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“That and his company was just bought out by Time Warner,” she said. “He may not be a billionaire, but we'll be pretty comfortable.”
That was more like it. Closer to the mom I knew. Still, I couldn't help but crack a smile. All these years, mom had fooled around with Marlon, loving him and only him, and finally, she'd get to have him. Maybe my mom could have a happily ever after too.
Hell, if she could, I certainly could too.
“Well, I'm happy for you,” I said. “You'll have to send me an invite.”
Mom's eyes drifted back down to my belly. “Do you know the sex yet?”
I nodded. “We're having a girl.”
Mom's eyes filled with tears again as a shaky smile creased her lips. “A daughter.”
“Yes, I'm going to have a daughter,” I snapped. “And trust me, she's never going to go without. Nor is she going to learn to be a taker. She will never learn the fine art of swindling rich, old, lonely men.”
Mom's eyes fell. She looked honestly sorry and ashamed, but it wouldn't be that easy to forgive. Maybe, in time, we could move past it, but she'd be the one having to make the effort. Not me.
“I want to know my grandchild, Ember,” she said. “And I'd like to have my daughter back too, if that's all even remotely possible.”
I hesitated for a moment, searching her eyes. Searching her face. I searched for the barest flash of insincerity. I found nothing of the sort. In fact, all I found was sincerity and hope in her eyes. She'd changed. I didn't know what had precipitated it, but she'd changed. For the better. Which was a rarity in people, it seemed.
“I'd like that, mom.”
“I know it'll take time –”
“That's the understatement of the year.”
Mom flinched. My words hurt her. I even felt a little bad for it.
“Come inside,” I groaned. “Let's talk. The movers will be here soon.”
“You're moving?” she asked.
“Yes, to a bigger house,” I said.
“A bigger house than this?”
I laughed. I'd said the same thing, but now that it was happening, it made sense. Not that I wanted to explain to my mom about how I had four different baby daddies and they were all moving in with us. Nah, I'd let her figure it out on her own. Because God, if she hated me before when I'd taken one billionaire away from her, what would she think
if she discovered I had four now?
I'll admit, it was a nice thought. Four handsome, sexy billionaires. What more could a girl ask for?
The End
CHRISTMAS WITH THE MCCORMICK BROTHERS
CHAPTER ONE - HAILEY
The late fall sun was setting on the horizon. The sky was growing dark in the east, but the western horizon was a riot of colors – red, orange, and gold. It was stunning and reminded me of the leaves on the trees that time of year.
Darkness was coming, but the fun was only getting started. Black Oak's Annual Community Bonfire was an event I'd attended as a child more times than I could count, but being there again as an adult felt entirely different. The leaves had fallen from most of the trees, coating the ground in those brilliant shades of red and orange that reflected the sky above. It was a beautiful side of nature I'd missed during my time in California.
Pulling my hoodie tightly around my body, I tucked my hand into the pocket and walked into Black Oak Park, looking around at the familiar – yet older – faces that made up the crowd. There were so many I recognized, but there was one face in particular I was looking for.
My parents were, of course, working their booth as they always did at these community events. They'd tried to convince me to join them in the booth and help them out, but I'd politely declined. I had no interest in peddling essential oils to old high school acquaintances of mine, many of who had made my life an utter nightmare growing up.
I'd had half a mind to skip the bonfire altogether, wanting to avoid the awful memories that would inevitably come flooding back when put into a social setting with some of these people. After all, everyone in Black Oak attended the bonfire – and very few people ever left the small South Carolina town we'd grown up in. I was one of few, and I was not entirely excited to be back. However, there was one person I wasn't trying to avoid – and I knew she was going to be there. When I saw Jenn's face in the middle of a crowd of people, the smiled that curled the corners of my lips was instant.
