Secret Date

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Natalie Parker undressed, folded her clothes on the table, and tied the horrible, paper-thin hospital gown loosely behind her back. Once a year, she faced this task because cancer ran in her family and she’d rather know early if she needed to fight that battle.

She settled back on the flat hospital bed and waited for her doctor to come in.

Was that her boss’s deep voice? Natalie sat up and her pulse raced as she stared with apprehension at the closed door. She glanced at her pocketbook, where she’d stuffed her office wig. Voices argued in the hall and every so often she swore she heard Galen Morgan’s sexy baritone. Her heart thumped a warning that he might find her here, though that really made no sense.

A female doctor with dark brown hair whose name she didn’t remember from the group plan entered her room, and Natalie tried to relax. She lay down while the doctor took a seat near her bottom half, then wheeled the chair toward the medical supplies. The doctor wore a frazzled expression. “Morning.”

Natalie slipped her feet into the stirrups without being told what to do, though she tried not to think about the check-up, and pasted a smile on her face. “The office is super noisy today.”

The doctor tugged her plastic gloves on as she rolled her eyes. “You have no idea how crazy it is out there right now.” She flipped on the bright overhead light. “Now lie down so we can get you started and on your way.”

Guess even doctors’ offices get insane. Natalie closed her eyes and braced for the uncomfortable plastic pliers that were a normal part of the procedure. That masculine rumble in the hall definitely sounded like Galen, who had no reason to be here. Eyes sealed shut, she tried to continue the conversation and not think about the annual check-up or Galen Morgan. “I’m going to work after this.”

No pinching? The doctor must have used a cream because Natalie didn’t even squirm—she then patted Natalie’s ankle and said, “Done.”

Natalie opened her eyes and took her legs from the stirrups. Outside, she heard Galen Morgan mention a cigarette which sent a cold chill down her spine. He really was outside in the hall and obviously upset.

The doctor stood while Natalie sat up. “Remember, you’ll need to rest so try to keep your feet up for the rest of the day.”

Strange. That was the first time after a yearly exam she’d ever been told to rest before, but her mind raced with worry over the fact that Galen was here. What if he saw through her disguise? In order to work for him, she’d added twenty years to her appearance with a wig and makeup. Would he recognize her outside of the office? She scooted to the edge of the exam table. At least she already had her loose clothes with her. Nothing form-fitting to give her away. Her heart pounded but she tried to keep the conversation with the doctor normal. “Okay? That’s new.”

The doctor took her chart and partially opened the door to slip out. “You’re all set. You can get dressed now.”

She caught a glimpse of Galen’s profile. Natalie’s entire body froze in panic. Then the doctor closed the door and Natalie clutched the paper-thin wrap to her chest.

Seeing her sexy boss here and in some sort of argument outside the door meant he must have a girlfriend. She shook off the troublesome thought. And now she needed to quickly add makeup with the cloudy hand mirror attached to the powder to help her look aged so he wouldn’t notice anyway. Her first priority was to escape this office without being seen.

Natalie zipped up her black dress, two sizes too big, and found her gray wig and makeup kit. She smeared her purplish rose lipstick and tucked her long straight blonde hair into the wig. She couldn’t find her elastic tie. Maybe it was in her car?

Once she had her black glasses on and aged her face with caked on makeup, she kept her head down and eased out of the room, hoping that whatever was going on meant Galen would be too busy to notice her.

As she turned the corner, she almost ran right into Galen’s muscular back as he stood outside a different exam room door. His eyes widened in recognition. Drat. And why did he have a scrape on his cheek? Not that she had any right to ask. She kept her head down, “Mr. Morgan…I’m on my way to the office now.”

He caught her wrist and she glanced up at him. He immediately let her go, folded his hands in front of him and stared at her like she’d answered a prayer. A different kind of hum entered her, but she knew he’d never see the real her. Instead Mr. Broad Shoulders said, “Ms. Parker! I think you must be an angel. Can you drive Ms. Gonzales home while my brother and I deal with some paperwork?”

The Hollywood actress? That must be the cause of the craziness. Natalie peeked into the open room and saw one of Galen’s brothers with the famous actress. She pushed her glasses up higher on her nose and said, “That will make me late to the office.”

He let out a huge sigh and nodded. “We’ll consider this part of your job for the day, Ms. Parker. I’ll reimburse you for any expenses.”

“Okay.” She clutched her bags closer to her chest and stepped back. A few minutes later, the gorgeous film actress in a tight-fitting white tank dress that showed off her ample bosom and perfectly formed curves walked to the elevator with Natalie tagging behind, looking like a bag lady. Once the doors closed, Jennifer crossed her arms and stared at Natalie’s profile.

Natalie kept her head down even though her scalp beneath the wig itched.

As the metal doors opened, Jennifer shook her head in admonition. “Galen has no idea you’re wearing a wig, does he?”

Eyes averted as she left the elevator, Natalie said, “Umm.”

