Always My Baby

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China hit a button and a large, wall-mounted mirror transformed into a television screen. She sat her tablet upright on the table and ran her hands over the keys. The dancing cats that had been jumping around the screen of the tablet suddenly appeared on the television screen and laughter broke out in the room.

“You choose dancing cats as your screensaver? I thought you didn’t like cats,” Brice said.

“She loves them—she’s just allergic to most of them,” Alexander explained, giving China a small wink.

“Enough. China...” Victoria rolled her hand, instructing China to proceed. It was like she was a queen waving to her subjects.

“Sorry about that.” China hit a couple more keys and a presentation appeared on the screen. “Let’s go through the filing.” China picked up a laser pointer. “I’d like to highlight a few things for everyone.”

Alexander sat back in his chair and watched China brief the family on her current findings, the initial game plan and a strict time schedule for when the official responses to the EPA claims were due, important information that he couldn’t seem to concentrate on. All he could think about was the slight sway of her hips as she walked around the room, gesturing toward the screen. The cute way her brow furrowed when she explained key details that she found troubling or confusing and the sexy way her lips curved up when she laughed. Alexander had always loved China’s laugh. He thought about the first time he’d heard it.

* * *

Alexander stood in line at his favorite soul-food restaurant down the street from his law school. He was reading through his emails when he heard hysterical laughter that ended with a snort. He looked around to find that it was coming from a pretty young woman without a bit of makeup on her face, wearing a white Harvard Law T-shirt, jean shorts and tennis shoes, and with her hair pulled up in a high, messy ponytail. She was holding two large books from the law library. Alexander recognized the big red sticker that ran across their spines.

“Those aren’t supposed to be removed from the library,” he said, smiling down at the gorgeous woman.

“Excuse me?” China stopped in her tracks, placing her free hand on her hip.

“Those books.” He pointed with his index finger. “They aren’t supposed to be checked out of the law library. So either you stole them, or someone made an exception for you.”

“I don’t see how either is your business,” she snapped back.

“Spunky, I like that.” Alexander smirked.

China rolled her eyes. “Good for you,” she said, turning her back on him.

“I guess I’ll just have to report you...China Edwards,” he said, having read the student ID clipped to her belt.

China quickly turned back to face him. “If you must know, they made an exception for me.”

“I get that. People make exceptions for me all the time,” he said, laughing.

“I won’t,” she declared confidently.

* * *

“No, and you still haven’t,” he murmured, breaking away from the past.

“What was that, son?” Victoria asked.

“Excuse me?” he replied, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Alexander’s brothers laughed until Victoria rose slowly from her seat, her face expressionless. She walked around the table to where her firstborn sat. “Are we boring you, son? Is your mind elsewhere, perhaps?” she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Alexander sighed. “Of course not, Mother,” he replied, annoyed—not at the idea of being caught daydreaming, but at the thought that he couldn’t multitask, a fact China certainly knew firsthand. Alexander’s eyes cut to China and the corner of her mouth rose. It was as if she could read his mind.

China came and stood next to Victoria. “Everyone has their assignments, Victoria, and as long as we all stay focused—” she patted Victoria on the shoulder “—we’ll be fine.”

Alexander knew China was correct. Right now the business would be everyone’s priority. He would lead the day-to-day operations of their organization, while China continued to ensure that they were doing so ethically and legally.

“I’m sure we will, my dear. Now, I have an appointment to get to. I’ll leave you to your respective jobs.” Victoria gathered her things and headed for the door.

“I’ll walk out with you,” China said, picking up her tablet. “I have a great deal to do myself.”

“Well, that was a total waste of time,” Morgan proclaimed, getting to his feet.

“What are you talking about?” Brice questioned Morgan with a deep frown on his face.

“We’re no closer to finding the bastard that got all this mess started.”

“It’s only been a couple of days. We still have a lot to do,” Brice reminded his brother.

“Yeah, and Mother needs to let us do it. All these update meetings that Mom likes make me crazy,” Morgan said.

“I agree,” Alexander supported his brother.

Brice’s brows drew together. “Why are you two acting like this is a new thing for her? Do you remember how she was when we were kids?”

“Yeah, we couldn’t play Uno without her making sure we understood the rules of the game,” Alexander reminded them, the corner of his mouth turning up.

“By the time we were done discussing all the rules, I didn’t want to play anymore,” Morgan confessed.

The three brothers laughed.

“I’m heading out to the rigs. Call me if you need me.” Morgan walked out of the room after giving both his brothers the peace sign.

“So...” Brice said, nodding his head.

Alexander’s phone beeped. He removed it from his pocket and read the screen. “So...what?” he asked, not looking up from his phone.

“I see you’ve done absolutely nothing about China since we last spoke.”

Alexander checked his watch. “You mean within the last few hours...no,” he said sarcastically.

“Well, you’re right about one thing. China is definitely acting like things are business as usual between you two.”

“I know, but I have a plan.” Alexander smirked.

Brice clapped his left hand on the table and laughed. “This I have to hear.”

Alexander’s phone beeped again and he read the message. “Sorry, little brother, I got to go. Duty calls,” he said, walking out of the conference room. You may not know it yet, but, China, you’re number one on my to-do list. I might not know what comes next, but I’m certainly willing to find out.

* * *

China walked past her assistant’s empty desk and into her office, where she placed her tablet on her glass-topped wooden desk before flopping down into her large white-leather wingback chair. She had barely kept it together when Alexander’s hand grazed hers. China couldn’t understand how such a benign act could have such an effect on her; she’d had difficulty breathing, her heart flipped and her head started spinning. She was just thankful she got through her presentation without making a complete fool of herself.

China had been trying to convince herself that her night with Alexander hadn’t affected her beyond the physical, that their relationship was still on solid footing. Too bad her heart and body didn’t get that memo. “Okay, China, you’re being ridiculous, running away from Alexander like that. You work together and he’s your best friend. He may not be the best person to have a romantic relationship with, or share a child with, for that matter, but he is the closest thing you have to family. You have got to pull it together,” she said out loud.