Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Nikki settled back into her chair. “Umm, however Harrison acted today, I promise you and your baby will have a huge family for support. After they met me on the island, before Asher and I were officially together, the Dares all but adopted me. You’re going to find yourself one of them, too.”
At the thought of strangers invading her space and wanting something from her she wasn’t ready to give, Winter felt her walls going up. “I don’t know. Look how long it took me to reach out to you?” She was very used to being on her own.
Nikki rolled her eyes. “That was because you were holding onto a huge secret. This is different. I didn’t mean to scare you. Just let things play out. Harrison isn’t a bad guy. He’s a scared, shocked man. And no, I’m not defending him.” She held up a hand before Winter could think to object. “I’m Team Winter, always.”
At that, Winter’s eyes filled. “Thank you.” She rose, and this time, Winter initiated the hug. “I’m grateful for you.”
Before Nikki could answer, Winter’s cell rang. She stepped back and looked at where it was plugged in on the counter. The name, Corbin Bettencourt, flashed on the screen. She hadn’t been able to type in the word Dad when her biological father had given her his phone number.
She glanced at her sister and knowing how Nikki felt about the man, decided not to take the call.
“You can answer it. I don’t mind,” Nikki said.
“It’s… our father.”
Nikki wasn’t on speaking terms with either of her parents and her lips pursed before she asked, “Do you two speak often?”
When it came to their biological father, sometimes Winter and Nikki discussed him, but more often they didn’t. Nikki’s wounds of neglect were still fresh. And Winter was trying to understand how she felt about the man who’d had an affair with her mother but let his wife lead him around by his balls at the expense of his legitimate kids.
There was no other kind way to think about the situation, Winter thought. “No. He calls though. He wants to get together and talk.”
Nikki nodded. “Do you mind if I ask why you haven’t done that yet? I mean, you went to a lot of trouble to meet me and eventually tell us we’re related, not to get to know your father.”
Winter sighed. “Because I don’t like how he treated you, and I need to decide if he’s for real or if I’d be letting someone toxic into my life. And now I have a baby to think about.” She pressed her hand to her stomach, something she could see would become a habit.
Nikki rubbed her hands together before meeting Winter’s gaze, her own eyes sad. “I think he’s a weak man but not a bad one, if that makes any sense.”
It did, and Winter nodded.
“You showing up and revealing my mother paid yours off to abort his child behind his back opened his eyes. Just because I’m not ready to let him in again doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.” Nikki managed a smile Winter knew was forced. “You’d be starting fresh. It’s not the same thing as me getting over being emotionally hurt as a child and as an adult.”
Winter blew out a long breath. “One thing I know. I’m going to be a much better parent than he was to you.”
Whether Harrison would be a part of said parenting? She had no idea.
* * *
Occasional travel to LA for auditions was part of Harrison’s job. He had business meetings to further K-Talent’s stable of both screenwriters and actors, and friends out west he liked to catch up with. On this trip, Cassidy and Sasha wanted his opinion on a lead before they made an offer, and they had no desire to leave their spouses. Harrison was always the one called on since he was unattached and unencumbered. That was about to change.
But while he was here, he had a job to do and there were secondary roles he was looking to cast as well. They had seen the video tests, but nothing was better than a firsthand impression.
In the past, he’d never wanted to rush back to New York.
He did now.
He didn’t like how he’d left things with Winter and hadn’t slept well since she’d told him she was pregnant, his nonchalant attitude and casual words ping-ponging in his head.
He’d sent her daily text messages asking how she was feeling and receiving well-deserved, one-word answers. He consoled himself with the knowledge that the week was almost over. Today he had two auditions to watch, one with a nepo-baby whose father was an award-winner and the other, a well-known actor in his own right. After lunch, Harrison would view a handful of actresses for secondary roles and then Asher’s jet was waiting to take him home.