My heart sinks and knots form in my stomach when the search results pop up.
Jacob Daniels and Maggie Greyson cozy up during romantic Valentine’s
Day dinner
Greyson and Daniels, D.C.’s next power couple?
Arranged marriages in Washington: Sources claim global shipping
magnate betrothed only daughter to Senator’s son
I toss my phone onto the bed and sink down beside it, unable to stand looking at another article. There were pictures of them together. So many pictures. The two of them smiling with his arm wrapped around her shoulders and her head nuzzled against his cheek. Holding hands while walking out of a swanky restaurant together. Kissing on a yacht, her flawless body clad in a barely-there white bikini.
I take a few deep breaths and try to pull myself together. Has he been with her this whole time? Has he been cheating on her with me?
Maybe they broke up and are on amicable terms. They seemed friendly in the garden, but not necessarily romantic. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions. Perhaps it’s just wishful thinking on Diane’s part that her daughter will one day marry Jacob. I don’t know what to think. My mind races and my head spins, my thoughts going in a million different directions. I need to talk to him and clear all this up.
I jump off my bed, needing to focus on something else until the party is over and I can speak to Jacob. Sliding open the pocket door, I enter the nursery. Nell is reading to Chloe as they rock back and forth in the rocking chair. Nell really does seem like an amazing woman. Jacob and Logan were lucky to have her.
“Mama!” Chloe calls from Nell’s lap. She climbs down and runs toward me, clinging to my leg. I pick her up and give her a tight squeeze, making her giggle.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” I offer Nell my sincere gratitude.
“You’re quite welcome. She’s been an angel.”
“I owe you an apology. For earlier,” I elaborate.
She waves me off. “That’s not necessary. I understood your reservations. Just know I’m available if you ever need me again. I’ve missed caring for little ones.” She’s so sweet and sincere; it’s a refreshing change from what I’ve encountered since being here.
“Thank you. For everything.” She pats my hand before grabbing her bag and heading out the door.
I stay in the nursery with Chloe for a long time before Jacob comes to find us. “There you are!” he announces as he steps into the room. His face falls when he looks at me. “What’s wrong?”
I stand up and lead him into my room. I stop at the edge of my bed, peering into the nursery to ensure I can still see Chloe. “I need to ask you something, and I need you to be completely honest with me.”
“Okay,” he agrees, his expression worried.
“Are you and Maggie Greyson together?”
He lets out an exasperated breath and shakes his head. “What did my mother tell you?”
“Nothing,” I respond honestly. His brow furrows and he frowns. “I saw the two of you together. You looked...familiar.”
“Abby,” he begins, but I cut him off.
“Her mother informed me that the two of you have had an off-and-on-again relationship. I saw the pictures.”
“What pictures?” I grab my phone and pull up the Google search, turning it to face him.
“Why did you look that up?”
“I needed to know if it was true.”
“Then why didn’t you fucking ask?” His voice raises and his blue eyes glow with fury, exposing his anger. He’s not the only one who feels that way.
“Because you were too damn busy pressing your body against hers and laughing at every word she said!” I snap.
Recognition flashes in his eyes and he looks dejected. “It wasn’t what it looked like.”