Page 125 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“His brothers, for one. Or two. The jerks. They actually accused me of targeting Jonas for his money.”

“Ugh.” Annabeth’s eyes narrowed. “Is that when you left?”

“Like an idiot. And then I totaled my car. Jonas wanted us to stay with him after I got out of the hospital,” she said. “And then, when my mother showed up, he let her know that he planned to marry me. He hadn’t bothered to ask me, and I was right there in the room with them. It was as if I didn’t exist or matter.”

“What an ass,” Annabeth said. “He proposed to your mom instead ofyou?”

“Well—” Regret tightened Rachel’s throat. “Yeah. He did. He was right about staying with him. I was out of it after the accident, and the hospital had given me a bunch of pain killers, and they’d warned us that I shouldn’t be alone.” She shook her head. “My mother was in rare form. And he reacted the way he probably has for years about most things. He’s the head of his family. It’s natural for him to take charge when there’s something going on at his resort, and trust me, my motherwasa problem.”

She’d never forget the sinking feeling when she’d seen her mother standing in the foyer of Jonas’s house. It had felt like all the worst parts of her past catching up with her.

“So what?” Annabeth kept her eyes on the road. “That doesn’t mean what he did was okay.You don’t have to accept his upbringing as an excuse for the way he acted. You’re not one of his relatives that he keeps tabs on. You’re your own woman. He doesn’t just get tosaythat he’s going to marry you. Did he really say that?”

“Yes. He announced it. Like it was a done deal.”

“A person can’tdothat,” Annabeth insisted. “That’s a discussion you have together.”

“I know, Annabeth. I know.” Rachel looked out the window, at the snow-covered hills rolling by them on the highway. Gray clouds hung low in the sky, and every so often the sun broke through.

Rachel had been so hurt at the way he’d completely ignored her when speaking to her mother that she’d needed to leave. She’d wanted him to prove his love by letting her go. And he had. She just hadn’t been prepared for him to let her go without a fight, without trying to persuade her to stay. Without saying he loved her. But then, she hadn’t said it either.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Are you okay?” Annabeth asked softly.

“Not really,” she answered.

Rachel would have to be okay by the time they got back to her apartment. Scott would need her, and her life needed her. She didn’t have time to wallow in self-pity about what she could have said to Jonas. They’d had an amazing week together, but that was it. It was over. All that was left was to decide what to do about Jonas having visitation rights with his son. Not exactly an ideal situation.

You could have talked to him.

Annabeth shifted into the other lane and back again, remaining silent.

Rachel kept her gaze fixed on the snow—white like icing on a cake. Or white, like a wedding dress. She could almost see Jonas in a tux, looking devastatingly handsome and incandescently happy. None of which would happen because she hadn’t bothered to hash things out with him. Instead, she’d left.

Rachel swallowed a lump in her throat fairly certain that she’d probably made the worst decision of her life. She shifted in her seat to check on Scott again. He was still asleep, the stuffed elk clutched to him as if he would never let it go. Turning back around, her shoulder sent a shooting pain across her back.

It was too much to think about right now. Not with her emotions so raw.

The rest of the way back to Denver, they listened to music and talked about nothing personal. Annabeth carried her things inside the apartment. She’d only been gone a brief time, but it felt empty and dark. Rachel moved through her small place, turning on lights, and Annabeth played with Scott on the living room carpet.

“I don’t have anywhere to be,” Annabeth said. “I can stay awhile. Want some mac and cheese, Scott?”

“Mac cheese,” he repeated, and Rachel didn’t have the energy to protest. Annabeth went into the kitchen, Scott hot on her heels.

Rachel sat on the sofa. A chance to breathe. It seemed like only minutes had passed, but all too soon, the two of them were ready to eat.

Annabeth put Scott in the highchair attached to the table. She put his bowl in front of him, a spoon in his small fist, and dropped into the next seat.

“Is it good?” Annabeth asked Scott.

“Good,” he repeated, then turned in his seat and pointed his spoon at Rachel. “Mama, sit.” She smiled at her son, loving each new word he learned to say.

“She’s resting a minute,” Annabeth told him gently. “You know, Rachel...don’t overthink this. If he’s not able to give you what you want, he’s not the right man for you. I’m the last person who thinks you need to stay with him just because he’s Scott’s dad. Plenty of people coparent without living together.”

“I know,” Rachel said. But her friend’s words didn’t help. No weight lifted from her tired shoulders. Nothing helped. All she could think about was what itwouldfeel like if she were settling into Jonas’s arms tonight as she remembered what it felt like when he held her close. Not that she wanted to admit that to Annabeth. “Thank you for sticking around,” Rachel added.

“You want me to stay the night?”

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