Unlocking my Boss’s Heart (Romance in Sweet Comedy #4)

22. Anton

Chapter twenty-two

Anton

C elia walked past me, turning, keeping her gaze straight as if I didn’t exist, and went to her desk. I wanted to punch something. If Reeva hadn’t been a woman, she might have made a good target for my frustrations. I couldn’t believe she’d gone so far as to threaten Celia. But I was also equally angry that Celia hadn’t told me about it and had tried to just take it like some kind of Joan of Arc.

As always, after talks with Celia lately, my work was less productive than I would have liked. My fingers drummed on my desk as I contemplated what needed to be done to get my life back on track. It had been torturous not being able to call Celia into my office for our regular chats. I hadn’t realized how much I’d come to depend on her, but now, the days dragged on without a bright spot to look forward to.

With a growl, I picked up the phone and dialed Johan.

“Hello,” he answered cheerfully.

His joviality irked me. “Johan, it’s me,” I said flatly.

“Ahh, my big brother. What can I do for you today?” he asked in a customer service tone.

His casual tone only worsened my mood, making me clench my fist around the phone. “Ha-ha, very funny. I have the paternity test scheduled tomorrow.”

He whistled. “Well, I’m glad. Now, the wait might kill you.”

“How do you know all these things? Did you have to do one and never told me?”

“Nope. Never. Want me with you when you drop the bomb on Reeva?”

The thought of confronting Reeva made my stomach churn. “This is not a comedy show, Johan,” I said irritably.

“I’m sorry. I’m all ears,” he said seriously now.

I exhaled deeply, pushing down the anticipatory anxiety that had been growing since I made the appointment. “I’m taking this through the courts. There’s no way I can reason with her on my own.”

“It’s wise. Keep her at a distance and limit the drama,” my brother responded.

A moment of silence passed.

“What else is eating you, bro?”

“It’s Celia.” I could handle the paternity test on my own, what was really on my mind was Celia.

“Ahh, yes. How is working together?”

A pang of regret hit me as I remembered our cold interactions. “It’s about as fun as running a fork through your eye,” I admitted.

“That bad? Is she giving you attitude?”

“No, not at all. She’s an exemplary attorney, and that’s what’s so maddening about it!” I was yelling into the phone now and took a breath to calm myself down. “It’s Mr. Waltons this and Mr. Waltons that. Like we never shared anything special at all.”

Johan’s guffaw irritated me.

“What’s so funny?” I snapped.

“ You . You’re such a dummy, and you can’t see it. Anton, you’re so in love with her.”

“I care about her, Johan,” I denied right away.

We had only known each other for…wow, over three months. It felt like she’d walked into my office for the interview way longer than that. So much has happened since.

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Look, I know you have this whole thing against marriage and all, but I think Celia is your gal. And if you let her go, I’ll be the first to tell you you’re being an ass. Figure out your mess.”

He hung up without saying another word.

I set the receiver down, staring at the phone for a second. Only my brothers would call me out like that. But wasn’t he right to pressure me into getting back to normal?

The faster the paternity test result came in, the sooner I could figure out what to tell Celia. If I ended up being a father, I would ask her to be my girlfriend while telling her what was ahead. Just when we started dating…. I exhaled loudly.

The child wouldn’t need me on my days off until they were of a certain age, right?

The best-case scenario was that the paternity test was negative. A little relief washed over me at that thought, but I pushed it away. I was still very skeptical of the idea that Reeva had shown me a fake paternity test.

Celia, my heartthrob, was being noble, stepping aside so I would have no choice but to focus on the baby. I would do everything the child required of me, but I would never get back with Reeva. On the other hand, Celia would be an excellent stepmother….

What a thought!

I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming after what had just gone through my mind. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I had been so focused on the chaos Reeva brought into my life that I hadn’t seen what was right in front of me. Celia wasn’t just an exceptional attorney or a reliable colleague—she was the one I could see by my side, not just in this mess, but in everything that came after.

The truth hit me like a freight train: I was falling for her, and maybe, just maybe, I already had.