Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Grr.
I angle the tablet, so his face doesn’t show in the window. “What is it?”
“I’ve come into some money of my own. A great deal. I can help you buy a real house now, and set you up with a trust fund, so you don’t have to vagabond about the country antiquing.”
I open my mouth to argue with her about the vagabonding remark but then close it again as something hits me.
“Where did the money come from, Mom?”
“Well… I’m trying to figure that out. It was a gift from one of my past admirers, I just can’t determine which one. I don’t know whether he died and left it in a will or what happened, exactly. I received a letter from the lawyer, and then the funds were in my account the next day. Thirty million!” She whispers the last two words.
A flush of awareness comes over me. I want to giggle and burst into tears at the same time. I have a strong suspicion about where that money came from.
“Wow, Mom. What are you going to do with it?”
“Well, I’m leaving James, for one thing,” she says. “I’m tired of him dangling money over my head as a means to control me.”
I suck in my breath. Tears stab my eyes. “That’s great.” My voice wobbles. “I guess your next relationship can be on your own terms.”
“That’s right, darling. So can yours.” She looks at me pointedly. “All I ever wanted was to give you a life of ease and luxury. Now I can finally do it.”
My God. Was my mother contorting herself into terrible relationships all these years believing she was doing it for me?
How absolutely tragic.
Two tears streak down my cheeks. “Mom, I didn’t need that,” I say. “Ease and luxury are overrated. Happiness isn’t. Personal fulfillment isn’t. Loving relationships aren’t.”
My mom waves her hand again, not noticing that I’m crying. “I know you think so, darling, but I wanted to provide. I wanted you to be provided for. I want my grandchildren to have a charmed existence.”
“They certainly will,” Gabriel murmurs for my ears only, his lips soft against my shoulder. His fingers stroke lightly up and down across my belly.
“So you don’t think I need to land a wealthy man anymore?” I try to keep my voice light, but I’m still a little choked up.
“You should look for that happiness, Tabitha. Love and your personal fulfillment. You’ve got a wealthy mom now.”
I let out a watery laugh. “That’s great, Mom. I’m so happy for you.”
“I love you, darling.”
“I love you, too. Happy new year.”
“Happy new year. Let me see that handsome date of yours again.”
I shift the screen, so Gabriel’s face comes into view.
“Be good to my daughter. She deserves it,” she says.
“I worship the ground she walks on,” Gabriel swears.
I let out a scoff, and he nips my shoulder.
“Bye, Mom.”
“Happy new year, Celeste,” Gabriel says and ends the call.
I stand and turn to face him. “You did that, didn’t you?”
“What, my treasure?” His expression is smooth and impassive.
“The money. Did you set my mother up because of what I told you?”
He inclines his head. “Your mother need not worry about money ever again.”
Fresh tears pop into my eyes. “You know you shot yourself in the foot, right? Because now she’s no longer in the Marry Tabitha off to a rich man camp?”
Gabriel’s large palms settle at my waist. “I didn’t think she was going to be the vote that swayed you, anyway,” he says softly. His gaze is warm and gentle. He reaches up to thumb away a tear.
I fall into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and straddling his waist with my knees bent. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Of course I did. She’s my family now.” He nuzzles in the open neckline of my robe, kissing it open until he reaches my breast.
“You’re pretty damn sure of yourself, aren’t you, dragon?”
He sucks one nipple into his mouth. It’s already sore and chafed from his previous attentions, but that doesn’t stop the zing of excitement from traveling straight to my ready core.
“I can’t fail at winning you, Tabitha.”
You won’t, I almost tell him. But I’m not ready to concede defeat yet. If it’s really a defeat. I’m beginning to think it might be a win-win. The happily ever after I always believed in, I just thought it wouldn’t be with the prince, but the pauper.
I pull back and cup his face. “Thank you. It means a lot to my mom, and that means something to me.”
“I know, my treasure. Don’t worry. I will always take care of the people who you love. Even those wolves of yours.”
“I don’t think they need you to take care of them. They do a decent job of that themselves.”
“I just mean I won’t harm them. They were my adversaries, but I won’t destroy them.”