Page 61 of Holly, Jolly, and Oh So Naughty

Why has James never connected the dots about Emma? Does he not remember that I was pregnant? It was years ago, but if I had the impact on him that he claims, could he really forget?

And if so, why did he think Mark was Emma’s father?

The sopping, coffee-soaked paper towels ball up in my fist and the cold liquid drips through my fingertips.

Is it possible that he never knew? Did he never know I was pregnant?

The way his mother talks, I begin to doubt everything she told me back then. Her insistence that James wanted rid of me, that he couldn’t face me and was annoyed I didn’t take the hint… was that really James or was it his mother getting rid of a problem she saw?

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense and all the other moments of confusion suddenly clear up as they slot into place.

James has never once asked about my pregnancy because he didn’t know I was pregnant, did he?

I watch his mother throw her hands in the air, scolding James for letting down shareholders and dragging their name through the mud. That’s where her focus is. On her immediate family, her name and her reputation. It’s clear that nothing else matters to her.

“Get out,” I say softly, tossing the paper towels into the sink.

Neither of them reacts, unable to hear me over their argument.

“You are unbelievable!” James barks. “You constantly talk at me, never to me. You are so determined to shove me into some little box that nothing else matters, does it? You’re so insane you barged into Lily’s home. Look at yourself, Mom. What would Dad think?”

His mother’s hand flies out and she strikes James hard across the face. “Don’t you dare,” she snaps. “Don’t you dare talk about him like that. If he were still here, none of this would be happening!”

“It would still happen,” James says sadly. “It would just take me longer to realize how fucking sad I was.”

“Get out!” I repeat louder, stepping forward. I glare at his mother. “You are not welcome here. If you want to continue this discussion, then that’s fine, but you are not doing it in my kitchen, understand? You are a rude, foul woman and if you don’t get out of my home, I am calling the police!”

“Lily!” James whirls around. “There’s no need for that.”

“Yes, there fucking is,” I snap. “There’s an intruder in my home.”

“She’ll leave.” James turns back to his mother. “Please leave. I can meet you in town somewhere and we can talk more, but not here.”

“No.” James’s mother stands an inch taller and she glares at me, then she faces James with narrow eyes. “You will come with me right now, James. This nonsense ends here.”

“No.”

“Yes, you will,” she snaps. “You come home now, or you will never see a dime of the family money. I will scrub your name from everything and I will disown you!”

My heart punches up into my throat, caught between furious desperation to get this woman out of my house and shock at the ultimatum she throws down at him.

James glances at me and our eyes meet for a second, then he faces her once more.

“Disown me. I am staying right here. This is where I belong.”

He chose me.

I didn’t know what to expect. Perhaps James would try to talk his mother into continuing this elsewhere, but no, he immediately made a choice.

And he chose me.

Shit.

I think I’m falling for him all over again.

24

JAMES

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