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I shake my head. “No, I want a man who tells me to rise above. I’m not interested in petty games. Let Kat spew her poison. Let the world judge and laugh. I realized after everything my dad went through, it’s usually the most miserable, insecure people who have the loudest opinions and want the biggest say in other people’s lives.” I shake my head. “Let’s not be those people. Let Kat learn her own lessons. It’ll catch up to her one day and I want no part of it. I want bigger and better things than revenge.”
“Such as?”
“A family. A future. Our happily ever after. I want Dottie to be proud of us.”
His eyes shift down and to the left. For a moment, it’s just the sound of our breathing and muted chatter outside the carwindow as Hessler Group employees make their way into the building. “You remind me so much of her,” Dex finally says.
“Your grandma?”
Dex shakes his head. “My mom. What I remember of her, anyway.” He touches my cheek, then my lips. “Okay, my sweet wife. What do you want me to do?”
“Don’t buy Peak. Take the money and donate it to something that can help people. Let some good come out of all this.”
Dex nods. “You got it. Pick a cause. I’ll sign a check to whomever you want, baby.”
I kiss his forehead before climbing off his lap.
“Wait, now that my next meeting is canceled…” He grips the bulge in his pants. “Come here.”
Bridging my hips, I smooth out my skirt. “Well, now I have important work to do. I need to go research some charities before my next meeting.”
He rolls his eyes. “It can wait.”
I open the passenger door then wink over my shoulder. “Have your people call my people, Mr. Hessler. We’ll try to pencil you in for this afternoon.”
He’s still chuckling as I exit the car.
I almost forgot about Dottie’s letters. Last week was such a shitstorm that the cream-colored box completely slipped my mind until I returned to her office—my new office—and saw the box sitting where I left it last Monday.
The mystery calls me. Dex…with Jacob’s eyes. Could it be? I need a picture of Dex’s mother. The snapshot of Dottie and Jacob together isn’t enough. Of course, they were lovers…but did they produce a child? Is Dex a Hessler…or Hayes? And doeshe know? It’s a delicate line to toe. I’m not sure if Dottie was keeping secrets from her family or if Dex is keeping secrets from me. There’d be no need. My love is not remotely conditional on Dex’s last name. If I had it my way, Dex and I would’ve professed our feelings, dated for a while, then got married. I could picture us raising our children in his beautiful Vegas home. Meager to him, but still much too much for me. I’d love to invite my parents over for Sunday barbeques and open up the gate that separates Dex’s yard from Finn’s. That’s my happily ever after. Me and my family. Everybody safe.
Looking at the clock, I have exactly twenty minutes before I’m needed in the grand conference room on the third floor of the campus. Dex’s morning is filled with meetings and reports, but he promised he’d meet me there five minutes early.
With time to kill, I open the first letter on top of the pile.
I was expecting sweet love notes between long-lost friends and lovers. But the first few lines leave me speechless as I realize what a can of worms I’ve opened.
Dear Jacob,
This stack of letters is growing tall, and I’m worried I’ll never find you in time to give them to you. Where in the world are you?
I hope from the bottom of my heart, you’re faring better than I am right now.
I’m struggling with forgiveness.
Harrison had an affair. Apparently, it was a few months after our wedding. More than anything, I’m numb. I wanted to be so angry at him for being unfaithful, but haven’t I been, too? In matters of the heart, I’m just as much of a cheater as Harrison is. My mind is always on you. My heart, still yours.
I thought after some time with Harrison my feelings for you would fade. But it was the opposite. Now that Melody’s here, I feel more tethered to you than ever before, even though I can’t see you or touch you…you’re more real to me than ever.
The woman Harrison slept with…he said it was simply physical. If you want to know the truth about it, we didn’t even consummate our marriage until after Melody was born. He was so scared of a miscarriage. He barely let me walk on my own while I was pregnant with her. So here Harrison was, treating his pregnant wife like a princess while he worked out his primal urges with another woman.
But that’s not all Harrison confessed to this morning. That affair produced a child to a mother who is not fit to be a mother.
Harrison’s parents were furious. They begged me not to make a fuss. Their reputation as American royalty is far more important than actual lives, of course. Apparently, they handled it. From what I understand, the payout was substantial. They paid her to essentially disappear from our lives. Harrison’s indiscretion erased with a hefty deposit.
With the scandal handled, I’m the only wildcard. I suppose I could ruin him if I wanted to, but what good would that do? Maybe I’m supposed to feel brokenhearted, but I suppose I’m not because my heart is safe and sound with you, wherever you are.
If I’m being honest…my mind is on the baby. From the timing, it’d be near Melody’s age. Harrison wants nothing to do with the child…