BWWM Interracial Romance 8: Mutual Attraction Read Online Free PDF

Barbara worried about her baby and how it would grow up. As hard as her own childhood had been, Barbara’s mother had always come home from her jobs to be an attentive and caring mother. She’d made lunches and picked Barbara up from school, always finding ways to arrange her shifts around her daughter’s schedule.
    Barbara wondered if she’d ever be able to balance her new position with the care and attention her own daughter would deserve. AJ Kline had only signed off on the minimum twelve week absence, and then they expected her back in the office. Her little girl hadn’t even been born yet, and Barbara just didn’t know how she’d ever be able to leave her little one with anyone so she could go back to work. Her mother had already made it clear that she’d look after the child when Barbara couldn’t, but those comments had always come with an air of judgment and bitterness that Barbara was messing up her life.
    That was probably the worst of it, thought Barbara as she rolled over and flipped off the bedside light, not even bothering to undress. Her mother had told her numerous times that having this baby would ruin her chances at having a real career, and had in the same breath criticized her ability to be a decent parent if she was going to be working so much once the baby was born.
    Determined not to fall asleep crying as she had so many nights already, Barbara turned her thoughts to her baby and how wonderful it would be to finally meet her. She imagined holding the tiny human being in her arms, and looking into the eyes of her beautiful daughter for the first time.
    The tears welled up and trickled down her face onto the pillow anyway. It was impossible to think about the baby without seeing Neil always at the edge of the frame, standing there watching his little girl and waiting for his turn to hold her. It didn’t seem fair that she had to do all of this on her own, and she cursed Neil with the same breath that wished he hadn’t been such a selfish fool. She couldn’t bring herself to hate the man for being afraid, and she still couldn’t believe that he didn’t want to be with her, but he’d made no attempt to reach out to her over the last few weeks.
    Barbara rolled over and curled into as much of a ball as her belly would allow. She took slow calming breaths and tried to clear her mind, promising herself that she’d figure it all out and that she’d be the best mother she could possibly be without having to compromise her position at work.
    She’d just have to put in her time now, and then she’d make it clear that she wouldn’t be working these long hours once she had the baby. They could threaten to fire her, or they could try to take her job away, but Barbara had already decided not to let them take advantage of her. If they tried to fire her because she wasn’t willing to put in the countless hours of overtime, then they’d have a hell of a fight on their hands. After all, how terrible would they look if they tried to fire their only black employee with a baby girl at home?
    Barbara sighed and tried to push those terrible thoughts from her mind. She hoped it wouldn’t come to anything so ridiculous, but nothing seemed certain as of late, and it was all she could do to wake up every morning to jump right back on the roller coaster.
     
    Neil stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows in his condo, staring out over the lights of the city. He wondered idly what everyone else out there was doing that night, whether they were happy or sad, alone or with someone they loved, and whether or not they woke up each morning feeling like their lives were on the correct course.
    Those things had always seemed so easy for Neil. He’d woken up happy and confident in his life’s choices, and he never lacked for the comfort of a good looking woman or a few friends to go out and drink with. Being a doctor was something he’d had in mind since being a young boy, and he’d never wavered in his