The Greek’s Hired Triplets - Holly Rayner Page 0,1

were the only person on earth.

She had to remind herself that he looked at everyone that way. Aristos Deimos gave every person the attention they deserved. He lived in the moment, noticing the small things and reading everyone well. This had been the key to his success.

“I didn’t expect to see you here so soon,” he said, the smile growing.

“I came to pick up a few things.” Portia opened the top drawer in her desk and found the calendar she needed. “I’m putting together a home office.”

Aristos chuckled. “Portia, you’re not ready to take a break?”

She loved the way her name sounded when he said it, although she wasn’t sure if that was due to his Greek accent or the way he purred the syllables.

“You know me,” she squeaked. “I like to stay busy.”

His eyes narrowed the slightest bit, and she knew that he sensed something was off. She’d never been much of an actress or a liar.

Turning away from him, she cleared her throat and started going through her pens. There was a certain ballpoint one she wanted to take home.

Martha’s phone pinged, and she checked it. “It’s a text from the dry cleaner. Your suits are ready, Aristos. I’ll pick them up now and swing by the production studio on the way back.”

“Wonderful. Thank you, Martha.”

“Production studio?” Portia frowned in confusion.

“She’s picking up a pitch,” Aristos explained. “For a new campaign. We sent out invitations to marketing agencies and production studios to submit their ideas.”

“Oh.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say. Three weeks away from work and she already felt like she’d missed so much.

“Good seeing you, Portia.” Martha squeezed Portia’s shoulder on her way out.

Portia smiled. “You too.” She drew a deep breath and checked her phone. “Okay. I think I have everything.”

She’d only been there for ten minutes, and since the tow truck driver hadn’t called, he would probably still be a while.

Gosh, what a day.

Imagine it happening with three babies.

Her stomach churned at the thought of her car breaking down somewhere with three infants in the back seat. How would she handle basically running her own daycare on her own?

“How are you doing? Truly?” Aristos took a couple steps toward her. The nearest employees were in the next room, but he still lowered his voice.

“Great.” Automatic answer. Automatic smile. Maybe if she pretended she was okay for long enough, she eventually would be.

His thick lashes fluttered in what felt like a reiteration of the question.

All the hope and strength went out of Portia and she plopped into her office chair. An office chair that creaked under the weight of one adult and three almost fully developed babies.

In the blink of an eye, Aristos was on his knee, gazing into her face. “Are you well? What can I get you? What do you need?”

“Nothing, nothing.” She swiped her palm across her face, refusing to cry in front of her boss. By the time she dropped her hand at her side, she had it together enough to speak without sobbing. “Things are a little stressful right now,” she admitted.

His eyebrows pinched together. “Do you care to elaborate? Whatever it is, I wish to offer my assistance.”

“Liam and I…” She bit her bottom lip. She’d been about to say they broke up, but that wasn’t what happened at all. The loser had skipped out on her.

“He left,” she said. “Vanished.”

His eyes bugged. “What?”

“Yeah. Probably back to New Zealand. Or who knows? Maybe he’s only a block away, living with some other woman.”

Liam had spoken of moving back to his native New Zealand multiple times, but he’d always included Portia in that conversation. Had he really meant it at the time? Or had he been trying to deceive her from the start of their three-year relationship?

“Portia, I am so sorry. What a—”

“Thank you,” she said. “It’s good, though. I mean, if he doesn’t want to be around, then good riddance. I’m great.”

Yep. She was definitely faking it till she made it.

“That is dastardly. What can I do to help?”

He put his hands on the arm rests of her chair, and for a moment all she could think about was how close they were.

“Nothing. Thank you, though. I really appreciate it.”

His lips drew into a tight line. “If you think of anything, please let me know.”

There was plenty she needed help with. She was a single, pregnant woman in a major city. Her car had just broken down and she had three babies on the way in a