Holden’s first activity at his new job was to meet the owner of the company. Skyler was with him when he entered the room and he was surprised by the man, as somehow, he thought the man would be a great deal older, but he looked to be Skyler’s age. Not only that, but he was a good-looking man with a body that said he worked out regularly.

Holden wondered if Herb had hired Skyler because he was interested in her, because if he did, he didn’t have a chance keeping Skyler as this man was worth millions. Then again, if there were anything going on between the two of them, wouldn’t Skyler have mentioned it before they were married?

“Herb, this is Holden Dawson.”

Herb stood up from his desk and came to meet Holden. “Mr. Dawson, welcome to our company, I’m quite overwhelmed that you have accepted the job to work for us.”

“I thank you for the job, as well as hiring some of my previous coworkers.”

Herb reached over and touched Skyler’s hand. “You have Skyler to thank for that happening.”

Holden’s heart sunk, as this wasn’t a good sign. “She told me a great deal about the work I’ll be doing, and I can’t wait to start working your next creation.”

“Once again, that’s all Skyler’s doing,” he said, touching Skyler’s hand once more.

“Alyssa was thrilled when I offered her the HR position,” Holden uttered.

“Yes, she told me so when I met her. I must say that I’m very impressed with her. Not only has she already hired the other five chemist we needed, but she’s better looking than Scott,” Herb told them in a joking voice.

Holden didn’t know what to think of the man’s comment. Was he interested in Skyler or not? “Alyssa is young, but very experienced in her line of work.”

“Excuse me gentleman,” Skyler interrupted. “Since the new employees will be working on my new formula, I’m going to go introduce myself to them and see how they are settling in.” Skyler left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Herb waited until Skyler had closed the door before speaking again. “So, I don’t step on any toes, are you and Alyssa involved?” His eyes were pinned to Holden’s as he waited for his reply.

Herb’s question brought relief to Holden’s heart to know he wasn’t interested in his wife. “No, we’re just good friends, she’s more like a sister to me.”

“I understand as I feel the same way about Skyler. I felt a bond with her since the first day we met. In fact, she maybe my sister, so we’re having our DNA tested.”

Holden was stunned by in comment, as this was news to him. “Skyler didn’t mention that to me.”

“Since we are just assuming based on the fact, we were both adopted and have the same birthdate, we aren’t telling anyone yet. Since you aren’t involved with Alyssa, you wouldn’t mind if I asked her out?” he asked, quickly bringing the conversation back to Alyssa.

Holden chuckled. “You can ask her, but don’t be surprised if she says no, as she takes her job very seriously.”

* * *

The day after Holden’s co-workers from his previous job were hired, Cindy called in sick. Since Skyler was expecting a guest, she sat down at Cindy’s desk to wait for him to show up. Wanting to keep busy while she waited, she turned on Cindy’s computer and started working on her newest project. When someone cleared their throat, Skyler looked up. “Hello, may I help you?”

“I’m Keith Baker, one of the new chemists who were hired yesterday. Today’s my first day, as I was out of town yesterday and couldn’t make it back in time to start with the others.”

“Holden told me you were at a funeral. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. I was told to see you about starting my new job.”

“I’ll call Jake who’s in charge of the lab to come get you.” Skyler made the call, and after she hung up, she turned back to him. “He will be here in a few minutes. Once he gets here, he will take you down to the lab to show you want he needs for you to start on.”

“You’re beautiful. Would you go out with me sometime?”

Skyler was shocked by his statement as they had just met. “Thank you for your lovely offer, but I’m married,” she automatically replied.

“I don’t mind,” he said with a grin as he assumed, she was teasing him, for he knew for a fact Cindy was single.

Her expression changed to one of disgust. “Well I mind and I’m sure my husband would to.”

Keith laughed at her joke. “Since he isn’t here just now, he doesn’t ever have to know.”

Just then, she saw Holden come up behind Keith. “Would you believe me if I told you that he’s standing right behind you?”

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t,” he said, continuing with the joke.

“How about if I slug my fist in your face?” said a cold voice behind Keith.

The man expecting the worst, quickly spun around to face the woman’s husband. When he came face to face to Holden, and saw it was his previous coworker standing there, he grabbed hold of Holden’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. I want to thank you personally for helping me get hired here.”

“Well if you don’t stay away from my wife, you won’t have a job much longer,” he hissed angrily. As soon as the words left his mouth, he looked over at Skyler. Seeing her bewildered look, he wondered if he had made a mistake by his comment.

Skyler was surprised by his statement, but as the words sank in, it gave her hope that maybe he wanted to stay married to her.

Keith’s face filled with puzzlement. “Alyssa told me not more than five minutes ago that Cindy was single. You’re saying you married her?” he asked his friend.

