Page 36 of Unwrapping Romance

Jack looked at me.

“You sure can. Come on.” I smiled, holding out my hand to her.

I took her upstairs and started the bath water, pouring some peach-scented bubble bath under the stream I’d brought from my apartment. As I was bathing her, Jack walked in, leaning against the doorframe with his hands tucked tightly into his pockets.

“How’s it going?” he asked.

“Look at all the bubbles.” Ellie laughed.

“I see them. It smells good in here,” Jack said.

“Come on, Ellie. It's time to get out.” I helped her out of the tub and wrapped her in a large white towel, holding her against me tightly.

Chapter Fourteen

Jack

I stared at Sierra, how she held onto Ellie, and the pain written all over her face. Her panic attack earlier was for a reason—one she wouldn’t discuss. After we put Ellie’s nightgown on her, we tucked her into bed.

“Good night.” I softly kissed the top of my daughter’s head as she held her baby doll. “Drink?” I asked Sierra as we left the room. “God knows I need one.”

“Sure,” she said.

I poured Sierra a glass of wine, handed it to her, and then poured myself a bourbon.

“How did you and Claire meet?” she asked.

“I knew you would ask that question sooner or later.” I tipped the glass to my lips. “We met at a restaurant. I was dining there with a couple of friends, and she was our waitress. She was flirting. I was flirting. And one thing led to another. We went on a couple of dates, and she got pregnant.”

“Did she do it on purpose?”

“No. We were both very drunk the night Elianna was conceived. When Claire came to me and told me she was pregnant, I was shocked. I asked her what she planned on doingabout it. She said she was keeping it and asked me to help her. I explained that I didn’t want kids and had no interest in being a father, but I would support them and ensure they had everything they needed. Before Elianna was born, Claire packed up and moved back to her hometown in Pennsylvania, where her cousin lived.”

“Were you there when your daughter was born?” Sierra asked.

“No. Claire called me the night Ellie was born. I went to see her a few days later.”

“Did you hold her?”

I stared at her as I finished my bourbon and poured another.

“I take that as a no.” She shook her head.

“You will not sit there and judge me.” I pointed at her. “You don’t understand and never will,” I said authoritatively.

“You’re right. I will never understand how a parent can turn their back on their child—the child they created. I don’t give a fuck if a child was created out of love or accidentally. Children are human beings who weren’t asked to be created or born. And it’s the job of the two people who created that child to care for and raise him or her the best they know how,” she shouted.

My brows furrowed because this situation seemed very personal to her, and I couldn’t figure out why.

“I’m going to ask you again. What was with that panic attack you had earlier?”

“I already told you that I don’t know. It just happened out of nowhere.”

“I don’t believe you. But you will tell me over time.”

“There’s nothing to tell, Jack. I’m going to bed. You need to figure out what you’re doing with Ellie tomorrow.”

“She’s going to have to come to the office with us. I need you to do things at the office, and I have meetings. Good night, Sierra. I hope you find the bed comfortable.”

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