Page 18 of Hearts of Wealth

I grimaced. “I’m not entirely sure. I thought maybe just stick with the facts. Paisley would have a stable home in Sleepy Hollow. She has friends there. It’s a good school, and she’ll be able to take college classes for credit.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” she replied. “Paisley deserves to spend time with her father, and Timothy deserves the chance to be a part of her life. Keep it focused on Paisley. Somewhere inside that woman must be a mother’s instinct.”

“I hope you’re right,” I murmured, my eyes resting on the shining glass buildings that towered above us.

“If this blows up in my face, Timothy is going to be furious,” I said. “I know I’m risking ruining any chance of Paisley getting to come back. If Regina freaks out, I may as well kiss Timothy goodbye. He is not going to be happy with my meddling.”

Amber put a comforting hand on my arm. “You’re doing what you think is best, for both Timothy and Paisley. If he can’t appreciate that, then maybe he’s not the guy we all thought he was.”

My heart twisted at her words, but I knew she was right. This was a risk I’d decided to take. I had to follow it through now. There could be no turning back, no chickening out.

“Thanks,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime,” she replied, her friendly smile taking the edge off my anxiety.

A sense of reassurance washed over me. It was comforting to know that she supported me in my decision to reach out to Regina, even if it meant stepping into a potentially volatile situation. I was going to do my best to tread lightly. Some silly part of me believed I could appeal to her human side with a woman-to-woman talk.

“I hate this traffic,” I muttered.

“I cannot wait to go shopping!” Amber squealed.

Amber was coming along for moral support, but I would be meeting with Regina alone. I didn’t want her to think we were ganging up on her. Amber was happy to do some shopping while I faced the beast. And if I needed her to save me from Regina’s clutches, she would be a phone call away.