Holden laughed, but didn’t answer his question. “There has been a mistake made here, as this isn’t Cindy, but her boss, Skyler Collins.”

Keith’s face turned red as he turned back to Skyler. “I’m so sorry. When you said you were married, I naturally assumed you were just teasing me. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.” He hoped she believed him, as he didn’t want to lose this job.

Skyler tried to keep tears from appearing, as by Holden introducing her by her maiden name, she knew Holden didn’t want Keith to know the truth of their marriage. Ever since their wedding night, she had been fighting her feelings for her husband, with the hope the longer they were married, the more of a chance he would want to remain as her husband.

She knew that if she wanted to stay married to him, she needed let him know what she wanted, but of course, now wasn’t the time. That and she still hadn’t told him about the birth control pill mishap.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Now that I realize there some confusion between the two us, I think we should start over,” Skyler said. “If you come back tomorrow, I’ll be happy to introduce you to Cindy.”

* * *

Later that day, Skyler was just about to turn a corner when she happened to overhear several of her coworkers talking. She hadn’t planned to stop and eavesdrop on their conversation, but when someone mentioned Holden’s name, she had to know what was being said about him.

“Have you seen that new guy, Holden? My God he’s hot,” said Shelia, pretending to fan herself.

“If he doesn’t ask me out, I’m going to ask him,” Annie commented.

Mary Lou laughed. “You two don’t stand a chance with him.”

“Hey!” Shelia exclaimed. “That isn’t nice.”

“Don’t get your panties in a wad. Haven’t you seen how he acts when he’s with the new HR manager? There is something between them I tell you, as those two are too chummy not to be involved in some sexual way.”

When tears started forming, Skyler knew she had to get away before she started bawling, so she turned and started back the way she’d come. Once she reached her office, she closed the door and leaned against it for support. Hearing the women talk about Holden and Alyssa, she wondered once their marriage ended, if he would get involved with Alyssa.

Before she could call him to tell him she wanted to talk, she found out that there was a problem with the new perfume’s production. The next few days kept her busy, and though she saw Holden, she never got the chance to talk privately to him.

Her new perfume was a hit, and so the demand for the new scent kept production extremely busy. Herb wanting to keep their name in the news, asked Skyler to come up with a new cologne for men to go a long the woman’s version of A Rose Petal.

Skyler and the other scientist worked day and night to come up with just the right scent, but each time they came up with one, she thought it was too feminine. She didn’t discard any of them, as they could be used at a different time for another project.

Each night when Skyler finally arrived home, she quickly ate a salad, took a shower and then crawled into bed. Each night she would dream that Holden was holding her, but when she woke in the morning, she would find herself wrapped up in her sheet and alone.

So busy with work, Skyler didn’t listen to what her body was telling her. The day they finally perfected the man’s cologne, Skyler realized something was off, so she went to the doctors.

Six weeks after the pharmacist called her about the problem with the birth control pills, the unlikely dilemma came to pass. With the knowledge that she was going to have a baby, Skyler couldn’t put off telling Holden about the birth control pills catastrophe any longer.

Just before quitting time, she picked up the phone and called him. “Holden, I have a slight problem,” she said when he answered.

“What is it?” he asked absent mindedly as his attention was on the paperwork in front of him.

“I don’t want to talk about it over the phone. Could you come over to my place after dinner tonight?”

He assumed she wanted to talk about starting the annulment procedure, which was the last thing he wanted. “I’ll bring a pizza and after we eat, we’ll talk.” Hopefully, while they ate dinner, he could think of something that would change her mind about ending their marriage.

“If it’s all right with you, can you skip the pizza and just come over to the house.” There wasn’t any way she would be able to eat knowing what she had to tell Holden.

He didn’t like the sound of the sadness in her voice. “Is something wrong?”

Tears ran down Skyler’s cheeks, and hopefully, Holden couldn’t tell that she was crying. “Please, I don’t want to discuss this on the phone.”

Holden could hear by her voice that she was crying, which told him that she had awful news to tell him. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Ten minutes after five, Holden was standing on her front porch, ringing her doorbell.

“Come in,” she said as she stepped back to let him enter. She tried to smile, but her nerves were wound too tight to do it justice.

“I’m here now, so tell me your news,” he said nervously, as he assumed, she was going to end their marriage

She looked him in the eye. “There was a problem with my birth control pill and I just found out that I’m pregnant.” There, she said it, now the ball was in his court.

Before she could say anything else, without batting an eye, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. “This is wonderful,” he announced, then he gave her a quick kiss.

She was touched by his statement. “You aren’t upset?”

“We’re married, so why would I be upset?” he asked, as his hand stroked her face.

