Page 13 of Bad Boy Billionaire and the Single Mom

“No,” she says. “But please understand that he’s working through something right now. Give him time and space and see what happens. That’s all I can say about it.”

Curiosity piques within me and I can’t help but probe further. “What do you mean he’s working through something? What’s going on with him, Olivia? Is it about why he’s moved back? Is he having problems with his wife?”

It has not escaped my notice that he isn’t wearing a wedding ring.

A sigh escapes Olivia, a hint of frustration underlying her words. “Lily, it’s not my place to share his secrets. All I can say is that he has his journey to navigate—his demons to face. Give him the space he needs, and maybe he’ll open up to you in time.”

I find myself torn between respecting Blake’s privacy and my burning curiosity. The need to understand him on a deeper level gnaws at me, urging me to seek answers beyond what he has revealed.

“Okay, I won’t say anything. I’ll give him some space,” I agree. I was right. I always want what I can’t have.

“Thank you,” she says, sounding grateful.

“No, thank you for not thinking it’s weird,” I reply.

She laughs. “It’s not weird. Do you think I’m stupid? I know you had a crush on him when we were teenagers.” Thankfully, she sounds amused.

I laugh. Inside, I hope that she hasn’t figured out what happened at the graduation party—that it was me half-naked with her brother in his bedroom. I’m not sure I can cope with that level of embarrassment.

“Yeah, you caught that?” I can feel myself blushing.

“You’re not exactly subtle.” We both laugh at that.

The two of us chatter for a bit longer and by the time we say goodbye, I feel so much better about it all. I’m still left with a lingering sense of curiosity. Unable to resist the temptation, I grab my laptop and type Blake’s name into the search engine. As expected, there are pages of results and his own Wikipedia page. It still lists him as married and with a child, but there are no further details about his family.

I frown and scroll down the search page. Then I find the jackpot: tabloids talking about flings and a trail of heartbreak. I can feel my pulse quicken as I delve deeper down the rabbit hole. The headlines paint a picture of a charismatic playboy, with rumors and scandals following him like a shadow. My heart sinks as I come across stories of his past conquests, his reputation as a womanizer, and the dark secrets that seem to lurk beneath his charming facade. So…not bothered about his wife at all. It looks like he cheated. Maybe they’re divorced. She must have gotten sick of the affairs and left. I can hardly blame her.

This changes things. After knowing this I’m not sure if I can even like him at all. Uncertainty washes over me, mingling with a newfound wariness. How can I trust my feelings for someone with such a checkered past? The clash between the tender moments we shared this week and the unsavory details I’ve uncovered leaves me grappling with a sense of unease. Surely this can only end in heartbreak. But a part of me hangs onto what Olivia said, to give him time and space and to see what happens. Perhaps there is more to Blake than meets the eye, a complex tapestry of experiences and growth that I have yet to discover. With an open mind and a cautious heart, I’m determined to unravel the enigma that is Blake, even if it means confronting the skeletons in his closet.

Chapter 8

Blake

Isitonthecouch, my mind preoccupied with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The room feels oddly quiet, the absence of Emma’s laughter and playful chatter leaving an emptiness that I can’t quite shake. It’s the weekend, and I have alone time to spend with Ethan which I’ve been excited for after a busy week, but something feels off. Olivia has gone to a yoga class this morning.

We’re in the playroom and I watch as Ethan moves aimlessly around, his enthusiasm replaced with a somber expression. He seems withdrawn as if lost in his thoughts. A pang of concern tugs at my chest, and I can’t help but wonder what could be troubling him. Deep down, I know the answer. Ethan misses Emma. Their bond has formed quickly, a friendship that has brought out a different side of him. It felt like I had him back for a little while. The old Ethan was starting to return to me. With Emma not being here this weekend, he must be feeling the void, the absence of that connection.

As I observe Ethan, memories of their laughter and playtime together flood my mind. I think about him playing the keyboard as she sings, of them running around the garden together and soaking each other with water pistols, of them, building sandcastles in the garden. The joy that lit up his face when they were together was undeniable. It was a side of him I hadn’t seen in a long time, a side that makes my heart swell with happiness.

I realize that I’ve been so consumed by my feelings for Lily, of trying to avoid her this weekend, that I’ve overlooked the impact it would have on Ethan. In my pursuit of finding a balance between my mixed emotions and the responsibilities of fatherhood, I’ve unintentionally neglected the needs of my son. I should have arranged a play date or even warned him that it would just be us again this weekend, but I forgot. It’s a rookie mistake. I need to do better.

Guilt washes over me as I see the sadness etched on Ethan’s face. I want to reach out to him, to offer comfort and reassurance. But I also understand that it’s not just Emma’s absence that’s affecting him; it’s the changes in our lives and the uncertainty that comes with it.

I make my way toward Ethan, crouching down to his eye level.

“Hey, buddy,” I say softly, hoping to break through the walls he has built around himself. “Are you doing okay today?”

He looks at me for a moment, his face blank and I know the answer. With a sigh, I settle on the floor and pat my lap, gesturing for him to sit down. I worry for a second that he won’t, but he climbs onto me. Ethan looks up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of longing and sadness. I can sense the hesitation in his gaze as if he’s unsure whether he can fully trust my words. It breaks my heart to see him like this, and I’m determined to cheer him up and make him feel better.

“You’re not okay. I understand,” I tell him softly. “You miss Mommy and now you’ve got a friend, and you miss her too. I promise Emma is coming back, okay? She’s not disappeared like Mommy has, okay? Emma is coming back. She’ll be here on Monday, so that’s two sleeps, okay?” I try to make things as simple as possible, so he understands. Ethan nods and I can see the relief on his face.

“That’s how things will be. Okay?” I continue. “Daddy is training Lily and until she can run the shop, I’ll be with her in the week. You’ll have Emma to play with until you go to your new school. Daddy’s working hard to find us a new house close to Livy. That means that Emma will be just around the corner, okay?”

He looks up at me, a lot happier and he nods. I’m happy that I have figured out what he needed to hear. It’s so difficult when I’m met with silence all the time. But this time, I’ve managed to figure it out.

“I know it’s tough without Emma here, but we can still have fun, just the two of us. I’m excited to spend time with you. You’re still my favorite person,” I tell him. “We can do something special together,” I continue, my voice gentle and earnest. “What would you like to do? We can go to the park?” I suggest.

He makes no indication that he’s listening to me, but I know that he’s taking in what I say. “What about a board game?” I ask, but I’m still missing the mark, he merely stares at the floor. “Hey, how about we go and find somewhere we can get pancakes?” It’s something we used to do together in the city. Saturday mornings were pancake time. I don’t know why I’ve not thought about it before now. I should have tried to keep things familiar for him.

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