Page 15 of Oh My Secret Christmas Baby
HOLLIS
Ihover outside of her bedroom door, not wanting to leave her alone. She still had tears in her eyes when she went off to bed. The last thing she needs is to be upset right now. She’s pregnant. The only tears she should have are happy ones while watching those ridiculous Hallmark Christmas movies Kindred is always rambling on about.
I force myself to go. There are things that need to be handled. The first is turning on the alarm. I don't use it half the time, but I know there is a feature that will alert you anytime a door or window opens and pinpoints which one. I turn that on along with the alarm. I want that feature on even when the alarm isn't on. She said she wouldn't run, but I can't take that chance. I also don’t know who this Max motherfucker is and what he’s capable of.
After I have that handled and working on my phone, I go into my office and call my mother. I want to know everything she does about Gwen. How she found her. If she was listed on a website for the company. Whatever details my mom can provide will help me. I also need her full name. That way I can have one of my men back in the city do a deep dive and get everything he can on her, this fertility clinic, and this Max.
“It’s late. Is everything okay?” Mom asks when she answers. It doesn’t matter how old I get, she always worries. It hits me that Gwen never had that. I’m sure my mom is more than willing to fill the role. But those are future plans, and we’re not there yet.
“No, everything isn’t okay. The girl you sent?—”
“The party planner?” Mom sounds confused.
“Yes, she arrived a few hours ago. I need you to tell me everything you know about her.”
“Wait, hold on.” I hear her shuffle around before the sound of a light clicking on fills the line. “The party planner isn’t there yet. I had dinner with her earlier to go over a few smaller details.”
“Are you sure she didn’t come afterward?”
“Hollis, Polly isn’t there yet. Are you telling me there is a girl there?”
“Who the hell is Polly?”
“The party planner.”
I’m taken aback. “A girl arrived here tonight. Her name is Gwen.”
“Is she still there?”
“I gave her a bedroom.”
“What! I told Polly you didn’t want her staying there and asked Mick to hold a room for her.” Mick owns one of the bed-and-breakfasts in town. “But whoever this girl is, you let her in and gave her a room?” Mom is flabbergasted. It’s not surprising. It doesn’t sound like me at all.
"I did."
"Hollis," my mother hisses. "Call the sheriff.”
"No."
"No?” she hisses. “Have you lost your mind?"
"Maybe so." If I have, I don't want to find it.
I tell my mother what’s going on. She jumps right over that Kindred and I were never dating because she never believed it. She wants the details on Gwen.
“That's terrible. She’s all alone and running scared,” Mom says when I get it all out. My mother in her corner is one of many things Gwen needs.
“She’s not alone.”
“I can tell that by the tone of your voice.” Mom pauses, and I hear a sniffle. “It’s how your father sounded when he talked about me.” My dad loved Mom fiercely. “Okay, what do you need from me?”
That’s Mom. Ready to take this on full force. I suppose that might be where I get that from. I, however, haven’t done it with a woman before. But I’ve never felt this kind of attraction before either.
“Well, I’d called to get information on her, but since she’s not the party planner, I guess you won’t be able to help me with that part.”
“But she said she was?”
“No, actually. She never said it. We assumed it.” Gwen didn’t correct it.