“Because there’s a possibility one of the other two men that were in my life before we met could be the father,” she said as she moved out of his arms.

Holden shook his head. “Since you’re my wife, no matter who donated the sperm, I’m going to be the child’s father.” He had to be sure she knew he was here to stay.

She wondered how she’d come to be so lucky to be married to this man. “We got married with the plan that after you got a job, the marriage would be annulled. Since you have been working for the last month and a half, that time has arrived.”

During the time they’d been working together, he’d fallen in love with his wife, so her statement shocked him, as he’d thought she had felt the same way. “You want to have our marriage dissolved?”

She looked at him expectedly. “That was the plan we decided on before we got married.” Even though she could be expecting his child, she had to let him go, as she couldn’t force him to stay with her.

He grabbed her arms and pulled her back into his embrace, as he wasn’t going to give her up without a fight. “I refuse to give you up because I’ve fallen in love with you. And since I think you feel the same way, there isn’t going to be any more talk of ending our marriage.”

“Okay,” she muttered, tears started down her cheeks, as she was thrilled by his statement. She’d fought her feelings for him since the first moment she’d seen him, and now wondered why she had even bothered.

He let go of her and looked her. “We’ll get married and start fresh.”

She smiled at him. “No, there isn’t a reason for us to get married again, as we’re already married.”

“I know, but it wasn’t much of wedding,” he told her as he watched her expression.

“Holden, it was a perfect wedding as that service made you mine. Of course, I had a short honeymoon, so maybe you could give me another wedding night in place of another wedding.”

“Your wish is my command,” he said just before he kissed her.

The kiss lasted several seconds before she gently pushed him away. “Since we’re going to stay married, I think we should move in together.”

He nodded. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to move in here with you.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t want a fancier house?”

He gave her a strange look. “I thought you loved your home.”

“I do, but Jarvis complained it wasn’t good enough.”

“Well I already know he’s an idiot, so what else is new?” he asked with a chuckle.

She snickered at his comment. “Do you want to move in here tonight?”

Instead of answering, he picked her up and carried her into the master bedroom.

* * *

The next day at the morning meeting, Holden stood and waited until the room became quiet. “I have an announcement to make.” His eyes roamed around the room. “Some of you may have already guessed that I have a thing for Skyler,” he said. When there were several chuckles, he smiled. “But what most of you are aware of, is we were married before I came here to work.”

The room was quickly filled with everyone talking at once.

“Please let me finish speaking.” He smiled over at Skyler. “In about seven and a half months, we’re going to have a baby.”

The room was then filled with everyone offering their congratulations. The couple spent the next ten minutes answering questions about their marriage, and once all the questions had been answered, the meeting was ready to start.

Keith patted Holden on the back. “I still feel bad for asking her out.”

“I realized then that I couldn’t let her go, so thank you for flirting with Skyler.”

“Something I’ll make sure I never do again.”

The two men laughed.

Herb was surprised by Holden’s statement, as he wasn’t aware the two were married, but since they were, he felt now was the best time to tell Skyler his news. When he stood, the room became quiet.

“Before we start the meeting, I need to talk to Skyler alone for a minute.”

She wrinkled up her forehead, as she couldn’t figure out why he needed to speak to her before the meeting. “Herb, is something wrong? Can’t it wait until after the meeting?”

He gave her a brilliant grin. “Nothing wrong, but we need to talk before we get started on the meeting.”

As soon as they stepped outside and closed the door, he took hold of her hand. “This isn’t the place I wanted to tell you this, but it will have to do. I just found out the results of our DNA test.” He squeezed it hard. “You are in fact my sister.”

“Really, it seems so unreal. I just can’t believe how we found each other, or I should say you found me.” What were the odds of them ever meeting since she wasn’t looking for any family?

“Do you want to tell the people in the meeting room our news or do you want me to?”

Skyler looked over his shoulder to the room behind him. “Maybe you should as I’m still in shock of finding a twin brother that I didn’t even know existed.”

“I’ll give you a second to tell Holden, and then I’ll make the announcement.”

“Okay.”

Once they reentered the room, Skyler returned to her seat. She leaned over to Holden. “Herb got the test results back and we are brother and sister.”

Holden smiled at her. “That’s wonderful.”

“Herb is going to make an announcement now regarding our relationship, but he wanted you to know first.”

Herb went to the podium. “Since we are making announcements regarding Skyler, I have one more to make.” He looked over at Skyler to be sure she had informed her husband and she nodded. “To make a long story a lot shorter, she and I have found out recently that we are twin siblings that were separated at birth.”

Again, the room was filled with people talking.

Skyler smiled as now she had a family again, as her adoptive parents had been deceased for over five years.