the pep talk.” Jamie closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pounding in her head. Why would Alex think it was okay to leave her with her crazy family? He probably just wanted to escape as badly as she did.

  “Fine. Ignore me,” her mother scoffed, “but don't think I won't tell you that I told you so.”

  Jamie sighed and opened her eyes. “Mom, it's not that. What am I supposed to do with the information you're giving me? I'm going to be careful from here on out.” She wanted to shake her head but was scared it would make her headache worse. “But knowing that you had miscarriages only scares me.” Jamie tried to keep her voice even.

  “It should. It's a scary situation!” Her mother's eyes widened. She would have been such a beautiful woman if she hadn't been so ugly in spirit. Such a needy, bitchy personality to contend with. “Anyways, I need to get back to your father. You know he's been having chest pains? I keep telling him that a man his age and as far out of shape as he is should have things checked out. He's probably knocking on death's door.”

  “Mom. Jeez.” Jamie ran her hand through her hair, bumping the knot on the top of her head and letting out a soft yelp.

  “What? I'm serious. All I need is for him to keel over in the middle of the night. Can you imagine the horror of waking up next to a corpse?” She shivered and pulled at her purse strap. “Just gross.”

  “Please tell me that you didn't say this stuff to him.” Jamie crossed her hands over her stomach and tried to hold back the ass-chewing that pressed against the back of her teeth.

  “Of course I did. I'm his wife. Why in the world wouldn't I try to help him? Maybe my encouragements could help push him toward seeking help before it's too late. You don't know. Maybe something I've said to you today will sink in, though I doubt it.”

  “Yeah, maybe.” Jamie pressed the button for the nurse on the side of the bed. “I'm going to try to rest now. I'd be careful what you say to Dad, Mom. You guys just started working things out again before Christmas. I would imagine his ego is a little unsteady.” He’d been ready to walk again not that long ago. Jamie wouldn’t blame him if he did.

  “Of course it is. It always has been.” She turned on her heel and walked to the door. “I'm leaving, by the way. No need to have your mother ejected from the hospital. Rude. Just plain disrespectful.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jamie lifted her eyebrow as her mother glanced over her shoulder.

  “You calling for the nurse to throw me out.” She shrugged and walked out, slamming the door and causing the glass to shake.

  “I was asking for headache medicine. Shit.” Jamie leaned back and let out a long sigh, wondering what in the hell she'd done in another life to deserve such a messed up family. Dysfunctional wasn't the beginning of it.

  Alex stuck his head into the room. “What the hell was that all about?”

  “Same old shit. She hates me, and blames me for everything wrong in her life.” Jamie lifted her hands to her face and pressed her fingers to her eyes. “I want to go home. I need to get in our bed and have you hold me.”

  “Aw, baby.” He closed the door and walked to the bed as a nurse walked in. “I'll get to take you home soon, and we can stay in the bed for a week if that's what you want to do.”

  “Did you need something, Mrs. Reid?” The nurse moved up on the opposite side of the bed from Alex.

  “Yeah, my mother thrown out of the room.” A smile tugged at Jamie's lips. “It's okay. She already left. I must have offended her by breathing too loudly, or still being alive.”

  “Moms have a way of making our blood boil sometimes, don't they?” The nurse patted her shoulder. “I’ll check with the doctor what medicine you can take. I’m thinking something for your headache might help?”

  “That’d be great.”

  “I’ll be back shortly.” The nurse patted her shoulder again and headed out.

  “Do you think our kid will feel about me like I do my mother?” Jamie turned her attention to Alex as she reached up and touched the side of his handsome face. “I'm not sure I could handle that.”

  “Never. You're nothing like your mother, Jamie. She makes the Wicked Witch of the West look like a rainbow-colored butterfly.”

  She laughed and then grimaced as her head ached. “I'm not even going to ask.”

  He pressed his hand over the top of hers and turned his face, kissing her palm a few times. “The point is that you're going to be a great mother.”

  “I'm not doing so great right now.” She leaned back and tugged her hand from him, as she felt so heavy all of a sudden.

  “How about getting some sleep and not worrying a
bout all of this for a while? You're going to be incredible. But let me say this... don't you ever again do something like climb on the top of a ladder when I'm gone. That has little to do with the baby and everything to do with you. Stop being overly brave. I want you in my life for the rest of it.” He leaned over and pressed his cheek to her tummy, hovering above her as he watched her closely. “I love you too much to think about what could have happened.”

  “I love you, too.” She reached down and brushed her fingers through his dark hair. “So much.”

  “Good, then protect what's most important to me.” He stood back up and got into the bed beside her, crawling in and tugging the covers over his legs as he kicked his shoes off.

  She moved over carefully and made room for him as he turned on his side and snuggled up against her. If there was a way to get him to take off his shirt so she could feel his silky skin against hers, she was working on figuring it out. First his shirt, then his jeans.

  “You promise?” he urged.

  “I will. I'm sorry.” She turned her face toward his and leaned into the kiss he offered her. The softness of his lips stole her breath. He urged her to open up and let him in, and she would deny him nothing. Not ever.

  Her groan was soft and needy as his tongue pressed deep into her mouth. He slid his fingers into her hair, cupping her head softly as he made love to her mouth. He pulled back from the kiss, but only slightly, leaving his lips brushing hers as he spoke. “I want you so damn bad. Get well quickly so I can strip you and not be worried about hurting you in our bed.” He licked at her lips, his blue eyes searching her face.

  “Damn, you’re such a tease. I was just trying to figure out how to get you out of your clothes. I thought about you all day while you guys were golfing.” She lifted her hand to up his cheek, brushing her thumb over his five o'clock shadow.

  “Stripping me down in your head?” A sexy laughed escaped his lips. “I don't have to play golf on Sundays, you know. You're the one who forced me into doing that.” He chuckled and kissed her again before settling down beside her and pressing his lips to the side of her head. “I'd rather be with you. Mark's a sore loser.”