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There were at least twenty emails from her publicist, and she knew that she needed to deal with it all, but Jesus, her own mother was ready to sell her out? And Cooper. He was waiting in the wings with information that would destroy what she had with Jack.
“Oh God,” she gasped, doubling over. A low keening noise erupted from somewhere deep inside her, but she couldn’t contain the pain any longer.
“Donovan?”
Eyes squeezed shut, she shook her head and managed a few words. “Please, I can’t…not right now.”
Okay. Breathe. You can do this.
A pair of white flats appeared in her line of vision.
“Eden I can’t.”
Jack’s mother sat beside her on the desk and for the longest time, the two women stared at the ground. At Eden’s classic Prada flats and Donovan’s chipped toe polish and damaged ankle.
The silence stretched long and thin and just when Donovan thought she was going to crack, Eden nudged her with her arm.
“Would you like me to punch your mother in the throat?”
Donovan’s glanced sideways, eyes shi
mmering with tears and hysterical laugher bubbling up. “You would do that for me?”
Eden shrugged. “My son loves you. He did a good job convincing me to give you a second chance. Makes me think that this time the two of you are ready for whatever is coming your way.”
A tear dropped onto Donovan’s thigh and she wiped at it, her voice barely a whisper. “I’m not so sure. There are things…things in my past, and I don’t know if Jack can handle it.”
“Did you kill anyone on purpose?”
A sad smile touched the corner of Donovan’s mouth. “No.”
“Whatever this is that’s got you worried…will it hurt Jack?”
“Yes,” she barely managed an answer.
“Did you do whatever it is on purpose with the express reason of hurting my son?”
“No,” she whispered. “No I didn’t. I don’t even remember…I can’t…” But she couldn’t go on because those damn stupid tears spilled over and Eden wrapped her in her arms, making it worse. She began to sob.
Eden comforted Donovan in a way her mother had never understood. It was about touch and feel, and it was about silence. Acceptance. After a few moments Eden gave her a gentle hug.
“It’s time for you to face all your demons, because if you’re going to survive this family and all that entails, you need to be stronger. If you’re going to truly be worthy of my son, who I don’t mind saying is one hell of a man, you’ll have to tell him the truth about whatever it is you think could hurt him. You owe him at least that.”
She was right. Of course, she was right. Maverick had said the same thing when she’d finally let everything out earlier this morning.
Donovan wiped her arm across her face and blew out a long breath. “I know I wasn’t who you envisioned for your son.”
“No, you weren’t.” Eden said softly. “You were a whole lot wild and more than a little bit crazy. And the fights, oh the fights. The two of you were so passionate about everything, and I don’t recall a single family dinner you attended that didn’t end in some sort of a disagreement. I can’t lie, it worried me. You were both young and volatile and opinionated and headstrong. Everyone thinks Jack is the well-behaved Simon. What a crock. Cooper’s got nothing on him.”
Eden shrugged, her eyes kind. “The thing is, the past is the past and should stay there but when it rears its ugly head, you have to fight it head on. I feel that Jack is just what you need, and I think that Jack would be lost without you. He’s been drifting for five years, and it’s time for him to stay put. To put down some roots and give me some grandchildren.”
Donovan’s eyes slid away, and she felt her face burn. Was it possible that Eden knew? Had Maverick somehow spilled the beans?
“Noah has arranged for security so you don’t have to be concerned about the paparazzi, at least for a little while. Those bastards are a squirrely bunch, so I’m sure they’ll find a way to get their photos. We’re leaving for Bala. Dinner with some friends. You and Jack have some things to work out. Tell Maverick to get lost and get it done.”
Eden moved toward the door, but paused before leaving the room. “I’m on your side Donovan, and not just because Jack is, but because I can see how much you love my son. I don’t believe that love is always enough, and I can’t guarantee a happily ever after, but I sure as hell can pray for it.”
That was good to know.
