Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
ONE MONTH LATER
Emily
Life was good. Too good to be true, actually. Things with Jackson and me were phenomenal, and our negotiation worked perfectly. He was busy with work, securing new deals and new properties every day, and I was busy with the expansion of Emily’s Edge. Jules popped into the shop occasionally, and the four of us went out at least once a week. Jackson told her about our arrangement, and she thought it was a little strange, but she wasn’t surprised.
I stood in the middle of the shop and watched as the carpenters worked on the espresso bar.
“This is going to be great,” Evelyn said as she stood beside me.
“What’s going to be great is that wall over there with your name displayed on it and your designs hanging underneath.” I smiled.
“That too.” She laughed. “By the way, Dylan and I said those three lovely words to each other last night.”
“Oh?” My brow raised as I stood there with my arms folded. “Isn’t it kind of soon to be saying those poisonous words?”
“Stop it. And no, it’s not too soon. I do love him. Hearing him say those words was magical.”
“You do know that magic isn’t real, right?”
Her eyes narrowed at me as she placed her hands on her hips.
“I think what you and Jackson have is incredible. I know you don’t want to hear this, but you two are no different from any other couple in the world. And don’t deny it. You two are a couple. I’ve seen the look on your face when he cancels a date because something came up at work, and he has to switch the day you two see each other. I’ve seen you start to text him and then decide you better not, and I’ve seen how the two of you are together. You both are crazy and head over heels for each other. You can deny it all you want, sister, but I know there’s more to this so-called companionship relationship than you’re willing to admit.”
I turned my nose up as I walked away.
“You’re wrong. We’re great friends with a little extra spice on the side. What Jackson and I have is perfect. In fact, if more people did what we did, they’d be a lot happier.”
As I was rearranging the display table in the front of the store, a man I recognized from a month ago walked in.
“Hello, Emily. I don’t know if you remember me.”
“Gregory, right?” I smiled.
“Yes. My wife and I just moved to the city, and I thought I’d drop by and say hello.”
“So you did make the move. Welcome to New York.”
“Thank you. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to have lunch or perhaps dinner with you one night.”
“Excuse me?” I asked in confusion.
“I would like to talk to you about your mother.”
“What about her?” A look of concern swept over my face.
He drew in a sharp breath. “We were very close at one time and—” He paused.
“And what?”
“I think you may be my daughter.”
I gulped and whipped my head around when I heard something hit the floor, and Katie stood there staring at me as the jewelry rack she was holding fell from her hands.
“I know this may shock you,” Gregory softly said.
“Shock is an understatement. Whom do you think you are coming into my shop and saying something like that? My mother didn’t know who my father was. She was a single woman who hooked up with a lot of guys. As horrible as that may make her sound, she was the best goddamn mother in the world,” I shouted. “Now, please leave my shop.” I pointed to the door.
“Your mother was the love of my life. I’m sorry to have bothered you.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and set it on the table. “I’m sure your mother never mentioned me, and I don’t blame her. I’ve lived with my decision for the last twenty-seven years. Have a good day, Emily.” He walked out the door.
I stood there, literally shaking at the news he had sprung on me. My heart was pounding out of my chest. The only person I could think of at that moment was Jackson.
“Emily, are you okay?” Katie asked as she walked up to me.
“I’m fine.”
“Do you think what he said was true?”
“I don’t know,” I spoke as I walked behind the counter and grabbed my purse. “I’m going out for a while. Noelle will be here in about thirty minutes.”
While I was in the back of the cab, I sent Jackson a text message.
“Are you at the office?”
“Hi, and yes, I’m here. Why?”
“I’m on my way. I need to talk to you.”
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.”
As soon as the cab driver pulled up to the fifty-six-story glass building, I threw some cash at him and took the elevator to Jackson’s office on the thirtieth floor.
“Hi, Emily.” His secretary smiled. “Mr. Caine said to go right in when you got here.”
“Thank you.”
Opening the door to his office, I took one look at him sitting behind his desk, and instantly, my eyes filled with tears.
“Hey.” He got up from his chair and walked over to me.
The tears started to fall uncontrollably, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop them.
“What happened?” He clasped my shoulders and then pulled me into an embrace.
“This man came into the shop.”
Breaking our embrace, he looked at me with a seriousness in his eyes I had never seen before.
“What man? Did he hurt you?” he asked in a stern voice.
I looked down and shook my head, and I was again in the safety of his arms.
“Calm down, Emily, and tell me what happened.”
I swallowed hard and took in a deep breath.
“This man and his wife came into the shop about a month ago. They were visiting from Seattle. He kept staring at me the whole time they were there, and when his wife was in the fitting room, he walked over and asked me if I knew Karen Wade. I told him she was my mother, and he said he knew her and I had her smile. He came back to the shop just a little bit ago and told me that I might be his daughter.”
“What? But your mother always told you that she didn’t know who your father was.”
“That’s what I told him before I threw him out of my shop.”
Jackson led me over to his office's plush black leather couch and sat me down.
“He said that he didn’t blame my mother for never mentioning him and that he had to live with the decision he made for the past twenty-seven years. He also said that she was the love of his life.”
“Do you believe him?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I kept playing the conversation over and over in my head on the way here.”
“Obviously, he has a reason to believe he could be your father. A man wouldn’t just go up to someone and say shit like that. Why did you throw him out?”
“Because I was in shock! It isn’t every day some stranger comes to you and claims to be your parent. What do I do?” I laid my head on his chest as he put his arm around me.
“Do you want my honest opinion? Or do you want me to tell you what you want to hear?”
“Does it matter?”
“No.” He kissed my head. “I think you owe it to him and yourself to hear him out. Like I said, there’s a reason he believes it. I know you’re in shock, and when the shock wears off, you’ll be able to process all of this better.”
What he said made sense. There had to be a reason why he would believe I could be his daughter. My mother never mentioned a man named Gregory, and now I was beginning to question why.
“Thanks, Jackson.” A small smile crossed my lips as I lifted my head from his chest.
His thumbs gently wiped away the tears from under my eyes.
“You’re welcome. You’re hot when you cry. Did you know that?” He smiled.
“I didn’t but thank you.” I lightly laughed. “I should get back to the shop.”
“What time are you going to be home tonight?” he asked as I got up from the couch.
“Probably around six thirty.”
“Good. I’m coming over as soon as I leave here.”
“It’s not our scheduled night.”
He shrugged. “Then we’ll make it one. I’ll bring Chinese, and we can sit back, relax, and talk.”
“No sex?” I arched my brow at him.
“Now, now, Miss Wade. Is no sex ever an option when we’re together?”
“Just making sure.” I smiled as I kissed his lips and then walked out the door.
I had never run into the arms of a man when I was upset. But he was the first person I needed, and I was happy that I ran to him. He made me feel safe, and I knew he’d make me feel better just by talking to him.