Page 133 of The Billionaire Boss and the Barista

This was delivered in the same tone as someone announcing, ‘Oh, you’re a Nazi.’

Well, shit. This conversation was happening now. For some reason, he’d always assumed Emma would be here to act as a shield.

He cleared his throat. “Yeah. My mom was Iris Martin. Technically, I’m a Chapman.”

Judging from her expression, this might have been worse, although he couldn’t see why.

“I see,” she mumbled.

He rubbed his temple, uncertain how to proceed. His mother-in-law was the woman his aunt blamed for the end of her marriage.

Garrett had been old enough when they broke up to know it wasn’t that simple, but this was still excruciatingly uncomfortable.

Regardless of what Phil would say, he had to build a cordial relationship withthis woman.

“We didn’t formally meet before,” he began. “But I saw you around town a lot. You and Emma. You were at our high school production ofMuch Ado about Nothing—because of the two grades she skipped, we were in a lot of the same classes.”

Her head drew back, pivoting to look in the direction Emma had gone when a particularly loud squeal filtered downstairs.

“You were in the play?” she asked.

Garrett put his hands in his pockets, trying to switch gears and steer the conversation away from the contentious topic of his family.

“Yeah, I was Don John and Emma was a great Beatrice.” He broke off. “I know Emma hasn’t been all that receptive to reconnecting with anyone she knew before the accident, so the fact she married someone from Verdant Falls must be kind of a shock. There’s a funny story about that. Well, sort of funny, depending on your point of view…”

He trailed off when the sound of thunder signaled Emma coming back down the stairs. For a small woman, she could make a racket.

Of course, that could have had something to do with the ricketiness of the structure. Even the child following her sounded like a pint-sized elephant trailing in her wake.

Add a building inspection to the to-do list.He’d pay for the contractor himself.

Emma burst into the kitchen a moment later, holding the hand of an adorable dark-haired girl dressed in a green sweater dress with a tulle skirt.

“Garrett, I want you to meet my baby sister, Stella.”

Prepared to be charmed by a pint-sized Emma, Garrett looked down. He took one look at the child staring up at him with her big brown eyes and felt all his blood drain to his feet.

Holy shit. Stella was the spitting image of his mother.

Chapter Fifty-Four

GARRETT

“Garrett?” Emma’s voice sounded as if it was coming from very far away. His ears were ringing. Literally. That had never happened before.

Blinking, he tore his eyes off Stella, checking Emma’s reaction. But she was smiling down at her ‘sister,’ no hint of tension in her expression.

Garrett swallowed the lump in his throat and stuck out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

A giggling Stella shook it, her tiny hand enveloping his index and middle fingers.

Her small touch sent a painful jolt of electricity running through his entire system.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said shyly in the voice of a cartoon princess before letting go to tug on Emma’s arm. “C’mon, Em! I want to show you my new bike.”

“Just a second, baby,” she said, her gaze going from him to her mother in an obvious way. “I have to show Garrett toourroom.”

“It can wait,” he rasped past the constriction in his throat. The sleeping arrangements were the last thing on his mind. “Go see the bike.”

---