Page 30 of Grumpy Ex's Secret Baby

“Actually,” Haley said with a sheepish smile as she sat down and started filling her plate with food. “That’s your copy. There are second copies of the other albums too.”

“Why?”

“I was thinking that someday, maybe, if I ever changed my mind, I would tell you about her. I wasn’t sure it would ever happen, but I wanted to have something for you in case I did.”

I nodded, trying to process that information. She didn’t want me in Trinity’s life, but she had taken steps to give me an insight into it in case she changed her mind. She was a confusing woman at best.

Each time I thought I understood what was happening, she changed the game.

“Why were you so opposed to me being in Trinity’s life?” I asked as I filled my plate with a few slices of the roast I had made and a few fresh rolls with gravy.

“I know you always said you wanted a big family when we were younger, but then we had that breakup, and both of us started living our own lives. I thought you would have changed your mind when you got older.”

“How would you know that without asking me?”

She scooped up a big spoonful of the scalloped potatoes and put them on her plate. “I wouldn’t. Just because we were, thirty-six then didn’t mean either of us were any smarter. You treated me like shit that night, and I treated you like shit in return.”

“We were no better than the teenagers we used to be.”

“We weren’t.”

For a few moments, we were silent as we ate. When Haley finally looked up, she frowned at me and ran a hand through her hair.

“If we’re being completely honest, I was worried about fame doing the same thing to you that it did to my mother. I was thinking that you would get wrapped up in the drugs and overdose like she did.”

“Why would you ever think that?”

Haley shrugged. “It’s all that I’ve ever known. The fame only brings destruction, and I didn’t want our daughter to go through the same pain that I did growing up.”

I pushed my plate away from me and crossed my arms. She and I were going to talk. I wasn’t going to let this turn into another argument like all our other conversations.

“I’ve been talking to Camille more over the last few days. Before I ever came here, I had already signed the paperwork to transfer all the entertainment industry contracts and the like to Drew, another partner in the company.”

Haley sighed. “I know. You’ve said that you were looking to downsize, but with how interested the paparazzi are in you, how can you be sure they’re going to leave you alone?”

“Hales, I plan on going to the city as little as possible,” I said, leaning forward. “I plan on having my life here, where Trinity is. The paparazzi aren’t going to spend their time in a little town when I don’t have a model on my arm.”

“How can you be sure of that?”

“Would you want to travel several hours just to get a picture of a billionaire with no models or actors in it? Would you waste your time like that?”

“Not if I were them, but a secret baby would be pretty big news.”

I shook my head and got out of my seat to crouch in front of her. “Hales, I’m just a man with a lot of money. They don’t care about me unless I’m with somebody from the entertainment industry.”

Haley swallowed hard and nodded. “I’m scared.”

“I know. I want to settle down, though, Haley. I want to buy a house here, give Trinity her own room, and spend time with our daughter. I want to settle down and grow small businesses. I want to bring a good economy to this town.”

She looked hesitant as she stood up and started pacing around the room. Haley ran her hand through her hair as I moved from the dining room to the living room and sat down. She joined me a few moments later.

“Let’s say that we start easing her into your life. You say you’re done with the city, but what happens with your company?”

“I’m not going to be working in the city. I can do all my work from here and build the business. I will have to return to the city for big events, but I would leave Trinity here with you. She doesn’t need to be in the public eye like that.”

I was serious. When I would have to return to New York to deal with events, I wouldn’t even think of bringing Trinity with me. She would stay with Haley, safe from all the cameras.

Haley nodded to herself, looking down at the ground. I wondered what was running through her head at that moment. Was she thinking about everything that had happened with her mother?

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