My Unexpected Vow: California Billionaires Book 2 by Harlow James (children's ebooks free online TXT) 📗

so disconnected from him right now that it has me questioning everything. We went from confessing our love for one another to a whirlwind of change in a matter of hours, and we’ve barely been able to process it together.

That’s what you should do in a marriage, right? Communicate, support, and encourage each other? But with the way Hayes is gone or avoids the topic, I can’t even do that. For the first time in months, I feel more alone than I have since I moved in with him, and yet I’m in love with a man that I never knew I could love.

“Hi, Waverly.” I twist in my seat to see Rebecca smiling down at me, the bags under her eyes indicative of how tired she’s feeling too. I’ve been in contact briefly with her since Alec came home from the hospital, and even brought over a few meals so she wouldn’t have to cook. But she’s been a mess navigating the changes in their lives as Alec recovers.

“Hi, Rebecca. How are you?” I stand to greet her, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m surprised to see you.” I knew she wasn’t sure if she would make it, but I’m glad to see her here.

“Happy to get out of the house for a moment,” she jokes. “I couldn’t miss Shayla’s bridal shower since we won’t be going to the wedding now.”

“Oh, yes, I suppose that isn’t the best idea.”

“Flying is not good for Alec at the moment.”

“How is he doing?”

She smiles and then takes a deep breath. “I keep trying to remind myself that he’s still here. He’s just weak and aggravated a lot, angry that he can’t walk across the room without getting winded, feeling out of control not being in the office, and ordering people around. How’s my son handling everything?” she asks, looking up at me with optimism in her eyes.

“Oh, he’s handling things as best he can,” I answer because I feel like it’s a safe response, better than, “Well, I’m not really sure because he won’t talk to me about it.”

“Hayes is a perfectionist, always has been. He puts so much pressure on himself to be the best at everything that he does. I know he’s wanted this position for as long as he’s worked for Alec, so I’m sure he’s taking it very seriously.”

“He is,” I say as my throat grows tight. My mind veers back to the conversation we had the morning after we got married, how determined Hayes sounded to make his parents believe that he wanted control of his father’s company more than anything, that it’s all he’s been working toward.

“I just hope he doesn’t lose sight of what’s important. When I think about how I could have lost Alec…” she says, reaching up to cover her mouth as her eyes get cloudy with tears.

“I know, Rebecca.” I pull her in for a hug again, stroking her back as she composes herself.

“Ugh, I can’t stop crying. Sorry.” We release our hold on each other as she wipes under her eyes.

“Don’t apologize. And hey, if you need anything, you know I’m here,” I remind her, even though she’s yet to contact me. I told her to call on me for anything when we left the hospital. But it seems that the pride and stubbornness that Hayes exhibits come from his mother as well as his dad.

“I know.” She smiles and then lets out a laugh as we both turn to see Shayla pull out a book of Kama Sutra for the elderly.

“What the hell, Chloe?” she shouts as everyone giggles.

“What? Wes is older than you, and we were just talking the other day about how everything is starting to hurt as we approach thirty.” She shrugs. “I’m just trying to prepare you for the inevitable.”

Shayla rolls her eyes and then shakes her head back and forth. “Thank you, I guess.” Chloe hands her the next gift and I take that moment to walk over to the table and refill my glass of champagne, adding a splash of peach juice.

“Shame you never got a bridal shower, isn’t it?”

Spinning around, my eyes bug out as I take in my mother standing before me. “Mom? What are you doing here?”

“Well, this is my future daughter-in-law’s bridal shower. I figured I should make an appearance.”

“Oh. Well, it’s good to see you.” We stare at each other, taking in one another as more of strangers than mother and daughter.

“I guess congratulations are in order,” she says as she takes a sip of her champagne.

“What?”

“You’re married now too, aren’t you? Or was that phone call from your father a joke?” I never called my mom and told her because, in all honesty, I didn’t think she’d care. We’re not close, and after my dad found out, I knew he’d relay the message.

“No, I am.”

“To Hayes? Waverly, I thought I taught you better than that.”

“You never taught me anything,” I fire back as my pulse picks up speed.

“You do realize you will always be second best to a man like that, right?” She stares across the room at the bride-to-be with an air of superiority.

“A man like what?”

“A man like your father—a man that comes from money, loves money, and will always put the company before anything else. Wes will do it to Shayla, too. It’s only inevitable.”

“What?”

Turning to face me, I’m caught off-guard by the similarity in the green of her eyes to mine since it’s been so long since I’ve seen her. It’s like staring at a future version of myself—the same long blonde hair, bright eyes, and tall stature, plus a few more wrinkles that I know have only appeared in recent years. She’s probably waiting on her next Botox appointment as we speak.

“Why do you think I just live my own life, Waverly? I did my duty, gave him the kids he wanted and needed to keep the family name alive. But other than that, your father never loved me the way he