Page 117 of Love Me Like You Do

“In Boston.”

“That’s right.”Please don’t be looking for money.

“And what do you do?” she asked Hailey.

He was relieved she didn’t want to pursue that angle.

“I’m a fashion designer. I work for Abbott’s of London.”

“No kidding? I grew up wearing those nightgowns. Which I guess explains why I got pregnant at sixteen. My family was very strict and conservative.” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry. No offense.”

Hailey smiled. “None taken. It’s definitely conservative. But the company is great to work for.”

When it seemed they’d run out of things to say, the woman rubbed her hands on her jeans. “You sure you don’t want something to drink?”

“We’re fine but thank you.” Hailey gave the woman a kind, warm smile.

“You probably think I’m an awful person, giving up my own baby.”

“What?” Hailey asked. “No. Not at all. Please, don’t think that for a second.”

“I appreciate that. I don’t talk about it much. Well, at all. It wasn’t a good time in my life.” She got up and moved behind the love seat. “Me and my boyfriend, we wanted to keep the baby, but our parents…they wouldn’t hear of it. They tried to scare us into going along with their plan. And boy, did it work. They said the baby would cry all day and night, that we’d only ever get dead-end, minimum wage jobs…we’d never get ahead, never realize our dreams. Of course, we broke up. He went to college, and I…well, I didn’t do so well. Not at first. I had another child. But eventually, I got my act together and went to beauty school.” She wore a proud smile. “And now, I have my own salon. It’s not fancy, but I do all right.”

“That’s great.” Hailey motioned around the room. “And you have such a lovely home here.”

“Oh, this isn’t mine. It’s too expensive here. I’m over in Victor, on the other side of the mountain. This is my daughter Tate’s place.” She headed to the mantel and tapped a framed photograph of a young family. “Tate’s amazing. I wasn’t the best mom to her in the early years. Maybe that’s why she’s so independent and strong. She’s an amazing mom to my granddaughter.”

It was only then that he noticed the baby swing hanging in the doorway, the fleece blanket on the couch, and various toys on the floor.

“She’s just getting the baby up from a nap. Probably changing her diaper. You know how it goes.” She came back to the love seat. “Gosh, where was I? I’m all over the place right now. I’m just nervous. I’ve never talked to anyone about what happened back then.”

“You don’t have to tell us. We’re just here to let you know what happened to him.”

So, that’s how she wants to play it.She obviously wasn’t sure about this woman.

“You have to know it was a closed adoption. Of course, no one told us that. No one explained anything. I had the baby—didn’t even hear him cry. He didn’t make a peep. Next thing I knew, they’d taken him out of the room. That was it.” She grew concerned. “Did he find a good home? I probably shouldn’t even ask that. I don’t have the right.”

“You can ask us anything,” Cole said. “He went through a few homes, but the last one stuck. He got to stay there all through high school.”

Her fingers flexed in the cushions. “That doesn’t sound good. The last one ‘stuck.’”

“He had Lindsay, his wife.” Hailey smiled. “They were inseparable.”

“I’m glad. I never had a love like that.”

“Hello.” A gorgeous, well-put-together woman came into the living room holding her baby. “I’m Tate, and this little bug is Josie.” She had far more confidence than her mother. “I’m very sorry to hear about Darren and his wife.”

Something his own mother hadn’t said yet. Not that Cole was judging.

Okay, maybe he was judging a little. Those girls deserved the best, most loving home, and he wasn’t convinced Darren’s mother was it.

“Yes, we’re all heartbroken,” Hailey said.

“I’m so sorry for their daughters. How are they doing?” Tate asked.

Yet another question the mom hadn’t asked.

“So far, they’re okay. I think they’re just too young to understand, but we’ve been encouraging them to remember their parents. Trying to hold onto as many memories as we can.”