Jennifer stayed at her side as they walked out of the medical building and into the bright sun, which made her head itch even worse. “You don’t have to answer, but honestly, that makeup you’re wearing to look older isn’t well done at all.”

Great. It had worked for the past year. Besides, she wasn’t trying to win an Oscar in a movie. The makeup and wig were to keep her job. Natalie dug into her bag and fished out her Hyundai Sonata car keys, hitting the button to unlock. The lights flickered. Her hand shook slightly as she reached for her door. “Miss Gonzales.” Would she tell Galen about the disguise and ruin her life?

“Jennifer,” the actress said and slipped into the passenger seat.

The gentle sway of the palm trees portrayed a calm and peaceful summer day, but her stomach tightened into a knot. She started the car and removed her fake black glasses to clean off the steam. “We don’t know each other or anything, but I would appreciate it if you don’t tell Mr. Morgan about my disguise.”

Jennifer straightened her shoulders and studied her profile. “Look, I can help you get Galen to notice you and you won’t have to dress up like,” she considered, “like a homeless woman with no fashion sense.”

Natalie jammed her glasses back on. Today was the strangest Monday ever. She put the car in reverse and pulled out of her spot. “That’s a horrible idea.”

“Is it? I saw how you looked at him. That desire in your eyes can’t be hidden.” Jennifer buckled her seat belt.

Heat rushed to Natalie’s face. She turned the car toward the road, her cheeks burning. “I don’t know what you saw. He’s my boss. Nothing more.”

Jennifer laughed but switched her attention to the road. “But you like him which makes the wig you’re wearing confusing.”

Her head itched beneath the scratchy wig. Natalie took it off as it was clear she wasn’t fooling Jennifer anyhow and tossed it on the backseat. “Mr. Morgan doesn’t hire pretty young women in the office. I wanted to work there so I borrowed my neighbor’s wig. Now, why were you at the gynecologist with two different Morgans at your heels?”

Jennifer handed her a card with her address on it. Natalie glanced at it and realized this was on her way to work. She’d see Galen soon and hear his side of the story on why he was at the gynecological office.

Jennifer then sighed and asked, “Honestly?”

“That would be welcome.” Natalie slipped the card into the empty cup holder to her right.

Jennifer leaned back in the passenger seat. “Peter and I dated for a long time. Then we broke up and he married another woman. I still miss him and want him back.”

The sing-song of her voice caught Natalie by surprise. She wasn’t prepared to feel bad, but Jennifer sounded so sad. Natalie fixed her glasses and repeated what she’d heard. “By all accounts he’s happily married now.”

Jennifer nodded and wiped tears from her eyes. “I know. It hurts me every time I hear that.”

With all the commotion in the hallway, Natalie hadn’t heard crying or anything about heartbreak. The words shouted were about sperm and property and babies. Natalie kept her voice low and asked, “That doesn’t explain the visit?”

Jennifer kept her gaze out the window. “I wanted to have Peter’s baby. They have his sperm, ready for injection and I almost talked them into getting it ready for me. But Galen told his brother and ruined my shot.”

Her ears buzzed. There was something missing from the story, which sounded illegal. But this also meant Galen had no girlfriend and wasn’t dating Jennifer. Natalie’s shoulders relaxed. “So, Peter didn’t know you wanted to have his child?”

Jennifer swallowed and stilled in her seat, looking ahead and not at her. “No, but it was my chance to always have a part of him even if he doesn’t want me back. I just want to be happy and a piece of him is better than nothing, where I am right now.”

The Morgans were the richest family out there. Natalie’s brain buzzed as she drove onto the highway. “That’s either really sad or really conniving if you intended to go after him for his money.”

A small snicker came out of Jennifer that sounded sad instead of sarcastic as she looked up at the sun. “I had an offer to have his father’s child and make a lot of money, but I chose not to. I’m not only after money despite what you might think. I was in love and clearly he didn’t love me back in the same way I felt.”

Natalie had no idea what she’d do if she lost the man she loved to another. Sure, a college boyfriend, Rocco, had cheated on her, but she wasn’t left clingy or holding onto the past. She reached out and brushed the other woman’s shoulder. “Then I feel sorry for you.”

Natalie took the next exit and headed toward the beach. They drove over the bridge that led to the small island chains that had the best views of the city. Neither said a word as they passed the exit for Star Island, home of famous multi-million dollar movie stars, basketball players, famous singers, and the Morgans.

Jennifer flipped in her seat and her brown hair settled perfectly behind her head. Only a movie star would be that seamless with the action. “I meant what I said about helping you get Galen for yourself so that you can stop wearing that unflattering wig.”

They turned onto a nice island for millionaires and Jennifer’s building. Natalie stopped the car in front and shook her head. “No thanks. While Galen is hot to look at in the office and creates a nice fantasy in my mind, I want to find a man who is attracted to me without using tricks.”

