Page 43 of The Housekeeper's Billionaire Boss
“I found out he died of a drug overdose shortly after I left him.”
Molly was struggling to keep her thoughts in order. “So, if my mom and brother know Ellie isn’t Derek’s, why are they threatening to take her?”
Shrugging, Brenda said, “They said they didn’t believe me, and I told them to go ahead and have a paternity test done.”
Raking her hand through her hair, Molly tried to catch her breath. Ellie wasn’t Derek’s child. A smile stretched on her lips. “So a single paternity test will prove that?”
Brenda nodded. “His name isn’t even on the birth certificate.” She pinched her lips together. “He knew that.”
“So, he kinda thought Ellie wasn’t his from the beginning?” asked Josiah.
“I think so,” Brenda replied. “I’m not fighting the termination of rights. I spoke to your lawyer this morning and told her everything. Mostly, I just wanted to talk to you, Molly, and tell you thanks for adopting Ellie.”
Tears pooled in Molly’s eyes and trickled down her cheeks. “I love her so very much. I can’t thank you enough for letting me have her.”
Brenda and Molly stood at the same time and embraced. Now they were both crying. “You helped me see my worth, Molly. I’ll never be able to repay you.”
Josiah’s phone rang, and Molly looked at him. Work on New Year’s Eve? And right in the middle of this?
He stood, walked a few feet, and put the phone to his ear. Molly didn’t care anymore. Whatever he’d paid the lawyer, she’d find a way to pay it back. Her days of being abandoned were over.
She leaned back and smiled at Brenda. “Thank you so much for trusting her with me. I promise to put her first every time, all the time.” A promise she could wholeheartedly keep now that she realized Josiah was no different than all the other men in her life.
“I know.” Brenda dropped her arms and stepped back. “I need to get back to my family. My grandma is making black-eyed peas and collard greens, and they’re the best.”
Molly nodded. “Yeah,” she said, looking in Josiah’s direction. “We need to get back to Caprock Canyon. His family is waiting on us. Thanks again.”
“You too.” Brenda turned and walked away.
Josiah approached Molly and smiled. “That was—”
Holding her hand up, Molly stopped him. “It’s okay. You don’t need to explain. Thank you for bringing me here. I feel like I can breathe again.”
“I kinda do need to explain, though. That was Ms. Salinas. She says we should go ahead and get a paternity test. Once it’s proven Derek isn’t the father, the case is pretty much over. Of course, we’ll still have the court appearance, but as soon as the courthouse opens again, she says we’ll get the extension so the test can be administered.”
Now she felt a tiny bit guilty for automatically assuming it was work. It didn’t change her feelings about things, but at least he’d kept his word. “Okay, when and where does that need to happen?”
“She said she’d get it set up after the new year.”
Nodding, Molly hugged herself. “Thank you.”
Josiah hugged her, and she stiffened. She needed to set things straight. Pulling free, she stepped back. “Josiah, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and Ellie, from the teddy bear to the lawyer, but I made a promise to Brenda that I intend to keep.”
His eyebrows knitted together. “Okay. What does that mean?”
“It means that the last few weeks have been emotional, and I crossed a line I shouldn’t have. I promised her Ellie would be my first priority. You’re a great guy, but I made a rule that I wouldn’t date while Ellie was young. I mean it, and I’m keeping that promise.” Molly could see the pain in his eyes, but she couldn’t and wouldn’t let herself be swayed. Sooner or later, he’d leave, and she knew it.
“Right. I, uh, I know. It’s okay.” He smiled the world’s saddest smile. It barely lifted the corners of his lips. “We should probably get back so we can watch the fireworks.”
Molly took his hand in hers. “I’m not trying to hurt your feelings.”
His smile widened. “You didn’t. Ellie comes first, and that’s the way it should be.” He pulled his hand away and hooked a thumb toward the truck. “Let’s get on the road.”
Turning, she watched him walk toward his pickup. The closer he got, the more rounded his shoulders became. She’d hurt him, and for that, she was deeply sorry. Part of her wanted to run after him, but that was quickly drowned out by the logical part of her brain. The one that said it was better for him to hurt now than later.
This was the right move. But even as she thought it, a small voice chastised her. For the first time in her life, she’d done the walking away, and it felt just as bad as all those times people had walked away from her.
Chapter 20
