Knox's Girl (Carmichael Series #1)✔️

Yes, I'm Positive

If only.

"Can you text Knox and let him know I'm spending the night? I'm not mentally prepared to tell him just yet and I know he'll be worried if I came home looking like I've been crying," I said.

"Yeah, I can do that. When are you planning on telling him?" she inquired. I thought about the question for a long minute.

"Probably after on Monday after our ten a.m. class is over. That way I can have the entire weekend to think things over and have a clear head for when I tell him the news," I murmured, my words slightly muffled as my face squashed against her extra pillow.

"Okay. I can just drop you off at his office before I go hang out with James at his apartment then if you want?" she asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good. And Kiara?" I whispered, getting her attention once again, "thank you," I said honestly before wrapping the arm that wasn't positioned under my pillow around her torso and engulfing her in a tight side-hug.

"Anytime, Pops. I love you, girl."

**

I wiped my sweaty palms over the front of my black leggings, my nerves getting the best of me on the elevator ride up to Knox's office. Naturally, it was on the last floor of the building, which gave me plenty of time to overthink everything as the elevator stopped and started again with the numerous people that got on and off. When it was finally my turn to step out, I felt my knees grow weak. Every single step towards the giant double doors across the room had my stomach sinking deeper and deeper.

Would he be happy? I know he said he wanted kids, but what if he changes his mind when it's not just hypothetical and it's actually happening?

I felt sick with the thought that Knox might not want this child. His child. No, our child.

"Poppy, darlin'! You are absolutely glowing, sweetheart! How are ya?" Molly, Knox's adorable 40-something secretary, hollered at me from behind her desk. She ignored the incoming call that rang through her headset as she awaited my answer, the action causing a genuine smile to raise the edges of my lips. It felt good after frowning with worry for so long.

"I'm good, Molly, thanks for asking. Do you know if Knox is in?" I asked quickly, scolding myself for not calling ahead and making sure he wasn't in an important meeting or something. Stupid baby brain.

Was I allowed to use that excuse already?

"You came at the perfect time! Mr. Carmichael just got out of his morning meeting. He should be in his office. Good to see you again, honey!" she sweetly replied before finally answering her ringing phone. I gave her a small wave in goodbye before starting towards Knox's office.

As if things couldn't get any worse, I'd managed to capture the attention of every idle-bodied person within hearing range. I wasn't entirely sure why this was the reaction I'd elicited every time I came by, but I had a theory Kiara and I had discussed previously. I assumed it was because while in the office, Knox was - to be frank - a hard-working asshole of a boss. He was strict and unforgiving when it came to managing high-standards, but that's what made him so successful. Well, that and the fact that he had a creative eye different from anything anyone had seen in a very long time.

I shook off the feeling of being watched as I closed the gap between me and Knox's office doors. I knocked quickly before slipping inside, though we still weren't offered any privacy here either; he'd decided to completely renovate his space to make all four walls glass. I could understand his reasoning behind doing so - he said he wanted his employees to have peace of mind that the boss was always working at one hundred and ten percent at all times to keep them motivated to work hard as well - but that didn't mean it didn't frustrate me at a time like this.