about winning when I’ve already lost?
The minutest hope Sloane would find his way back to me kept me going. One day, he’d love me. I never foresaw he’d ever despise me. For any reason. Sloane went out of his way to keep me at his side.
As I turn, pain shoots through me. My emotional hurt becomes a physical one. Panting, I stumble to the rocking chair and drop into it.
Sloane’s career is gone. His music meant so much to him. He loves it, always has, and his sister Steffie introduced him to it.
My head swims and my pulse thumps frantically.
“I want to talk to him,” I whisper, sniffling.
Agony in my stomach and back makes me cry out.
“Grandma!” I cry. “It hurts.”
“You’re stressed.” Her hand touches the top of my head.
I groan. “Do something.”
“I think you’re going into labor.”
As if my body needs to hear those words, water suddenly streams from me.
Hands clenched together and resting in my lap, I keep a bland smile on my face as Mother introduces me to Reed Hamilton, the eighteen-year-old she’s chosen as the father of Georgie’s daughter. The brat isn’t yet born. Georgie has been in labor for so long Mother left her and called this emergency meeting with Reed and me. Questions abound in my head. Most especially, why she’s ignoring my want that Jane and Joe take the whelp off of our hands. The way Mother is going about this hints she wants to spare Georgie heartache.
The maid holds out a tray to me. “Another scone, ma’am?”
“I’ll have more to drink. Nothing more to eat.”
Conversation pauses as I respond. Scowling at Mother’s lifted brow, I thrust my glass to the maid and wave her away. Reed sits next to Mother on the settee in her small, informal receiving room. They’ve been chatty natties, planning for introductions between Reed and Georgie and how best to handle questions from any of his friends and family who are in the dark. Basically, everyone in his piss-poor little world.
“You aren’t my daughter’s type,” I say with certainty. He’s handsome, but he’s too clean-cut, with his dark blue blazer, light blue shirt, red necktie, and tan slacks. Straight out of an Ivy League school. Sniffing, I lift a brow. “Not Georgie’s type at all. If I may say so, Mr. Hamilton,” I add crossly at the displeasure on Mother’s face.
Reed flushes and lowers his lashes, hiding his brown eyes, though I caught his irritation. “I understand, ma’am. But Mrs. Sanderson wanted us to meet.” He waves his finger between him and I, as if my opinion matters. “So you’d put your mind at ease that I would never betray your daughter. Mrs. Sanderson understands the excitement of having a first grandchild.”
A small smile plays on Mother’s lips, but she clears her throat and gives Reed a meaningful look. He shifts in his seat. I don’t understand the exchange. However, some of my tension seeps away and I nod, too closely watched not to acknowledge the words. Mother really believes a part of me cares about Georgie. Of course she has this boy here for my benefit. I get it now. She thinks I’ll regret removing the child from my daughter’s life. Unless my granddaughter served some purpose for me, I want nothing to do with her.
“I’m not prepared to be a goddamn grandmother. I’ve found a couple who will adopt my daughter’s brat. While you seem like a nice young man, no one will ever believe Georgie slept with you. She doesn’t have the intelligence to choose someone so normal.”
I toss my hair over my shoulders. It isn’t my intention to draw Reed’s gaze to my mouth when I lick my lips, but he watches me. His stare slips to my breasts, displayed in a modest V-neck dress.
Empowered by his heated regard, I straighten my shoulders.
Mother uncrosses her legs and rises to her feet. “If you’ll excuse my daughter and I, Reed.”
Alarm races across his face, but she doesn’t care, her look skewering him into following her threatening
The minutest hope Sloane would find his way back to me kept me going. One day, he’d love me. I never foresaw he’d ever despise me. For any reason. Sloane went out of his way to keep me at his side.
As I turn, pain shoots through me. My emotional hurt becomes a physical one. Panting, I stumble to the rocking chair and drop into it.
Sloane’s career is gone. His music meant so much to him. He loves it, always has, and his sister Steffie introduced him to it.
My head swims and my pulse thumps frantically.
“I want to talk to him,” I whisper, sniffling.
Agony in my stomach and back makes me cry out.
“Grandma!” I cry. “It hurts.”
“You’re stressed.” Her hand touches the top of my head.
I groan. “Do something.”
“I think you’re going into labor.”
As if my body needs to hear those words, water suddenly streams from me.
Hands clenched together and resting in my lap, I keep a bland smile on my face as Mother introduces me to Reed Hamilton, the eighteen-year-old she’s chosen as the father of Georgie’s daughter. The brat isn’t yet born. Georgie has been in labor for so long Mother left her and called this emergency meeting with Reed and me. Questions abound in my head. Most especially, why she’s ignoring my want that Jane and Joe take the whelp off of our hands. The way Mother is going about this hints she wants to spare Georgie heartache.
The maid holds out a tray to me. “Another scone, ma’am?”
“I’ll have more to drink. Nothing more to eat.”
Conversation pauses as I respond. Scowling at Mother’s lifted brow, I thrust my glass to the maid and wave her away. Reed sits next to Mother on the settee in her small, informal receiving room. They’ve been chatty natties, planning for introductions between Reed and Georgie and how best to handle questions from any of his friends and family who are in the dark. Basically, everyone in his piss-poor little world.
“You aren’t my daughter’s type,” I say with certainty. He’s handsome, but he’s too clean-cut, with his dark blue blazer, light blue shirt, red necktie, and tan slacks. Straight out of an Ivy League school. Sniffing, I lift a brow. “Not Georgie’s type at all. If I may say so, Mr. Hamilton,” I add crossly at the displeasure on Mother’s face.
Reed flushes and lowers his lashes, hiding his brown eyes, though I caught his irritation. “I understand, ma’am. But Mrs. Sanderson wanted us to meet.” He waves his finger between him and I, as if my opinion matters. “So you’d put your mind at ease that I would never betray your daughter. Mrs. Sanderson understands the excitement of having a first grandchild.”
A small smile plays on Mother’s lips, but she clears her throat and gives Reed a meaningful look. He shifts in his seat. I don’t understand the exchange. However, some of my tension seeps away and I nod, too closely watched not to acknowledge the words. Mother really believes a part of me cares about Georgie. Of course she has this boy here for my benefit. I get it now. She thinks I’ll regret removing the child from my daughter’s life. Unless my granddaughter served some purpose for me, I want nothing to do with her.
“I’m not prepared to be a goddamn grandmother. I’ve found a couple who will adopt my daughter’s brat. While you seem like a nice young man, no one will ever believe Georgie slept with you. She doesn’t have the intelligence to choose someone so normal.”
I toss my hair over my shoulders. It isn’t my intention to draw Reed’s gaze to my mouth when I lick my lips, but he watches me. His stare slips to my breasts, displayed in a modest V-neck dress.
Empowered by his heated regard, I straighten my shoulders.
Mother uncrosses her legs and rises to her feet. “If you’ll excuse my daughter and I, Reed.”
Alarm races across his face, but she doesn’t care, her look skewering him into following her threatening
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