Page 70 of Help Wanted

“Hi, Kenley.”

“Zane.” She managed to say his name, though she didn’t look up from the baby.

While he knew his niece was adorable and could captivate anyone’s attention, it was pretty obvious Kenley was uncomfortable.

She still did a great job at work, but she’d yet to speak, text or email him about anything other than business. He didn’t know what to do. Or if he should do anything. Wasn’t this what he’d been hoping for? That they could go back to what they’d had before without the tension? Except there was still a lot of tension.

He’d suggested they talk about what had happened, but she’d resisted. And he’d backed off, but maybe things still needed to be addressed.

He told himself every day this was for the best. It was bound to come to the same end. Eventually he would have done something to mess it up.

“Sorry. I didn’t know I needed to make an appointment,” Zane joked. Again, Kenley didn’t look up.

“I should get going.” Kenley moved to get up and Zane stopped her.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to leave on my account. I’m the uncle. I get to hold her anytime I want.”

She passed a now sleeping Paige over to Sidney, who glared at him, but spoke to Kenley.

“You don’t have to go. If you want, I can kick this big doofus out of my house so we can visit longer.”

“I just remembered I need to go pick up a few things for my trip on Monday.”

“Trip?” he asked.

“You told me to set up the office in Ohio. Is that not what you want?”

It was, but he had planned to stay in the office all next week so he could try to work things out with her. If he changed his plans now it would be too obvious.

“That’s fine. I didn’t realize.”

“I put a note on your desk.” A note he wouldn’t have seen because he’d been away. He let out a sigh.

“Okay. Good. Thanks.”

“I’ll stop in when I get back next week,” she promised Sidney, who put the baby back in the crib and walked her out.

He watched Paige breathing while listening to the murmurs downstairs. He couldn’t make out the words, but it didn’t matter. They were most likely complaining about him. After the sound of the door opening and closing, Zane braced for battle.

“Tell me this is not still about your stupidity at the hospital,” Sidney snapped when she walked back into the nursery.

Zane put his index finger to his lips and pointed into the crib in an effort to silence the woman, but it didn’t work.

“Paige is used to it. She had a front-row seat for the last nine months.”

He let out a breath and shrugged.

“We decided it would be better if we kept things professional.”

Sid tilted her head to the side as if to contemplate his position.

“Good luck with that.”