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Chloe explained, “I did have a mom, sweetie. She had to go to heaven early. Remember?”
Mia made a face. “Well, you should ask God to give her back.”
The butler answered the door with a stiff posture and frozen face. “Madam is expecting you in the library.”
Mia giggled. “They have a library in a house?”
Chloe patted her on the back. “It’s not the kind of library like you’re thinking about, sweetie.”
Roger, the family butler going on four decades, led them across the foyer to a long hallway that ended in the Andropolis family library. Bad memories assaulted Chloe from every direction. Estelle hadn’t thought she was good enough to be with her son, and now she wanted Chloe’s little girl to be part of their family. Chloe experienced the strong urge to snatch Mia up and run for the front door.
As if reading her mind, Nik reached out to grab her hand with his free one, the one Mia wasn’t attached to. “It’s okay. I’m here with you, and I won’t leave the room, not even for a second.”
That made her feel better.
They stepped into the enormous library, and her breath caught in her throat. She’d forgotten how big and intimidating the room appeared at first glance. She hoped the size wouldn’t overwhelm Mia.
Estelle came around the corner of a tall shelf with a book in her hand. “I am rearranging things in here and getting rid of some old books.” She spoke to Nik, momentarily ignoring Chloe. “Since your father isn’t around anymore, I don’t see why I have to keep his favorites on hand. If there are any you want, feel free to take them.”
Mia looped her arms around Nik’s leg with a shy smile. “Are you my grandmother?”
Estelle nodded, and a wide smile stretched her mouth, making her look almost pleasant. “I most certainly am, and I am very pleased to meet you, young lady. When I was your age, I loved tea parties. What about you?”
“I do!” Mia half-shouted in her excitement. “I love tea parties.”
“Wonderful. I have one all set up for us in the solarium.” Estelle turned to Chloe. “If it’s okay with you, I would like to have a tea party with this little sweetheart. You’re welcome to join us, of course. Or you can take a few minutes for yourselves.”
Chloe nodded. “I guess that would be okay.”
Nik gave his mother a stern look of warning. He hunched down and kissed Mia on the cheek. “You have fun with your grandmother. If you need us, just scream. Seriously. Scream. I’ll be right there.”
His mother glowered at him. “I am not an ogre, Nikolas.”
“What’s an odor, Grandmother?”
Estelle sighed. “Ogre, dear. It’s a giant monster from fairy tales.”
Mia giggled as they walked out the door, hand in hand. “You’re not an odor. Why does Daddy think you’re an odor?”
They didn’t hear Estelle’s answer.
The second they disappeared from view, Chloe moved closer to a panic attack. Nik cupped her face and made her look deep into his eyes. He grinned, and his gorgeous dimples appeared. Seeing them set her heart racing. It amazed her that such a gorgeous man could fall in love with her.
“I can’t believe you let my mother visit with Mia alone,” Nik said. “On the plane, you told me under no circumstances would that ever happen. The two of you really buried the hatchet back at the hospital, huh?”
Chloe shrugged. “Everything just worked out.”
“What did my mother say to you when I went into the hallway?”
“The same stuff she said when you were in the room. She just wanted to apologize and swear she’s done playing games with us.”
He sighed. “I wish you would have waited to tell her about Mia until I was with you.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I just think I should have been part of the moment. How did she react? Did she ask for a DNA test?”
“No.” Chloe decided to change the subject before she had to lie to his face. “Maybe we should join the tea party.”
