about Florida, but whether she’d retained that information or not was anyone’s guess.
“For moving,” Diane said. “For me, you, and Dad to live in a house near the beach.”
Ruby’s face lit up. “That sounds nice.”
“It will be.”
“But you shouldn’t do anything you don’t want to. No matter how much money it pays.”
Diane rubbed the back of her neck. “There’s more to it, though. I…I’m pregnant. So I really need that money.”
“You’re pregnant?” Ruby’s eyelashes fluttered. “Have you told me this before? Did I forget?”
“No, Mom, I haven’t told you. I haven’t told anyone. It’s been this big secret I’ve been carrying around.”
“A baby,” she murmured in amazement. “That’s wonderful.”
“Yes. It is.” Diane’s voice cracked. Finally! Someone to share that joy with. Even if it was only for a minute.
“Who is the father?”
“Kai. The guy with the investment firm.”
“Oh. Yes. Right.”
“But I can’t tell him,” Diane said. “I can’t have someone like him in my life, in my child’s life. That’s why I’ve kept the whole thing a secret. I’m going to take the money from my job with him, move to Florida, and never see him again.”
Ruby turned her face and looked out across the park. She was quiet for so long that Diane wondered if she’d already forgotten their whole conversation.
Oh, well. It had felt nice to talk.
“What did Kai say?” Ruby asked. “When you told him you found those emails?”
Diane opened her mouth, momentarily shocked into speechlessness. So her mom hadn’t lost all of their talk just yet.
“Um, he said…nothing. I didn’t tell him.”
“You didn’t ask him about the emails?”
“No. Why would I do that?”
Ruby looked her straight in the eye. “Because then he can explain himself.”
The hairs on Diane’s arms stood on end. She could have been knocked over with a feather.
Her mom was never this cognizant.
“But he would lie,” Diane said.
“Are you so sure about that?”
“I…I…” Her face burned. “I don’t know.”
“Then you should ask him.” Ruby patted Diane’s hand. “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, you know.”
“Right.” Diane stared at her mother, still having trouble believing this was happening.
“I’m ready to go.” Ruby stood and started walking in the opposite direction of home.
“Hold on, Mom. The apartment is this way.”
And like that, their honest, clear-headed, miraculous conversation was over. Ruby would probably never remember it.
Diane always would, though. Her mother’s opinion had hit hard, and she couldn’t believe how stubborn she’d been.
If she didn’t give Kai a chance to explain his side of the story, she realized then, she would spend the rest of her life regretting it.
Chapter 18
Kai
Leaning forward in his seat, Kai gazed from his private jet at the approaching New York City skyline. He’d been in California for three days, and while he’d initially thought the trip would feel too long, he’d soon come to find it was exactly what he needed.
For two full days, he had camped, fished, and hiked with his parents. Away from his regular life, he had been able to step back and put everything into perspective.
He’d been through hard times before. Everyone had. Truth was, it was how you dealt with things that made all the difference.
He’d dealt with the Diane situation rather poorly.
No matter.
That was now in the past. He was flying into New York a new person.
The good news about Diane’s presence in his life was that it had taught him some things. He’d learned what he really wanted. Namely, a secure and serious relationship. For many years, he hadn’t been ready for that, and now he was.
He had also learned the importance of learning when to let go. He’d pushed the situation with Diane and, in the end, caused them both extra hurt.
Well, no more.
The plane landed at JFK, and he walked down the ramp to the waiting car.
“Welcome back, Mr. Weiss,” Andrew, one of Kai’s regular drivers, said from the front seat.
“Thank you. I hope you’re well.”
“I am, sir. To your home?”
Kai glanced at his wristwatch and considered his options. Almost five. If he were to return home, there would be nothing to do except for unpack and make dinner. Maybe work out.
He already sensed the incredible loneliness that would come along with those activities.
“No,” he decided. “Take me to my office.”
He settled into his seat, enjoying the air-conditioning and the thrum of tires on the road. There was a string of emails in his inbox, but Brie had taken care of most of his recent responsibilities.
As the car got closer to Weiss Enterprises, the empty feeling he’d hoped to keep