Page 104 of Mail Order Surprise (Hawthorne Billionaire 3)

“Trey said they have baseball games and volleyball games in the park, too,” I said.

“Mummy, I want more of those somia cookies,” Sophie chimed in. “I can’t ride a bike, but a horse ride would be fun.”

“I think they’re called Insomnia cookies. Good job remembering that name.” I laughed at her crinkled-up face when I said the real name.

“Should we do a daytime or nighttime horse ride?” Mia asked. “Maybe a late afternoon ride, just before dark.”

“Can we go today for a horse ride?” Sophie asked. “Can Dr. Trey and Uncle Parker go too?”

“We can ask them if they want to go, but they might be busy working,” I said. “Maybe we can just stay at Aunt Mia’s house and play a game today.”

“Okay, Grandma bought me some games. We can play them.” Sophie said. “Can I watch a movie on the tv while we’re in the princess car?”

“You can watch one of the movies in the cabinet.” Mia helped her get a movie going.

We all watched the movie for a while until Sophie drifted off to sleep. I considered pretending I was sleeping as well, so Mia wouldn’t try to talk, but the conversation was going to have to happen sooner or later.

“Go ahead and ask. I know you’re twitching to.” I leaned my head back to try and relax. “I’ll start. I have to go back because I can’t see Trey marry someone else.”

“Chloe, all you have to do is let him know you’re interested in him and he probably wouldn’t marry someone else.” Mia argued. “We can all see he is interested in you.”

“I can’t do that to Victoria or Trey. The purchase has already been made.” I looked out the window at the landscape. “That wouldn’t be very fair to the bride. She may really need this, just like you did.”

“I hadn’t thought about that, but that doesn’t seem like your only reason. Something else is going on.” Mia leaned forward in her seat. “You’ve been acting strange when your boss calls.”

“Okay, it’s time to tell you. My boss isn’t the one calling, because I don’t have that job anymore. I just said I did so you wouldn’t worry.” I continued to look out the window.

“So, who’s calling you and upsetting you?” Mia pushed for more information. “Do you need more money? I can help you with that.”

“Mia, Jimmy has been calling me. He found out that I left Australia with Sophie,” I said.

“What does that matter? You told me he isn’t in the picture,” Mia said. “Is that what you’re lying about? You said you lied to me.”

“Yes, that’s it. Jimmy has been giving me a hard time,” I went on. “I had to contact him when Sophie got ill, in case we needed his blood. Plus, I needed family history.”

“You told me he gave her up,” Mia said. “Are you saying he wants back in her life?”

“Yes and no. He doesn’t care about her, just what he can get for her,” I tried to explain.

“What do you mean, ‘get for her’?” Mia looked at me confused. “He wants to get something for her?”

“Mia, he doesn’t want her. He doesn’t want to be her dad. He just wants money,” I finally blurted out. “Don’t you get it? His name is on her birth certificate. I never got a judgement removing him. So now he wants to have me arrested for leaving the country without his permission.”

“He can’t do that,” Mia argued. “He said he didn’t want her.”

“It doesn’t matter what he said then. I didn’t get it in writing in court.” I sighed. “He found out you married into the Hawthorne family, and now he wants money to release himself from Sophie.”

“Oh my God, Chloe. Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” Mia cried out. “I’ll give him money to make him go away. He is a horrible person, a horrible father.”

“He wants a lot of money, and I can’t let you do that. You already gave a lot of yourself just for her surgery.” I took Mia by the hands. “I’ll go back. I won’t let him do this and I’ll get the court order to remove him as her father.”

“I can’t let you go back and deal with him by yourself.” Mia leaned back thinking. “There has to be something we can do.”

“I’ve been trying to figure it out. You see now why I have to go back?” I asked. “I can’t let him find out I’m interested in a Hawthorne. It’s bad enough that he thinks I have a family member married to one.”

“Chloe, I’ll call Kellan and see what he can figure out,” Mia perked up. “Kellan is a lawyer- he should be able to help.”

“Mia, this is why I didn’t tell you. I don’t want the Hawthornes involved in any more of our drama,” I begged. “I don’t want them to think less of me.”

---