Mistletoe Magic (Paradise Place #6) - Natalie Ann Page 0,4

no choice in the matter.

Robin had cried when she showed it to him. She’d cried a lot in his office.

And every single time, he’d gotten her tissues. He’d gotten her water. He’d held her hand.

He’d been there for her when the man she’d married and thought she loved had embarrassed her and broken her heart.

And when Alex’s parents contacted Brian with a settlement and she wanted to throw it back in their faces, he’d calmly told her that it was her right to do it, but since she didn’t want anyone to know what happened, that the least she could do was think about it.

“I don’t want their blood money,” she’d argued with Brian.

“I understand. As your lawyer, I think you should take it. They want you to keep quiet on this, but I’m recommending you don’t sign any nondisclosure either. This is going to come out at some point and you don’t want them to accuse you.”

“You’re right. He can’t keep this a secret forever. It’s going to happen again and again. I know that. Someone is going to find out and I don’t want to be associated with it.”

“How about we set up a meeting and air it all out?”

“Only if we do it here,” she said to him when they were in his office. Not even the conference room, but his office, just the four of them talking quietly.

“Of course.”

So he’d arranged it all. It was the first time she’d seen Alex’s parents since she’d left him. His mother came in crying and hugging her. His father not crying but apologizing. She’d realized they weren’t trying to buy her off, but rather compensate her and maybe...make themselves feel better.

In the end she agreed to the settlement and everyone hoped the other kept quiet.

It was Alex’s life and he could do what he wanted.

Just like she was going to do what she wanted too.

Starting with seeing Brian Dawson again.

2

The Perfect One

The house was officially hers. The first house she’d ever owned herself too.

Before Alex, she’d lived in apartments and then moved into his house. The house he still had. Whether he was there alone she had no clue, nor did she care.

But here she was directing the movers where to put things in her house in Paradise Place.

Could she have built a new house? Or a bigger one in the newer section of the development?

Of course she could have. But she was a simple girl from a middle class family that happened to catch the eye of a man with money.

Paradise had been the life she’d thought she’d get when her last name became Fischer.

Instead it was heartache and she couldn’t shed that from her life fast enough.

But why not live somewhere that she could find a little joy in?

Her new house was way too big for just her, but dang it all, she was going to find someone one of these days and she was going to have a family like she dreamed.

Until then, there was a lot of space for her and the first puppy she was going to bring home from the shelter. The yard was even fenced in. Bonus!

Once she was in the house unpacking, she heard a knock at the back door and went toward it. She couldn’t imagine who it could be.

“Hi,” the woman said. “I’m Blair Aire. Oh my, that rhymes. I haven’t really said it much.”

“I’m Livi Aire. And you’re in my old house.”

Robin smiled at the two of them. The blonde who was holding a plant in her hand, and the little girl who was holding a plate of cookies.

“I like your old house,” she told Livi.

“We had to take the swing set because I told Daddy I wasn’t giving it up. I hope you don’t have kids and we took it from you. But we did bring you cookies.”

“Thank you for the cookies. Would you like to come in?”

“We don’t want to bother you,” Blair said. “We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. Paradise Place is a great place to live. And of course I know you’re aware Philip is just in the backyard if you have any questions or concerns about the house. It’s actually my fence in the back and there is a gate on my side if you need to sneak through.”

“Thanks for letting me know about the fence.” She held the door open for them and then followed them to the kitchen. They obviously knew their way. “This is my first house