Page 38 of The Housekeeper's Billionaire Boss
Bear rubbed his face with his hands. “I’m not unhappy. Just don’t do that again.” He pulled Carrie Anne into a hug. “I know it was out of love, but I can find my own dates.” He held her out from him. “Now, tell everyone your news.”
News? Josiah looked from Bear to Carrie Anne.
She grinned. “It’s official. I’m pregnant.”
Everyone clapped and cheered, scaring Ellie and Travis. Both babies broke out in wails, and the family quickly calmed down.
Handing Ellie to Josiah, Molly said, “As far as Christmases go, this one is kind of exciting. Ours usually ended with my brother and me watching TV.”
“It’s not typically like this. Although, last year Gabby announced she was pregnant.” He paused a minute. Now that he thought about it, Christmas was probably never going to be the same again. “I guess they’re going to be different from now on with my brothers and my sister being married, having kids.” He looked down at Ellie. “That’s okay, though. I can picture Ellie when she’s a little older, tearing open gifts, her eyes sparkling.”
Molly leaned her shoulder against his. “Can’t say I haven’t pictured the same thing. I don’t want to spoil her with things, but I think it’s fun to watch kids open gifts.”
“Yeah.”
“Hey,” she said, dipping her head to catch his gaze. “Are you okay?”
Nodding, he said, “I’m fine.” He smiled. It wasn’t totally untrue. Mostly, he was, well, he didn’t know exactly what he was. Maybe a little heartsick to see his siblings so blissfully happy, excited about their futures, while he was wondering if he was ever going to have that.
Sure, he’d agreed to marry Molly, but it was a marriage on paper. Nothing more. It wasn’t friendship, love, and commitment. Not the things he’d been taught that were important in a relationship.
Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts. It was Christmas. Not the time to be thinking deep. He’d worry about all that stuff later. For now, he’d be happy with what he had.
Chapter 17
The day after Christmas, Molly and Josiah were in the study speaking with Ms. Salinas. It had been a shock when she called during breakfast. They’d left Ellie with Carrie Anne and quickly went to the study so they could actually hear her.
“Okay. After spending some time going over the case, I think we have a good shot. Not great, but good. Texas judges don’t like terminating parental rights. So, if Brenda wants to change her mind, they’re likely to listen.”
Molly’s heart dropped to the floor. “So…Brenda can take her back?” She’d tried every number she’d had for Brenda, and either they were disconnected or it was the wrong number. She’d even tried to call Derek, but he wouldn’t answer his phone.
“She can. However, after speaking to the doctor who delivered Ellie, I think we can convince the court that she didn’t want Ellie. The OB who delivered Ellie backed up your statement that Brenda didn’t even want to touch her.”
Molly chewed her thumb as she stood in front of the desk. “She didn’t. Even my mom wouldn’t take her. They handed Ellie to my brother, and he almost threw her into my arms.”
Papers shuffling filtered through the phone. “Do you have any idea what might have happened in the last few weeks to make Brenda or your brother change their minds?”
“Molly said she thinks her mom might have offered them money, but we wouldn’t know how to prove that,” Josiah said as he put his arm around Molly.
“Well, I’m not sure we could use that anyway. It wouldn’t be difficult to explain giving money to her son. Now, Brenda, on the other hand…that would be a little more difficult. We’d have to show cause, though, if we wanted to subpoena the Hines’s financial records.”
“Maybe we could try calling your brother again?” Josiah shrugged as he looked at Molly.
“Maybe.” Molly dropped her thumb from her mouth. “I’m not sure he’d be truthful with me even if my mom did give him money. I mean, I’d cut ties with him because he stole my credit card.”
Another call popped up on the screen of Josiah’s phone as it lay on the desk in front of them. He pulled free of Molly and picked it up. Raking his hand through his hair, he grumbled something Molly couldn’t make out.
Since the pie tasting, Josiah hadn’t had any more work emergencies. It didn’t keep the little doubts from bubbling up from time to time, but she continued to remind herself that they weren’t dating. She’d been the one to put that line in the sand, not him. Then again, she’d slowly been using her toe to bury it. It was a never-ending mental battle that left her ready for bed at the end of the day.
“It’s work. I need to answer this really quick,” Josiah said as he held Molly’s gaze. “Ms. Salinas, I need to put you on hold just a second. I’ll be right back.”
“Sure,” Ms. Salinas said.
Molly nodded, but the little insecurities she’d felt from before roared back to life. This wasn’t just a pie tasting. It was about Ellie, and he was putting it on hold for what? What could be more important than someone he loved?
He switched calls and stuck his hand in his pocket. “Hey…I know. I’m on another call at the moment. Let me finish with it, and you can have my full attention after.”
After a few more seconds of conversation, Josiah switched back to Ms. Salinas. “We’re back. Sorry about that.”
