Page 49 of The Billionaire's Christmas Baby Surprise

“So, what do you think? Will we have yet another boy in the family, or will it be a girl?”

“I might still have a girl,” Jamie pointed out.

“True. Imagine! Two boys, then two girls. I’d start having flashbacks to early motherhood.”

Billie exchanged smiles with her siblings.

“You still haven’t opened your presents,” Jamie pointed out.

“Right! Thanks.” Billie opened her gifts from her family, smiling and thanking them for each one. Her parents had gotten her a pair of candy-cane earrings that Billie put on right away. Her brother Mark had gotten her a book, David a bath set. Finally,Billie unwrapped a baby onesie from Jamie that readI love my best auntie.

“Did you know?” Billie asked, holding up the onesie.

“Not at all.” Jamie nudged her. “I thought my baby could wear it, you know, since you’ll be his or her favorite aunt. But this is even better, becauseyourbaby can wear it andI’llbe the favorite aunt!”

“Hey, the competition is fierce,” Mark’s wife pointed out.

“True.” Billie smiled at her. “We might have to get a few more onesies.”

With all the gifts opened, everyone began to migrate to the dining room to set up the Christmas dinner feast. Billie’s stomach was already grumbling. Her mother was a wonderful cook who always went all out for the holidays. She got to her feet and followed Gloria into the kitchen, only to be snagged by Jamie and pulled into the hallway.

“Where are we going?” Billie asked. Jamie pushed her into the guest bedroom and gestured for her to take a seat on the bed.

“I know you didn’t want to tell mom about the guy, but you’ll tell me, right?” Jamie’s eyes were bright. “If he did something bad to you, I’ll tell him off — likeyoudid when Chester Milton was bothering me in high school.”

“Thanks, but there’s no need to tell anyone off.” Billie shrugged. “Things just don’t always work out.”

“Okay, but the guy must be Max, right? The one you were going to attend the holiday party with, who was working with your charity?”

“Yes, it’s Max.” Billie hesitated. She’d come to terms with Max’s decision not to be a part of her or the baby’s life, but it still hurt to think about him. “I liked him a lot, but we weren’t really together. When I told him about the baby, we agreed that it was best for him to contribute financially without us trying to be a couple.”

“Oh.” Jamie bit her lip. “And that’s what you want?”

“I want what’s best for my baby,” Billie said.

“I definitely understand that.” Jamie took Billie’s hands. “But what about you? I thought you really liked this Max guy?”

“I did.” Billie’s heart ached. “I was excited to go to the Christmas party. And yeah, maybe a part of me thought it was a date, as much as I denied that. But it just isn’t meant to be. Max is too caught up in his past and in a different kind of future.”

“So, even if he wanted to be together, you wouldn’t?” Jamie asked. In an instant, an image appeared in Billie’s mind of Max with a bouquet of flowers, asking her to take him back, begging for a second chance. Then Billie remembered how Max had fled her apartment, and the image burst.

“That isn’t going to happen, so it isn’t worth thinking about,” Billie said. “Right now, all that matters to me is that my child has everything good in the world.”

“Well,thatwe can do.” Jamie squeezed her hands. “Your baby is already going to have the world’s best mother.”

“That’s impossible,” Billie replied. “Yoursis.”

They smiled at each other, then Jamie gave Billie another hug. “If you ever want to talk any more…”

“You’ll be the first one I call. As always.” Billie hugged her sister back. “And the same goes for you, you know.”

“I know. I hardlystoptalking.” Jamie pulled a funny face that made Billie smile. “Now, should we go back out there before Mom comes to hunt us down?”

“You go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“All right.” Jamie looked a little worried, but she gave Billie her space. Once her sister was gone, Billie sat on the bed for several more moments, just looking down at her stomach. What she’d said to her sister had been true. There was no way Max would ever want a second chance, so there was no point considering it. And it was for the best that Billie told everyone the decision not to be together had been mutual.

Neither of those realizations stopped Billie’s heart from aching, though. Maybe, if things had been different, Max would have been by her side at this Christmas party. He could have seen the joy her family felt, and experienced firsthand how wonderful it was when new children joined the family. He could have finally seen the true magic of Christmas. Maybe it would have been enough to change his mind about the baby… and about Billie herself.

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