Page 48 of The Nanny's Bossy Billionaire

I hang up.

“What do you make of that?” I ask Stella.

“I don’t know but it sounds like a lot of baggage.”

In the past couple of weeks, Libby’s Kitchen’s homemade cookies have been the perfect solution since I discovered that skipping breakfast altogether in favor of sweetened ginger tea helpsme avert the dreaded morning sickness. I’ve taken to having my lunches at Libby’s, which is just a few minutes walk from work.

I’m munching on the third cookie when Zoey walks in, looking elegant in a chocolate-brown pencil skirt, a tan silk shirt, and matching pumps. She’s come straight from work. She spots me and saunters over, her heels clacking on the tile floor. She’s gorgeous.So beautiful, I think, tears stinging my eyes because she looks like Xavier who I haven’t seen in two weeks. She beams at me and I have to look away from the dimple that flashes in her cheek. I take a calming breath as she hugs me tightly.

“Sorry I’m late. Traffic was a bitch.”

“It’s alright, I finished later than I thought, so I haven’t been here long. What would you like?”

“Oh, I had lunch earlier. I ate much more than I should have. Perhaps some water. And those cookies look divine.”

“Yeah, actually, although don’t take my word for it, my tastebuds and sense of smell have gone rogue.”

“Sweetheart,” Zoey says gently, “that bad? Do you know how far along you are?”

“Around eight weeks. Actually, it’s manageable as long as I don’t eat too early in the mornings and I have no meat.”

“Well, you look great. And it’ll pass soon, I promise.”

I say nothing. I don’t feel great. And I’m impatient to hear about Xavier. She notices my silence.

“Are you going to keep the pregnancy?” There’s a desperate plea in her eyes. She needn’t bother. I’d lay down my life to keep it. To Zoey, I say softly, “Xavier…?”

“Yes, Xavi is fine, physically at least. He’s been staying at one of his hotels, the Crowne.”

Wow, okay, I didn’t know he owned the Crowne on Fifth Avenue. One of the hundred million and one things I don’t knowabout my boyfriend. Who apparently has moved out of his house to avoid me. I’m suddenly glad for Stella, who lent me some backbone these past couple of weeks, otherwise, I could have seriously embarrassed myself.

“Do you know why he moved out?” I ask.

“He didn’t move out. He just needed to clear his head. My guess is that his apartment reminds him of you.” Pain lances in my chest. I nod repeatedly as if I understand. I don’t.

“Brooke, it’s not you he’s running away from. It’s himself.”

Funny that phrase, running away. That’s exactly what he told me not to do. Hypocritical jackass.

“It seems like he’s doing everything he can to avoid me.”

“To avoid hurting you!”

I don’t get it. “What are you talking about?”

“Did he tell you about Taylor?”

“His ex-fiancée?”Oh my God, not Taylor again.“I understand she died a few years ago.”

“Yes, but how?”

“No, he didn’t tell me.” My heart starts to pound.

“Exactly six years ago this month, Taylor died in a car accident in which Xavi was the one driving. It was two weeks before their wedding. She was pregnant.”

Chapter Eighteen

Brooke

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