The warm squishy feeling persisted while I waited for Corban. I’d experienced something profound today. Was it just holding a tiny human who was so new to the world? I’d never held a newborn before. And it stood to reason that watching Corban hold baby Kate would produce certain feelings. It was normal for a woman to react positively to seeing an attractive man with a baby.
It was just typical human biology.
Wasn’t it?
30
Corban
“Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.” ~ Stephen Hawking
Patting my pants pockets—although I’d already checked there—I looked around my office for my keys. I couldn’t find them anywhere. They weren’t sitting out. I’d looked in all the drawers. Lifted the small stacks of paperwork, files, and folders off my desk. Checked underneath my keyboard and behind my monitor.
It was the end of the day, and I’d offered to bring dinner to Molly and Martin. They’d brought Kate home from the hospital yesterday, so I figured they’d appreciate a meal they didn’t have to cook themselves.
I groaned in frustration and got down on the floor, moved my chair aside, and felt with my hand. They had to be around here somewhere.
From this vantage point, I saw a pair of black men’s shoes and slacks appear in my doorway.
“Hang on.” I grabbed the edge of my desk to hoist myself up, and stood.
A man in a suit jacket, no tie, came in and shut the door. Tall and imposing with dark hair and a strong jaw, he was the type of man who took up space in a room. Before I could ask who he was or what he was doing here, he’d taken a seat on the other side of my desk.
“Can I help you?” I moved my chair back in place and sat down. I had no idea who this guy was, but he looked pissed.
“Are you Corban Nash?” His voice was cold, almost monotone.
“Yeah.”
“The Corban Nash who’s sleeping with Hazel Kiegen?”
I raised my eyebrows. What the hell was going on? “Who are you?”
“I asked you a question.”
“And I answered with a question, but I’ll elaborate. Who are you that you think Hazel’s personal life is any of your business?”
His eyes narrowed slightly. I could tell he was trying to intimidate me, so I stood my ground and held his gaze.
“Shepherd Calloway.”
Why did that name sound familiar? “How do you know Hazel?”
“None of your goddamn business.” He didn’t make any aggressive moves—he barely moved at all—but the menace in his tone was unmistakable.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because you and I need to have a little chat.”
“About?”
“I won’t tolerate anyone fucking with Hazel.”
No, really, who was this guy? She didn’t have any brothers. It couldn’t be her ex-husband, unless that situation was a hell of a lot more complicated than I’d realized.
“I’m not fucking with her.”
His expression didn’t change. “That remains to be seen. But you need to know that if you hurt her, I will come after you.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“It’s not a threat. It’s a promise. If you hurt Hazel, I’ll destroy your life. Believe me, I have the necessary resources.”
Somehow, I did believe him. But his threat didn’t scare me, it pissed me off. “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but Hazel is a grown woman—a brilliant woman—and she’s perfectly capable of making her own decisions.”
“Indeed. If she wants some kind of friends-with-benefits arrangement with you, that’s her prerogative. But I won’t tolerate you taking advantage of that. If she gets hurt, I’m blaming you. And I’ll make you pay for it.”
Friends with benefits? Had she said that? “Seriously, who the fuck are you? Does she know you’re here?”
His eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
I rolled my eyes. This asshole needed to take his low-key bravado and go back to his corner office or whatever chamber of hell he’d broken out of. “Look man, I don’t know what this is about or why you think Hazel needs someone to play scary dad on her behalf. Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m not going to hurt her.”
I’m the one in danger of getting hurt.
Shit, where had that thought come from?
“You’re right. You’re not.” He stood and adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves. “I’m glad we understand each other.”
Without another word, he walked out.
I watched him leave with a mix of bewilderment and irritation. Had that just happened? Had some guy in a suit just come into my office to threaten me if I hurt Hazel? I didn’t know who he was or how he knew her—or how he knew about us.
And friends with benefits?
That made sense, so I didn’t know why it was bothering me that he’d said that. We were friends. There were certainly benefits—benefits I enjoyed very much.
My phone buzzed with a text from Molly, pulling my attention back to reality. I needed to pick up dinner.
Before I could do that, I had to find my damn keys.
Maybe I’d left them in the lab. Although I didn’t know why I would have had them there in the first place. Still, I’d checked my office and the staff lounge. I’d even checked the refrigerator. You wouldn’t think finding your keys in the fridge would be a possibility, but once I’d put my phone in the freezer, so you never knew with me.
I checked the floor again, just to be sure—no luck—then went to the lab. Hazel was in one of the interview rooms chatting with a grad student. I waited in the doorway until he left.
“Hi.” She adjusted her glasses. “I thought you would have gone home by now.”
“I’m trying to, but I can’t find my keys.”
“How are Molly and baby Kate?”
“They’re fine. Settling in at home. I’m bringing them dinner.” I almost asked Hazel if she wanted to come, but something stopped me. “By the way, who’s Shepherd Calloway?”
Her eyebrows drew together in surprise. “Shepherd? He’s my friend Everly’s husband. Why?”
That was interesting. At least he wasn’t her ex. “He was just here.”
“Was he? That’s odd, I don’t have plans with Everly.”
“No, he was alone. At least, I didn’t see him with anyone. And he didn’t say he was looking for you.”
“Then why was he here?”
“To threaten me, apparently.”
“Are you sure it was him? That doesn’t sound like Shepherd.”
I leaned against the door frame. “Tall guy. Dark hair. Suit. Could probably watch a movie where the dog dies and his expression wouldn’t change.”
“Oh, yes, that’s Shepherd. But he threatened you?”
“Yep. Said if I hurt you, he’d destroy my life.”
Hazel’s lips parted, but she didn’t seem to know what to say.
“It’s not a big deal. If he’s your friend’s husband, I guess it makes sense in a weird way. I know you’re really close to your friends, so maybe they’re just looking out for you.”