Page 92 of Playboy Billionaire

“It is. After the initial shock wore off, I’m really excited. I always thought I’d have kids but after I lost my baby, it never seemed like the right time…I guess not everything has to be planned.”

“I wouldn’t be your friend if I didn’t ask—what about Griff?”

“I called him right away.”

“And?”

“He didn’t pick up or return my call.”

“Let me guess, so you took that as a sign that you should drop it. You did your due diligence?”

“Dolly, you make me sound terrible. Listen, one of the last fights we had, Griffin admitted that he struggled with being needed or needing someone. He didn’t like it or want it. A baby is the biggest commitment there is.”

“That’s not fair to him and it’s taking it out of context. I don’t know what he said or how he said it, but he wasn’t responding to his child in your belly.”

Penelope cupped her abdomen and looked down at the ground. “I hear what you’re saying.”

“Call him again.”

“I don’t know.”

“I do!”

“And then what, guilt trip him into getting back together? What if he wants parental rights but doesn’t want me? Can you imagine that nightmare? Him on the east coast, me on the west?”

“Penelope, itishis baby too. You can’t control everything. You’ll work it out. Have a little faith. If you search your heart, I think you already know what kind of guy he is. I think he’s legit.”

“I wasn’t going to bring this up but hold on.” Penelope went over to her nightstand and opened the top drawer pulling out a magazine.

Rolling her eyes, Dolly grabbed it from Penelope. “The gossip rags strike again.Oh shit!”

“Yeah, oh shit,” Penelope said.

It pained her every time she looked at it, Griffin and the famous French model splashed on the cover, frolicking together in Saint-Tropez.

“He didn’t waste any time returning to his playboy lifestyle,” Penelope said.

“You know as well as I do that you can’t believe most of what’s in these stupid magazines. They already have you and Noah back together. Wounded hero, rescuing his true love, the beautiful Penelope Winters…finally back together. The way it was meant to be,” she said theatrically.

“If I call him again, I’ll wait until the second trimester. I don’t want to put us both through all that and then lose the baby.”

“I guess that makes some sense. Promise you’ll try again?”

“I promise.”

“Good enough for me. I’ll drop the subject. Now what about names?”

Penelope laughed, “I’ve got a list a mile long. We’ll work on that.”

Standing, Dolly yawned loudly, “I’m off to bed. Thanks for inviting us. We’re having a blast. And the guest house is perfect.”

“Thanks for coming. If either of you want to go for a trail ride tomorrow, I’ll take you out.”

“Deal! I would love it.”

“See you in the morning.”

“Night.”

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