006 What’s Up With My Wife?

(Zach)

Sunday mornings at the Lorne estate are sacred—my one carved-out moment in a life otherwise owned by contracts, shareholders.

Sienna takes the kids, leaving Ava and I to catch up on more personal affairs for a few hours. 

And usually we fill those hours focusing on the pleasures we have to offer each other.

Sundays are not for work. My home is not for business. That is my one hard and fast rule.

Which is why I’m two seconds away from smashing my phone when I see the name on the screen. 

Michelle. My new trainee assistant. She’s been on the job for a month. 

The company policies are made very clear. The only person who can contact me is my PA Cal, and it would have to be life or death. 

I step into the hallway outside our bedroom door, lowering my voice. “This better be good.” 

She stammers immediately. “I-I’m sorry, Mr. Lorne, but the Berlin contract needs your approval—the European board’s pressing for confirmation before noon on the 18th—” 

I grind my molars. “Michelle, the eighteenth is tomorrow. Not today. If you can’t read a calendar, you shouldn’t be handling sensitive international deals.” 

There’s muffled noise in the background—crying, I think. Then a wail. 

“Where the hell are you?” 

“Um... home, sir. My daughter’s sick. I was working remotely this morning. I thought I could get ahead on—” 

I cut her off. “You’re at home, with a screaming, sick child, calling me about a deal that doesn’t need handling until tomorrow?” 

“I-I didn’t mean to upset—” 

“You did. You upset the one rule I have—no calls on Sundays. Ever.” 

“I—I’m a single mom, I’m just trying to balance everything, I didn’t think—” 

“Clearly.” I let my tone go flat and cold. “You being a single Mom is not my problem. My company doesn’t run on sympathy. You’re fired. HR will reach out.” 

Silence. Then soft sobs. I don’t hesitate. I hang up. 

I turn—and freeze. 

Ava stands in the doorway with Lila on her hip. Did she hear the entire thing? 

I mean she knows I’m ruthless at work, but I never want her to see or hear it firsthand like this. 

It upsets her, which upsets us.

Her eyes are wide, her face pale. “You just… fired her?” 

“She broke protocol.” 

“She has a sick kid, Zach.” 

“She also has a contract. And she breached it.” 

Ava’s mouth tightens. “You don’t know her story.” Then her voice drops to almost whisper… “What if one of your kids got sick?” 

“She brought personal problems into my business. I don’t do excuses,” I say, trying to soften my tone just slightly. “Look, this isn’t about her—it’s about our time together. Sunday is for us.” 

I go closer to her.

“Right,” Ava murmurs, not quite looking at me. She runs her hand over Lila’s back like she’s anchoring herself. “You act so calm and patient at home… sometimes I forget who you really are.” 

Who I really am? What the hell does that mean?

I take her hand in mine and kiss it. “Ava.” 

She flinches. Just a breath. But I feel it.

I pause, my fingers brushing her arm, warm beneath my touch. “I’m still me,” I murmur, drawing her close.

I press a kiss to her cheek, letting it linger just a beat longer than necessary. “Don’t ever forget that I’d burn the world down for you and Lila.” 

She looks up at me. 

There’s a flicker of emotion in her eyes I can’t name—mistrust, maybe. 

Or grief. 

Then she lets a rush of breath go and presses against me. 

Lila is clinging to her on the other side and I put my arms around them both.

“Is everything okay?” I ask quietly.  Nibbling on her earlobe because I know it drives her wild.

She swallows hard. “I think Lila’s teething. We had a rough night.” 

“I didn’t hear you get up.” 

“No point us both being exhausted.” 

“You’ll be exhausted later…” I nip her ear and her neck.

“Zach… I need to put Lila down.” She smiles and moves away.

I nod, I think we got through that though something about her is still off.

Still, I catch up and wrap my arm around her waist. 

She doesn’t pull away. Her body molds to mine like it always does, like it remembers we’re made for each other. 

I love her so much. It drives me crazy. 

I lower my voice. “You know I’ll fix it.” 

She blinks up at me. “Fix what?” 

I shrug. “That assistant. Cal can reverse the termination. He’ll talk to HR. I’ll tell him I overreacted.” 

“You’ll really do that?” 

“For you? Always.” 

A trace of a smile. “Thank you.”

We head toward the breakfast table together. 

I pour orange juice into her glass and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. 

I need her to see that I’m still hers. That nothing’s changed. 

There’s a ding and the front door automatically slides open. 

“Good morning, my loves!” 

Sienna, My ex and best friend, breezes in, bright as ever. My son with her, Kai, is trailing behind her with less of his usual energy. 

I smile as Kai trudges over, giving me the world’s slowest fist bump. “You okay, buddy?” 

He shrugs. “I feel sick.” 

I ruffle his hair. “Pancakes cure everything.” 

Ava pulls him into a long hug. “Kai, I hope you feel better soon.”

Then Kai sits and makes silly faces at Lila, and she giggles. 

“Is everything okay with him, Sienna?” I ask. 

“Just a cold. Maybe allergies. We have a check-up this week.” 

My phone lights up on the table. Cal Jenkins, my PA. This can wait. 

Sienna eyes it curiously. She kisses my cheek playfully. “Work drama on a Sunday? Someone’s brave.” 

I pocket the phone. “Just Cal checking in on something at my request.” 

We sit. Sienna takes her usual spot. She’s chirping about today’s plans for her and the kids—ice cream, swings. 

Ava glances at Lila. “Actually, I want to come today too.” 

Sienna blinks. “You never come with us.” 

“I changed my mind. Lila is a little off today too. Restless night. I think teething.” 

A beat passes. 

“Are you sure?” I ask. I mean this will be giving up our intimate day.

But if that’s what she wants, we can make up for it when Lila is asleep later.

She nods, stroking Lila’s curls. “I just… want to be with her today.” 

Before I can reply, Lila reaches her little hands out for a pancake. 

Sienna leans over to press a kiss to her cheek— 

But Lila turns away. 

Sienna chuckles awkwardly. “Oh, baby girl, you never say no to kisses from Si Si.” 

“She doesn’t have to,” Ava says gently. “She can say no to kisses. It’s her body. Her choice.” 

Silence. 

Sienna’s smile falters. “Of course.” 

Ava keeps her eyes on Lila. “Better she learns that now. Too many kids are taught to be polite to people who don’t deserve their trust.” 

A cold finger drags down my spine. What is going on?

This is the first time I’ve ever heard Ava speak like that to Sienna in a very long time. They’d worked their differences out when Ava got pregnant.

Not a single word is angry, but it cuts like steel. 

Kai giggles again, snapping the tension. I clear my throat.

“Alright, let’s eat. Then we’ll all go out. Family day.” 

Ava’s eyes meet mine. She nods. “I’d like that.” 

Something’s shifted in her. 

And I’m not sure what.