Page 102 of Bound Hearts

Sutton stands firm, and her face turns stoic as she waits. I know exactly what is in her mind.

“Nope. Nuh-uh. You are not coming with me when I drop him off at daycare.”

“But it’s his first day,” she defends, her eyes already wistful.

Shaking my head, I play hardball. “We’ve gone over this. Let me handle it—it’s easier for everyone. You’ll get updates, and I’ll get him if it’s too long a day. That’s the plan. We’re sticking to it. Trust me, your mascara will thank me for saving you tears.”

Her mouth parts as she struggles for a deep breath, wanting to protest, but then her body relaxes a tad. “You’re right. It’s for the best.”

I take one step away from her as a test, but she almost scowls.

Olivia from HR notices and swoops between us.

"Look at you, ready to put people in their place. I shouldn’t tell you, but there’s a giant welcome-back cake on your floor. People are relying on you to show up so they can enjoy their calorie bomb. Let’s go—the elevator’s very slow today." She sets her hands on Sutton’s shoulders to steer her away.

“They’ll update us, right?” Sutton checks with me, and I nod my head. “Oh. Alright then.” I hold the car seat up, and she affectionately smiles at him and blows a kiss before Olivia shoos her along.

Olivia glances at me. “This isn’t my first rodeo.” She smiles and leads my wife away.

I grin as Easton arrives. “Olive had to play hero,” he says, watching them go.

I turn to him. “Not even 8am and she’s already getting to you?”

“In the presence of the wicked witch from the sixteenth floor, it’s always a risk.” He smiles, eyes shifting to my son. “Big day—first at daycare. I hear there’s a red carpet.”

“As there should be. I’m sure it will be fine. They’re pros.”

It’s 11:30am. Levi’s in my arms, fussy, while I hold my phone between my ear and shoulder. His first day at daycare hasn’t gone as planned.

They warned us to start with short daycare hours, but we didn’t even make it through the morning. For the past half an hour, I’ve been reshuffling my day. Sutton doesn’t know—I told daycare not to inform her. She deserves a good first day back.

I keep my call on mute because it’s a conference call with four people. Plus, who the hell wants to hear my kid in this state?

My suit-clad brother appears at my door as my call ends.

"I didn’t realize Junior would be here," he says as he steps fully into my office, glancing from Levi in my arms to my desk.

Setting my phone on my desk, I’m somewhat relieved that I can take it down a notch on the need-to-seem-put-together scale right now.

“Me neither. After his morning bottle, it all went downhill. My assistant’s rearranging things so I can go home.”

He snorts a laugh. “Sutton has no idea, does she?”

“Nope,” I say matter-of-factly.

Patrick makes himself at home and finds a spot in my sitting area, unbuttoning his jacket on his way there. “I won’t make this long. Did you think about it?” He cuts straight to the chase.

“I did.” I begin walking toward him, but then the sound and the feeling hit at once. A rancid smell wafts around my nose. “Fuck.” My son just threw up on me, and magically missed himself in the process, thanks to his bib.

My brother rolls his lips in, trying desperately not to burst out laughing.

Storming to him, I’m at the point of desperate measures, and I plop my son into his arms without warning because I need to get something to clean up with.

“Whoa, don’t give me upchuck. What if I’m the next target?” he protests yet smiles.

I’m already yanking my tie off when I notice something.

The sound of silence.