Page 30 of The Billionaire's Secret Kiss

His kiss goodbye was perfunctory and distracted. I tried not to take it as a sign of things to come, but it was hard.

My heart ached, and my head butted in, always eager to say,I told you so.

Chapter Nine

Ella

Dealing with a not quite one-year-old baby is a great way to get your mind off your troubles. Rosie was adorable, with sleek black hair and a rosebud mouth. She was also sweet and cuddly, and an evil little demon when she wanted to be.

As I tried to coax her into opening her mouth for a spoonful of mashed peas, I reflected that nothing turned my angelic little charge into a devil faster than vegetables. She was eyeing the jar of peaches at my elbow, her chubby little arm reaching out. I knew what she was saying.

I don't want these peas, but if you open those peaches, I'll eat every bite, promise.

Scout, Maggie’s little boxer/corgi mix, paced back and forth beneath Rosie’s high-chair, hoping Rosie would toss him a snack. He’d prefer a cracker, but he’d take a piece of banana. Rosie adored Scout and would happily feed him from her tray the second my back was turned. When she moved up to real food, Scout was going to gain fifty pounds.

Rosie babbled, “Lala. Lala,” pointing at the peaches with a plaintive expression. I love the way she said my name, Lala, but I wasn’t budging on the peas.

Most meals, Rosie switched between soft baby food and chomping on solids. I wasn't surprised when she turned her attention to the sliced banana I'd set out in case she wasn't in the mood for peaches. She'd eat fruit for me all day, but the second I showed her anything green, those rosebud lips slammed shut.

I made another approach with the spoon, making choo-choo noises as I aimed for her mouth. A chubby arm came up, batting the spoon out of the way. Used to Rosie's antics, I evaded her, saving myself from a face full of mashed peas.

"Is she giving you trouble?" Maggie asked as she walked in, shrugging out of her jacket and setting her purse on the kitchen island.

"Who, Rosie?" I asked, winking at Maggie. "Never. You know how much she loves her veggies."

Maggie made a sound in the back of her throat that was somewhere between a snort and a laugh. "Check this out," she said, pulling her phone from her purse and flicking through images on the screen. She turned it to show me Vance, scowling, his blonde hair pulled back, his handsome face speckled with orange.

"When did that happen?" I asked. Vance knew his daughter well, and he was usually fast enough to avoid her tricks. Maggie laughed, smiling affectionately at the image of her husband bathed in mashed vegetables.

"Last night. She was hungry, and he decided he should encourage her to eat carrots. I don't know why. He hates carrots. I did get her to eat some green beans, but he got it in his mind that she just needed to try the carrots again."

"I guess she showed him," I said.

Rosie reached out a chubby fist toward the bananas and said, "Na-na! Na-na!"

"Little dictator," I said with a laugh as I got an idea. I picked up a circle of sliced banana, dipped it in the peas, and held it out. Rosie gave me a suspicious look but obediently opened her mouth. She accepted the banana and began to chew.

"Will you look at that?" Maggie said in wonder.

We both smiled at Rosie, smug smiles of adult satisfaction at bending a child to our will. Our smiles faded as Rosie began to scowl. She swallowed the banana/pea combination I'd coaxed her to eat, but when I offered her another, she pressed her lips together and glared at me.

Maggie shrugged. "It was a good idea," she said.

"Is everything set for Vance's show?" I asked. "Did you get lunch?"

Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes. "If she didn't do such a good job, it would be impossible to tolerate that woman."

I knew exactly who she was talking about. Sloan Stevens managed all of Vance's shows, and while she was excellent at selling art, she was a raging bitch, and she hated Maggie.

Sloan had put the moves on Vance more than once, and she'd never forgiven Maggie for not only stealing his heart but taking his name.

Vance’s voice cut in, coming from the office down the hall. I couldn't make out each individual word, but he sounded pissed off. Maggie shot a concerned glance in his direction. "I'm going to make us some lunch," she said. "Do you want anything?"

I shook my head. I hadn't been hungry all day. The way Noah and I parted had left me with a sick feeling in my stomach that I couldn't shake.

It got worse when we clearly heard Vance say, "This does not look good, Endicott. You realize that, right? We’re in the middle of a negotiation. This is not the time to leave town."

Vance's voice had gradually increased in volume, and I realized why when he stepped into the doorway of the kitchen. His angry blue eyes softened when they saw Maggie, then narrowed in concern when they landed on me.