Chapter 40

Joanna

One month later

 

 

“Holy shit, girl,” Sabrina said. “Who knew that five fucking minutes would take so damn long?”

I stared down at the pregnancy stick as it sat on the edge of the sink. Five minutes felt like a lifetime even though I had a deep gut feeling. I knew it would be positive. I could feel the change that many women talked about during the first few weeks of their pregnancy. Swollen boobs. Missed period. The nausea that came and went without any rhyme or reason to it.

“It’s taking way too long,” I agreed, glancing up at Sabrina, who was pacing behind me in the employee bathroom. “Thank you for sneaking out with me to get this test. I just had to know before Bastian came back from his meeting.”

“It was a bit tricky doing it,” she said with a smile. “I had to fake period issues with Mr. Burke while I dashed out the door for the local corner store. I don’t think he’s ever been more uncomfortable with me until now.”

I held back a laugh because I could just imagine Bastian’s face at that. He treated all the female staff in his office fairly and with respect. But he didn’t want to know any personal issues. The only issues he had concerned himself with were my morning bouts of nausea that had started up over the past week. He insisted that I go to the doctor to get checked for food poisoning even though I suspected what it was.

“What if you are pregnant?” Sabrina asked. “Do you think Bastian will be okay with the news?”

“Absolutely,” I replied without a single shred of doubt. “He’ll be ecstatic. We’ve talked about having a family in the future. This wasn’t planned, granted, but I don’t think he’ll be upset at all.”

“You realize that your mother is going to shit a brick, right?”

I rolled my eyes at that. Now that I definitely didn’t have any doubts about. It had been almost too much for my mother to process what had happened to me. She didn’t want to believe it no matter what evidence was slapped in her face. It wasn’t until my father returned home to explain to her that Sid had duped them both into thinking that he was the good guy that she apologized to me for taking the wrong side. I’m still wary of Bastian though, Joanna. It’s not right sleeping with someone who is supposed to be your boss.

“Her logic doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “I tried to point out to her that there are married couples who work together just fine. She didn’t want to hear any of that, naturally.”

Sabrina’s lips thinned in exasperation. “Well, she’ll have to just accept shit sooner or later. If you’re pregnant, then she’ll really have to get over it.”

“Eventually.”

The timer on my phone went off. Sucking in a deep breath to calm my wavering nerves, I picked up the stick and then grinned down at the results. I knew it. I held it up to show Sabrina, who let out a shriek of excitement before she embraced me tightly. We both hugged and did a small dance in the bathroom.

“I’m so excited for you,” she said, beaming. “This is great news. After everything that has happened, I can’t wait to shower this baby with affection.”

Pregnant. The word washed over me pleasantly as I stared down at the smiley face that said positive.

“I have to tell Bastian,” I said. “He’s about to leave his meeting. I know he’s going to be ecstatic over this.”

I tucked the pregnancy stick into the back pocket of my pants while I followed Sabrina out of the bathroom. We both could barely contain the grins on our faces as I returned to my desk in front of Bastian’s office. I nodded to Roger, who was busy chatting away on the phone, when he lifted a hand at me in greeting.

After coming back to Burke Management, I had taken over the role of Bastian’s personal assistant. It was much easier to have me handling Bastian’s schedule since we were together every single day. I knew what his days consisted of and how he liked to keep his days balanced. Plus, I was the only one in the office who knew how to handle his moods when everything went wrong. For that part, I knew the entire office was grateful.

I waited patiently for Bastian to appear from the conference room at any second. A baby after these past few months was a blessing. Sid’s trial was set to begin soon, but luckily, the judge had allowed the option of me writing a statement instead of being there in court. That part of my life was now behind me. I wanted to cherish every single day for what I had in my life now with Bastian.

We both wanted to move forward past the shadow of Sid in the background. I had never felt freer as I watched the conference doors open. A few men trickled out to leave the office, potential contracts that were visiting Bastian’s office. His capital management office had been gaining even more steam over the past month, something that I knew greatly excited Bastian, who felt less of a need to be in the office twenty-four seven.

I spotted Bastian coming out of the conference room with Ashton right on his heels. He saw me standing in front of his office doors with a wide grin plastered on my face.

“You look happy,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. “What’s put you in such a good mood?”

“I have some exciting news for you,” I said, barely containing my excitement. “I just found out this morning.”

“Really? I have some exciting news to share, too.”

“You do?” I asked.

The smile on Bastian’s face grew as he set his briefcase on top of my desk. He cleared his throat then to gather everybody’s attention. Confusion filtered through my own excitement as I looked over at Sabrina, who looked equally confused. The only person who didn’t seemed confused was Ashton. A knowing smile spread across his face as he took a step back while everyone gathered around us.

“I wanted to announce two promotions for a particular employee here in the office,” Bastian said as he gazed over at me with twinkling eyes. “She has been with me for several years now, and I trust her more than anything in the world. I am promoting Joanna to be the vice president of Burke Management.”

A chorus of cheers and claps broke out. I stared up at Bastian in shock while his grin only grew even more. I was speechless. I had no idea what to say.

“Bastian,” I started, shaking my head at him. “I have no idea how to run this office. This is your dream, your business.”

“You’re also a part of that dream now,” he said, then grasped my hand tightly in his. “I have another promotion to announce that also involves you.”

My heart soared to the top of my throat when Bastian sank down on one knee in front of me. Gasps filled the room, followed by excited murmurs. I stared down at him in utter shock as he pulled out a small black box. He opened it slowly to reveal a glittering ring nestled inside.

“My next promotion involves a serious commitment,” he said. “A commitment to each other for the rest of our lives. Joanna, would you do me the honor of being promoted to my wife?”

“Yes,” I whispered, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Tears blinded me as Bastian slid the ring onto my finger before he swept me up into a tight embrace while everyone clapped.

Breathless from the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I stared down at the beautiful ring that glittered on my finger. It only made sense for me to tell him my own little surprise that would quickly grow within the next nine months.

“I have a surprise for you, too,” I said thickly. “It’s not as beautiful as the ring right now, but it will be the most beautiful thing in the future someday.”

Bastian’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. I pulled out the pregnancy stick to hold out for him to take. He glanced down at the stick in the palm of his hand before realization spread across his face.

“You’re pregnant?” he choked out as tears filled his eyes. “We’re going to have a baby?”

“We’re going to have a baby,” I said through my own tears.

He swept me up into his arms again. This time, he pressed his lips against mine in a passionate kiss that had a few catcalls ringing out. I pulled back to smile up at him while he reached out to rub at my stomach with a wide smile.

“To our family,” he whispered. “Nothing will ever hold us back from each other now.”

I smiled down at our hands, which rested on my stomach. “Nothing will ever hold us back.”

 

***

END OF THE FIRST STORY