“It was a silly misunderstanding.”
“A silly misunderstanding that resulted in you having enough money to buy plane tickets to Japan?”
“I didn’t know the ring was a family heirloom. I wouldn’t have pawned it had I known.”
Sloane stares at her mother with disgust. “Right. It was an accident.”
Poppy perks up. “I’m glad you understand. Now, let’s go visit Japan as a family. The flight departs in a few hours. Plenty of time to pack.”
“As a family?” I growl.
She blinks at me. “Yes, a family. I’m her mother.”
“You’re not her mother. You’re the egg donor.”
“I did more than donate my egg. I carried her for nine months. The things I had to do to get my body back in shape. And I raised her.”
“You didn’t raise her. You didn’t love and cherish her. You didn’t teach her about morals and ethics. You didn’t show her how to be a good person.”
I turn to Sloane. “You’re an amazing person. You could have gone off the rails, but you didn’t.”
“Technically, I tried. But the inhabitants of Smuggler’s Hideaway weren’t having it. The mayor, Lana, stopped by when I was visiting a jail cell and gave me a dressing down. I’ve never been so ashamed in my life.”
“Visiting a jail cell?”
“For one night only.”
I chuckle. “What did you do?”
“It was a misunderstanding.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Fine,” she huffs. “I accidentally spray painted Kira’s garage door.”
“How do you accidentally spray paint?”
“Easy, really. You accidentally buy the paint and then accidentally find yourself at someone’s house in the middle of the night. It could happen to anyone.”
“I…” I cut myself off before I tell her I love her. It’s too early for proclamations of love. And I’m not telling her how I feel in front of her mother.
“Hello!” Speaking of her mother. “Did you forget I was here? Go pack your things. We don’t have all day.”
“I’m not going with you.”
Poppy stomps her foot. “But I’m your family.”
“Wrong. Zane and Adele are my family.”
Relief courses through me with such fervor I nearly drop Adele. Sloane isn’t going anywhere. She’s staying right here where she belongs. Thank fuck.
I kiss her cheek before handing her the baby. “I’ll escort your mother out.”
“Well, I never!” Poppy shouts.
I herd her toward the door. I don’t touch her. I wouldn’t put it past her to call the police on me. But I do get her to the door.
She glances back at her daughter, who shoos her away. Good. She’s not mad at me for kicking her mom out of our home.
