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Drake’s team was working up a press release. I couldn’t believe I had to announce to the world my biggest failure as a mother and a human. Sure, Drake was trying to sugarcoat it. Make it sound like it had been for Jameson’s protection instead of me being a coward. Of course, his PR manager didn’t want Drake to come off as some deadbeat dad who had ignored his son, so the spin would be how happy Drake was about the news and how much he looked forward to this new chapter in his life. Drake never commented on his love life, so our relationship would be kept out of it, other than to say that he looked forward to co-parenting with me.
Note to self: Do not sleep with your famous boss, ever. Definitely don’t keep his child a secret from him. Izzy would be so proud I’d finally learned this lesson. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way.
“Are you sure about this?” I looked out into the bright, clear day, the fresh powder from the night before lining the mountain pass. The same mountain pass I’d been sure I would die on over six years ago. The same one that led me to this very situation. I didn’t regret my choice to love Drake and to have his child. I just wish I had done things differently.
Drake reached over and rested his hand on my thigh. “The sooner we give the media what they want, the quicker we become old news and can move on with our lives.”
“That sounds good, in theory.” I gripped his hand like a vise, kind of hoping his kidney stone would make a reappearance—you know, take one for the team. Did that make me evil?
“Charlotte, you lived in this world for three years; you know how to navigate it.”
“I was your behind-the-scenes assistant, who most everyone ignored.”
Drake looked in the rearview mirror at our son, who was using my iPad to look at dogs. He was determined to get one ASAP. When Drake was satisfied our son was preoccupied, he curled his fingers around mine and quietly said, “You have no idea how many men I had to keep away from you.”
I hit him with my skeptical eyes. Who were these men he spoke of? Not like I would have noticed, because I only had eyes for Drake—then and now.
He pulled my hand up and kissed it. “It’s true. Now relax.”
Relax, he said. How do you relax when your life is about to go on display for the entire world?
Chapter Twenty-One
You know that feeling when you think everyone is staring at you like your dress is tucked into your pantyhose, but it’s really just an irrational thought? That’s how I felt, except it wasn’t irrational. Everyone turned their heads or pointed phones or cameras at us when Drake, Jameson, and I walked into the lobby of the grand lodge meant to resemble a cozy cabin. While I gripped both Drake’s and Jameson’s hands, I had to remind myself I was indeed wearing clothes. I was most grateful my ski pants were snug and didn’t have a zipper, so at least I knew they hadn’t fallen down.
Regardless, my cheeks felt as warm as the blazing fire in the large stone fireplace sitting front and center. Several people gathered around it, chatting and sipping cocoa and coffee in the big leather chairs, before hitting the slopes. At least they were—until we walked in. The entire lodge seemed to still as each set of eyes zeroed in on us.
I was more than grateful when Rich Allred came walking toward us. He was not what you would expect a director of action films to look like. He was barely taller than me, with flaming red hair always in disarray, and he wore plaid shirts no matter the time of year. I liked that he never put on airs even though he was one of the most sought-after directors in the business.
“You made it.” Rich was all smiles while reaching out to shake Drake’s hand.
“It’s good to see you, Rich,” Drake reciprocated. “Do you remember Charlotte?”
Rich gave me a warm smile. “Of course. It’s nice to see you again.” He didn’t make it awkward at all.
“And this is our son, Jameson,” Drake said naturally, like he’d said it a thousand times. Maybe that was his acting skills coming into play. But I hoped he was just so genuinely happy about it that it wasn’t a second thought for him.
Rich knelt in front of Jameson. “I heard you were coming and thought you might like this.” He pulled a black ball cap from his back pocket that said DIRECTOR in white embroidered letters. “I wore this the first time your dad and I made a movie together.”
Jameson took the cap. “Thank you.” He smiled up at Drake. “Does this mean I can blow things up now too?”
