Page 60 of Second Chances with my Billionaire Bosses

“The surrogacy is off. They wouldn’t accept it. They said no.”

Vera grinned.

“Thank god. I knew I liked them.”

I stared down at my baby niece and some of the ice around my heart cracked away. She was so beautiful, her big green eyes staring up at me with so much interest.

“I still don’t think I can be a mom. Look at her. She’s so amazing. She’s so fragile, though. I don’t think I can take the chance of hurting my child.”

Vera shocked me with a snort.

“I almost dropped her yesterday. I was horrified, don’t get me wrong, but that’s how parenting is, I’m discovering. It’s just one bump in the road after another. Anyone can hurt their children, Maxie. Abusive parents, or not.”

“Amen. I don’t even want to talk about how often I fucked up with Waylan in the beginning.” Nellie shuddered. “One time, when she was still just a baby, I was so tired from being up all night long that I didn’t remember where I’d put her down. I ran around the house panicking for a solid ten minutes before realizing she was right there in her crib. I almost called the cops.”

I cradled my niece tighter.

“Arlo told me he loved me. I think they all do.”

“That’s amazing, Max. Right?” Vera watched me with worried eyes. “You look like a scared deer about to book it, babe. What’s wrong?”

I let out a watery laugh and sank down on the bale next to her.

“Nothing? Everything? I don’t even know. Things just feel too good. I’ve never… I don’t know how to be happy.”

Nellie burst into tears and hugged me around the baby.

“Oh, god, Maxie. I’m just so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. We should’ve known. We should’ve helped.”

Vera wiped her eyes as she cried, too.

“Oh, man, we’re a mess.”

“What the hell happened?” Shep’s voice was full of concern as he walked into the barn. Seeing me, he rushed over and cupped my cheeks. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing.” I let out an embarrassed laugh and sniffed. “I just—”

“Do you love our sister?” Vera stared up at Shep with a hard look on her face.

“Vera! You can’t—”

“Yes.” Shep answered without any hesitation. When I snapped my head around to face him, he smiled. “You didn’t know that? Of course, I love you, Maxine.”

Nellie squealed a little too loud and the baby started to cry. She winced and apologized to Vera.

“Shit. Sorry!”

“Will you take her to her daddies, Shep? Pretty please? I’d like to talk with my sister a little more.” Vera waited until Shep took my niece from me and held up her hand. “Look at him, Max. He looks good with a baby in his arms, doesn’t he?”

He did. He really, really did. His smile when he winked at me was warm and full of love. And I could see it so clearly after hearing him say it. He loved me.

“Maxie looked good holding a baby, too. Just saying.”

Vera barely waited for him to walk off to grab me and shake me.

“He loves you! No more playing games. No more letting our mother control you. You need to go change into something sexyand tell those men you love them. Because it’s so obvious you do. I refuse to have a sister of mine acting so foolishly when it comes to hot, hot men. Do you understand me?”

I frowned at her.

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