Jennifer shrugged and unlocked her seatbelt. “I was like that once but then I lost, bad. I also learned that my looks get me pretty far. If you change your mind, let me know. My number is on my card.”

Natalie looked down. Jennifer wasn’t what she’d expected at all. She waved as the starlet climbed out. “It was nice to meet you, Ms. Gonzales.”

“Jennifer.”

She waited until Jennifer was inside the building and then checked to make sure traffic was clear before she pulled back out on the street and headed to work.

The silence in the car was palpable. So what if she had a slight crush on her attractive boss? He’d never notice her, ever. He thought she was at least twenty years older than she was. Once she parked in the employee lot, near the back, she stayed in her car, fixed her wig and makeup with the mirror and band to keep her hair from falling in her face, and then “waddled” into the office.

No one looked twice at her as she made her way to her desk, visible behind a glass wall and glass door. Everyone walking the hall could see her but usually nobody bothered. As she waited for her computer to boot up, she slipped on her ugly shoes and threw on her oversized sweater. Now she was ready to get to work.

Across the hall, Galen’s office door opened and he headed toward her. Her heart thumped, but she jumped in her seat, hoping to seem busy. She turned her chair to face the computer and logged in.

Galen’s hands clutched the side of her desk. “There you are, Ms. Parker. We have a problem. Please come into my office.”

Her skin buzzed and her mind raced. This couldn’t be good. She kept her head down. Had Jennifer called Galen to tell him the truth? “I dropped Ms. Gonzales off at her home and came right to work, as requested.”

Galen said nothing as he strode back to his office. She picked up a pencil and paper and followed him. She swallowed and tried to tell her shaking hands that this was about work and not the clinic. He then sat on the edge of his desk instead of behind while she took the seat near the door. He hopped up and closed the door, before returning to his desk. He didn’t quite look at her as he asked, “Are you married or engaged, Ms. Parker?”

What? She fixed her glasses and sat straight. Had Galen discovered that she’d lied on her application about her age? He hadn’t noticed her all year and she did excellent work. Her evaluation said so. She hugged the paper to her chest and glanced up at him. “No, but as my boss you really don’t have the right to ask those questions.”

He smacked one hand to the other which was his habit in all negotiations. “Believe me,” he nodded. “I know. I like work to be professional, but it seems the clinic made a huge mistake.”

The clinic? This wasn’t about work? Had he seen her blonde hair under the wig? Her body buzzed with trepidation. “What mistake is that?”

Galen covered his strong chin and his eyes were wide as he finally looked right at her. She stared at him and couldn’t look away, especially when his cheeks held a faint blush. At the last second, he dropped his gaze and lowered his voice. “You were inseminated with my brother’s semen.”

The buzz in her veins turned to a jolt of electricity. Her mind scrambled as his words reverberated down her body. Her lips tightened. “No, I went for my yearly check-up.”

He shook his head, his expression pained. “The nurses mixed up the files with all the confusion this morning. My brother is already talking to his lawyers and his wife.”

A baby? The word caused her to jerk in her seat. She crumpled the pad of paper. “You’re joking. I’m not ready to be a mom.”

Galen stared at her hard and seemed like he wanted to bite his lip. But then his gaze changed and she felt awareness grow. He jumped off his desk and knelt in front of her. Alarm rushed inside her. “There is almost no chance considering your age, but… is your hair blonde?”

No, no, no. Her pulse almost skyrocketed to the moon in one shot. She glanced at the door and hopped up hoping to escape. “Oh goodness. Look, I’ll let you know when my period comes, but I should get back to work.”

Galen gently grabbed her wrist until she turned and looked at him again. “Ms. Parker, you’re not forty-six, are you?”

The lie was done. Her gamble over. She turned, then reached up and pulled her gray curly wig off showing her blonde ponytail. She took off her glasses and for the first time met his gaze without a disguise. “No, you’re right. I’m twenty-eight.”

His face went white as he stared at her harder than he ever had. Her own skin buzzed, but she stayed still. Then he reached behind him and picked up a box of tissues, handing them to her. “Let me see you without the makeup.”

Desire shouldn’t course through her veins at unveiling before him. This was nothing like her fantasy as she couldn’t stop her hands from trembling. She wiped off her lipstick that was purposefully smeared to hide her natural lip shape and wiped dark makeup from her eyes. She probably looked a disaster without her makeup remover, but once she was done and couldn’t see any more color on the white cloths she took a deep breath and lifted her chin. “This is the real me though I’d look better if I washed my face.”

He didn’t say anything.

If she stayed, she’d melt into the floor and dissipate. She pointed toward the office door. “So, I’m going back to my desk now.”

Without another word, she fled his office. Pretty women never lasted in this job and now her days were numbered. What Galen had just said about this morning and a horrible mix-up didn’t matter half as much as staying employed. How in the world was she going to pay for her mother’s cancer bills if she lost her job? This mattered more than any hypothetical baby.