Page 85 of The Billionaire's Heart

“You’re not meeting her without me with you, that’s for sure. Why don’t you have her come here that way security will be tight in case she’s crazy.”

“Well, that doesn’t make me feel any better.” I laugh at him. “Let’s have her in your home…”

“Our home.” He interrupts me.

I just give him the evil eye. I haven’t agreed to move in officially, even though I’m technically already moved in. Another topic for another day. “…whatever. You know what I mean. Let’s have the potentially crazy person come here and we’ll just tighten security.” My nervous laugh escapes.

“If you want to meet her someplace else, we can have her meet us at the club.” He offers.

The more I think about it, the more I hate that idea. The press may be lurking around and the last thing we need is this making the news circuit. “No, if you’re okay with it, I’d rather do it here. Less prying eyes.”

“Good thinking. I’ll let security know.” Ian walks out of the room as I finish my text conversation with Lynn.

Me:Okay. Today works for me. How about four o’clock?

Lynn:Thank you, Mia. I’ll be there. I can’t wait to meet you… again.

I decide not to respond to that last comment and instead I send her the address and then nervously look up at the clock. Four more hours and I can’t tell if I’m excited or nervous.

“Are you ready?” Ian asks as we stand on the front porch waiting for the woman who claims to be my mother climb out of a very large black pickup truck. It looks brand new with one small silver stripe down the side.

“Does it matter? She’s here now; there’s no going back.”

His grip tightens my hand, “It matters. If you don’t want to do this, I can get rid of them.”

Nervously, I laugh. “That sounds like you’d put a hit out on them.”

He smirks. “As we established earlier, I am a billionaire.” He bumps my shoulder with his and then kisses the side of my head. That seems to be a new thing with him, and it does not suck. Not at all.

I turn to face him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything.”

“You’ve got this, sweetheart,” he whispers to me as we watch two people climb out of the black pickup.

The woman, who I suppose, is my mother, waves at me with one hand as she wipes away a tear with the other. Her husband, I presume, walks around the back of the truck and over to her, taking her hand in his as they both approach Ian and me.

Thankfully, Ian takes the lead. “Welcome. Ian Gallo.” He puts his hand out first to her and then to the man with her.

“Lynn. Nice to meet you.”

“Jeff Yates.”

Lynn turns to me. “Hello.”

I shake her hand. “Hello. I’m Mia.” As if they were stupid, but what else was I supposed to say? Turning to her husband, who I still don’t know if this is my father, I shake his hand. “I’m Mia.”

“Nice to meet you, Mia.”

“Let’s get out of this heat.” Ian opens the front door as he ushers us all into the house. Both Lynn and Jeff follow me inside the foyer and then to the living room. “Can I get anyone something to drink?” He offers, but they both turn him down.

All four of us choose a place to sit; Ian sits next to me on one couch as Lynn and Jeff sit across from us on the other. It’s the first time I noticed Jeff was carrying a tote bag and I wonder what’s in there, but I don’t ask.

“Um… I should start.” Lynn says nervously as she places one hand to her heart. “First, I’d like to say thank you for agreeing to meet me,” she turns to Jeff, “us. We know you could have written us off, but…” she tears up. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.”

I give her a small smile. “It’s okay.”

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