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Chapter 1
“You’re abnormally grouchy today, Doctor Armstrong,” Bailey commented as she waddled into Tim’s office.
Timothy Armstrong looked up as Bailey del Campo, his favorite person in the whole world, and business partner, waddled into his office. Carefully, she lowered her very pregnant body down into one of the chairs in front of his desk. When she accomplished the feat, Bailey then sighed with relief, resting both of her hands over her very pregnant belly.
The third member of their business trio, Matteo del Campo, strolled in right behind Bailey, chuckling at her awkward movements, but Tim could see the pride in the man’s eyes. Matteo and Bailey had gone through a lot to get to this point and he was happy for them. But every once in a while, like during moments like this when Tim had to watch their happiness, it was hard to observe.
"And you are both nauseatingly happy," he grumped, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back in his leather chair, his furrowed brow betraying his irritation. He glanced away, wishing he was somewhere else, anywhere but here, trapped in this moment of happiness even though these two were his best friends.
Bailey merely laughed as she rubbed her belly again, obviously soothing the babe that was nearly ready to join the world. Tim watched Matteo as the traitor guarded his wife. Bailey and Matteo had been best friends since…forever. But after discovering that they each had developed stronger feelings than mere friendship, the two were now married and so irritatingly happy, Tim felt like a third wheel.
He sighed and dropped his arms, shifting some papers on his desk until he found what he was looking for. “If you’re here to talk about the new formula, I’ve already sent you the details on the final product. The team is going to start testing next week.”
Matteo finally sat down, scooting the second chair an inch closer to his wife as he got settled.
Tim mentally patted himself on his back then effectively hid his eye roll. The two lovebirds were really irritating.
“We’re not here to discuss the formula,” Bailey interrupted. “We know that your new formula is going to be a massive success.”
Tim looked up from his papers, scowling at the two of them. “Good. So, we’re done here?” he snapped, leaning forward, reaching for his computer. He had an idea for another product. This one for carpeting. If he could figure out how to keep the carpets from staining better than the current products… and without melting the synthetic fibers…that could be yet another coup for their corporation.
“We’re not done,” Matteo replied, his voice smooth while his accent revealed his Spanish ancestry. “Bailey and I are here to give you a gift.”
Tim blinked, staring at them through the lenses of his glasses. With an irritated huff, he pushed his glasses higher onto his nose. “With the release of the fuel additive years ago, all three of us are ridiculously wealthy,” he replied, trying to ease his jealousy at their obvious joy in each other as he leaned back in his chair again. “What kind of gift could you give me that I can’t buy for myself?”
Bailey grinned. “It isn’t something you can’t buy for yourself. It’s something you won’t buy for yourself.”
The excitement on her pretty features warned Tim that, whatever they’d gotten him, it wouldn’t be good, he thought, lowering his hands. “What’s that?”
He didn’t want to know. He really didn’t want the gift, whatever it was! He had an uneasy feeling in his gut that only intensified as he watched his two best friends share a glance with each other, then look back at him. “And can I reject your gift?”
Bailey laughed while shaking her head. “Not a chance,” she replied.
He really didn’t want to know! Pinching the bridge of his nose, Tim sighed heavily. “Okay, tell me what it is.”
“We’re gifting you a wife,” Matteo announced.
A…what? Tim slowly, carefully, lowered his hand and stared at his friend in stunned silence. Finally, he looked over at Bailey as she smoothed her hands over her pregnant belly. Both were grinning. Well, Bailey was grinning. Matteo simply looked smug.
Oh, this was not good!
Tim shook his head, immediately trying to figure out how to reject this “gift”. “No!” he told both of them firmly, even shaking his head to emphasize his point. “I don’t want a wife,” he replied, trying to keep the snarl out of his tone. A wife? What the hell?
Matteo chuckled and lifted his hand as if to say, “Hold on for a moment.” Tim didn’t want to hold on. He wanted…something. Before Tim could figure out what that “something” was, Matteo continued. “We’re actually gifting you Raven Markley’s services.”
Tim blinked at his friend, trying to process the words. But even after replaying them in his mind, minus the lilting Spanish accent that made Matteo’s words seem so much more powerful, Tim still didn’t understand their meaning.
“I’m sorry…but who is Raven Markley and what kind of services does she offer?” he asked, choking a little on the words. Possibilities flitted through his mind. Surely his best friends and business partners hadn’t hired a hooker for him.
Had they?
Bailey was still grinning, but she rested her hands on her pregnant belly and explained. “Raven Markley is the professional match maker that found Zahir a wife after that ridiculous video that his previous fiancée had posted, bragging about how she was going to marry a rich guy. You remember her, don’t you?” Bailey asked, tilting her head slightly. “I would have sworn that I’d seen you talking with her at the wedding.” She sighed and shrugged. “Anyway, Raven did such an outstanding job for Zahir that we asked her to spin her magic for you.”
Tim stared at his friends, but didn’t really “see” them. His thoughts were back in Sidrina, remembering the dark haired beauty that…!
Immediately pushing the painful memory away, Tim shook his head. “No! Absolutely not!” At the startled look in his friends’ eyes, he tried to soften his tone. “Look, it’s a nice thought,” he lied, trying to find the right words. “But I don’t want that woman to find someone for me,” Tim explained, glancing between his two friends. Irritation at the memory of the dark-haired beauty surged through him. Absently, he picked up his pen, spinning it in the air. “I’m fine exactly as I am.”
“Are you?” Bailey asked, her voice gentle now. “Are you really, Tim? Because it seems as if you’re no longer the charming leader that you used to be.” She leaned forward slightly. “Your team out there,” she continued, jerking her thumb over her shoulder towards his office door, “keep grumbling because you have been such a grouch lately.”
