At Amazon's headquarters, Dalton Williamson stepped into the office and saw Flynn Greene completely lost in his work, totally oblivious to the time. Dalton walked over and gently reminded him, "Boss, it's quitting time. You heading back to the mansion or the townhouse?"
Hearing Dalton's voice, Flynn glanced at the clock on his computer screen. The workday was indeed over. He swiftly wrapped up his tasks and told Dalton, "I'll head to the townhouse."
After all, he'd just gotten married, and leaving Kori with Julissa at the hospital for a week without so much as checking in was already damn neglectful. If he didn't go home and act like a husband, he'd be no better than his own father—who'd checked out early, in more ways than one.
No matter why Julissa had married him, Flynn was determined to do right by her.
Dalton hesitated, then added, "But the estate called earlier. They're expecting you tonight."
"Why?" Flynn asked as he grabbed his coat and strode purposefully toward the door, Dalton scrambling to keep up.
"Not sure on the details. It was at your mother's request."
"I'll call her back," Flynn decided, dialing his mom's number once they were in the car.
His mother picked up on the first ring, her voice as calm and steady as ever. "Flynn, are you on your way home?"
"No, I haven't had a chance to swing by lately. Is something up?" Flynn asked patiently.
His mother spoke in that gentle, soothing tone of hers, like a quiet stream. "It's about your grandmother being willing to accept little Kori. Why don't you bring her home?"
Flynn's father had once been hell-bent on divorcing his mother, even if it meant cutting ties with the family to marry another woman. Despite the deep hurt he'd caused, his mother saw no point in holding grudges against someone who was no longer alive.
Now, with a three-year-old child left behind outside the family, she thought it was wrong not to take her in. After some thought, Flynn's grandmother agreed the child should be welcomed home.
Flynn fell silent, stunned his family was open to accepting Kori. But wouldn't it tear his mother apart to see her? His father hadn't treated her well when he was alive, and even in death, he'd left behind a mess for the family to untangle. Why the hell should Flynn let that happen?
The kid was innocent, sure, but as her brother, Flynn would rather take care of her himself than drag her into family drama. With those thoughts, he told his mother, "I'll look after Kori on my own, so there's no need to bring her back. Tell Grandmother she'll be raised right—as part of this family."
Sensing her son's concern for her feelings, his mother didn't push it. She went on, "Alright, if you'd rather handle it yourself, I'll respect that. Your grandmother also wanted you back to meet a young lady from the Collins family."
The whole dating thing worried her—Flynn was already thirty and still single, after all.
Flynn frowned, realizing this was about some setup. But having just gotten hitched, he said, "Mom, you don't need to stress over my love life. I'll find someone I genuinely click with. When I do, I'll bring her to meet you."
His mother sighed, a trace of helplessness in her voice. "Flynn, if you actually made that a priority, your grandmother wouldn't be riding my case all the time. Your cousins aren't seriously looking either, and as the eldest, you should set an example."
Knowing how swamped he was running the corporation and now caring for his father's child, his mother didn't press further. "Alright, if you're not coming, I'll let your grandmother know. Take care of yourself, and don't overdo it. For once, delegate something to your cousins."
"I know," Flynn replied before ending the call. Leaning back into the car seat, he felt a mix of ease and duty, mulling over his mother's advice about finding a partner. His thoughts drifted to the girl he'd just married.
He checked his phone and saw a notification for a measly thousand-dollar charge. What could she possibly buy with that?
Turning to Dalton, he asked, "Why do you think she hasn't dropped more money?"
Dalton mused, "Maybe she knows how hard it is to earn, dealing with car payments and a mortgage?"
Flynn scoffed. "What girl is that considerate these days?"
"Maybe she is," Dalton insisted. "Could be Julissa just wants a stable life with someone who treats her right."
Flynn let out a skeptical laugh. A girl that young, not even focused on her studies—she couldn't possibly be into a quiet, simple life. He stayed suspicious, convinced she was holding out for something bigger.
Tonight, he decided, he'd figure out what the hell she was really after.
Flynn got home at seven. Julissa, who'd picked up the kids after work and shopped for some clothes, was in the kitchen making dinner. Hearing the door, she peeked out, spotted Flynn in his sharp business suit—every inch the man in charge—and grinned, waving the spatula. "You're back!"
As Flynn kicked off his shoes, he saw her in that apron, and glanced at the kids playing quietly in the living room. After hanging up his coat, he made a beeline for the kitchen.
"Didn't I say leave the chores to me?" Flynn said, taking the spatula from her hands. "Take off the apron and help the kids with their homework. I'll cook."
Julissa hesitated. "I wanted to make dinner for you. The kids are behaving great, no trouble at all. See how quiet they are?"
"No," Flynn insisted, stepping behind her to untie her apron and fasten it around his own waist. "Go on."
Left with no choice, Julissa left the kitchen but lingered in the doorway, teasing, "Why won't you let me cook? Scared it'll taste like crap or I'll burn the place down?"
Flynn, sleeves rolled up, had already started prepping the meal. Without looking back, he answered, "A man doesn't marry a wife just to cook and clean. Your job is to take care of those two little ones—don't worry about anything else."
