Page 99 of Unwrapping Romance

“No. She doesn’t. And she’d kill me if she knew. She has a lot of issues thanks to you. Why did you abandon her in that church?”

She sunk into her chair and placed her hands over her face.

“I didn’t have a good life, and I was protecting her.”

“I get that, but instead of protecting her, you fucked up her life.”

“How? I knew that by leaving her in that church, she would be placed in a wonderful home with a couple who could have given her everything I couldn’t. I couldn’t even afford milk for her at the time, let alone Christmas presents. I wasn’t a good person back then. The only way I made money was by sleeping with men.”

“You were a prostitute?” My brows furrowed.

“I’m ashamed to admit it. That was long ago, and I have moved on with my life.”

“Without your daughter?”

“I didn’t have a choice. She didn’t need a prostitute for a mother. I tried to get out of that life after she was born, but I couldn’t. I was protecting her!”

A part of me felt sorry for her.

“Well, your daughter is here and lives with me and my daughter. You seem to have gotten your life together, and it’s theholidays. Maybe it’s time the two of you reconnected. She’s been waiting for you to return for twenty-two years.”

“I’m sure she hates my guts. She will never forgive me for abandoning her.”

“Maybe she will, or she won’t. That’s up to her. But you have to try.”

“I don’t know if I can.” She shook her head.

“None of us know if we can do anything unless we try.” I grabbed the notepad from her desk and a pen and wrote down my address. “This is my address. Come over tomorrow night around six o’clock. She’ll be there. Do you believe in the magic of the holidays?” I asked.

“I guess.”

“Then let the magic help you,” I said, not believing those words came from my mouth. “Now, I need all the cupcakes you have, in your case, boxed up.”

“You want them all?”

“Yes. Every last one of them.” I smiled. “By the way. What is your name?”

“Jeanine. Jeanine Knight.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jeanine.” I extended my hand.

After I left the bakery with three large boxes in my hand, I climbed into the back of the Escalade.

“What’s in the boxes, Jack?”

I opened one of the boxes, removed a holiday cupcake, and handed it to him.

“Holiday cupcakes, Eric.” I grinned.

His brows furrowed as he took it from me. “Wow. Thanks, Jack.”

“You’re welcome.”

I walked into the lobby of my office building and smiled as I took in all the Christmas décor that brightened up the space. Taking the elevator up to my office, I proudly walked down thehalls as my staff stared at me. Daniel emerged from his office and stood in the doorway.

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking for you, and Sierra said you were at a meeting.”

“I was out. Cupcake?” I smiled as I lifted the lid to one of the boxes.

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