Seeking Happily Ever After (Ever After #8) - Elena Aitken Page 0,50

ways that Nick was not about to start explaining to Chris. Let alone the way they’d very quickly taken their relationship to the next level and how it all felt so natural just to be with her that Nick spent most of his time reminding himself that they’d promised each other easy, with no expectations. Just when he was thinking that there might actually be more to what was going on between them, Char had reminded him quite clearly the other night that there wasn’t.

He took a breath. “She’s really, really great.”

“That’s all really…great,” Chris said with an odd look. “But if she’s that involved with Amelia, you should probably prepare her for what it will mean if Jessica shows up.”

No. He wouldn’t do that because it wouldn’t get to that point. He’d told Charlotte how terrible it was to be raised by an addict, and Jessica was…no. He wasn’t going to let it happen, so there was no point in worrying her about it when there wasn’t going to be anything to worry about.

“She should be on the same page.” Chris looked at him and dropped his pen on the desk. “But don’t panic yet, okay?”

That was easy for him to say.

“Just wait and see what happens. If Jessica does contact you, we’ll make sure she has a clean drug test and a recommendation from her caseworker, okay? We won’t just let her take the baby. We’ll keep her safe, Nick.”

Nick stood and rolled his neck before staring directly at his lawyer. “Damn straight we will.”

Charlotte took a moment to practice the cleansing breaths her therapist had taught her when it came to dealing with or thinking about Billy. Of course, that had been in regards to dealing with memories of him, or the occasional phone call. That had not included how she should handle things when it came to dealing with him in person.

Still. She’d come a long way. She wasn’t the same woman who’d fallen for his bullshit before. She was different. Confident. Sure of herself. Strong. He couldn’t get to her. He couldn’t hurt her.

She exhaled and rounded the corner, ready to see the man who’d tried to take everything from her.

It wasn’t Billy waiting for her, but a woman. She stood to the far edge of the patio, her back to Charlotte, gazing out over the valley below, and she didn’t appear to have noticed Charlotte yet.

Char moved so the table was between her and the stranger before she spoke. “Hello? Can I help you?”

Jolted from whatever trance she’d been in, the woman turned around. “It sure is beautiful here,” she said, without acknowledging Char at all. “Peaceful. Like you could really get lost in yourself, you know?”

Char nodded despite the fact that she had no idea what the other woman was talking about. “Can I help you?” She shaded her eyes in order to see the woman a little better. “Were you looking for someone?”

Finally, the woman took a step close enough that Charlotte could see her a little better. She was pretty. With blonde, wavy hair that fell over her slight shoulders. She was dressed simply in jeans and a sweater that was probably a bit too warm for the late April day. She wore sunglasses, so Char couldn’t see her eyes, but something about the woman gave off the air of exhaustion. As if she hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before. Or the night before that.

“I’m looking for Nick,” she said after a moment. “Nick Newton.”

Char nodded but didn’t speak. She tried to keep her breathing even, but something about the woman set off alarm bells, and she sure as hell hoped it wasn’t who she thought it could be. But surely she was wrong. Nick said she was out of the picture. Not a concern. But…maybe this woman was an old girlfriend trying to track him down? Yes. That must be—

“I knew he’d have a nice house, but this is…” The woman turned and once again stared out over the valley. “It’s amazing.”

Char worked hard to keep her breathing under control. Because, no, this was not any ordinary woman from Nick’s past. On some level, she knew it the moment she’d seen her. This petite blonde woman was Amelia’s mother. Charlotte knew it in her gut, and it was a million times worse than if it had been Billy waiting for her.

She tried to keep her voice light when she asked the question that would confirm what she already knew.