Bedding the Billionaire (Book 3) (Legacy Collection) Read Free Page B

college courses and resolved to stop compulsively speaking her mind– at least where her employers were concerned. Too bad she hadn’t kept her thoughts to herself when Abby had asked her opinion of Dominic. Of course, there was no way she could have known how wildly in love her sister would fall or how much of an effect that relationship would have on her own life.
    Dominic seemed to have good intentions and it wasn’t that his offers of financial assistance weren’t tempting, but any proximity to him was a bit like in viting a tornado into your yard –he didn’t understand boundaries and without meaning to he could destroy everything you’ve worked for.
    If Abby was overprotective, Dominic was downright smothering.
    At first, he hadn’t accept ed her declaration that what she really wanted from the both of them was the freedom to stand on her own two feet . After a few verbal scuffles, things had calmed and Lil had started to feel that Abby and Dominic finally understood.
    I just want time to prove to myself that I’m not a complete screw up.
    And I was doing fine …until this morning.
    Lil groaned.
    Mothe rs don’t embarrass themselves in the news.
    Mothers were supposed to be steadfast and responsible.
    At least, t hat was the type of mother Lil remembered having when she was younger and it was the kind of mother Abby had become to her when their parents had died in a car crash when Lil was thirteen.
    Abby would never have spok en to that woman without double- checking her credentials. She wouldn’t have let her bruised ego get the better of her and spouted those comments about Jake. She definitely wouldn’t be hiding in her house hoping this would all magically go away.
    Outside of Dominic, Abby was as impulsive as the sunset.
    And I’m about as reliable as the weatherman.
    Poor Colby, you chose the wrong womb.
    Instead of cheering her, the joke brought unexpected tears of frustration to Lil’s eyes. It doesn’t have to be like that anymore. A person can change if they want to badly enough. “I’m going to be a good mother to you, Colby. I promise you that. I’m going to be someone you can be proud of.” It was hard to feel bad for herself when her daughter held up two drool covered hands in a silent request to be picked up. Lil cuddled her baby into her neck and shook her head sadly . “Right after this one last screw up.”
    In her moment of need, she reached for the impossible.
    I wish you were here, Mom. I don’t know if I can do this without you. What if I can’t be the person I’m trying to be? What if Colby pays the price because I can’t get my shit together?
    There was no chill to the room, no apparition or voice from beyond, but for just a moment Lil felt her mother with her and a tear escaped down her cheek. Her young daughter patted it away with a coo .
    You’re right, Mom. It’s going to be ok ay because I will make it ok ay . I’m a strong, independent woman and I don’t need anyo ne to solve my problems for me.
    T he news station had tricked her into giving an interview. That had to be illegal. She needed a lawyer. One of her high school friends had just passed the bar. Maybe he could write up something that would force the station to pull the tape.
    With Colby on one hip, Lil dialed the number of a woman she loved like family. “Mrs. Lawson , is Aaron home?”
    “Lil! I was going to call you, but I figured your phon e must be ringing off the wall. Are you ok ay ? I saw the news.”
    An explanation gushed out of her. “I didn’t give the interview. Well, I did, but I didn’t mean to. Some woman called and pretended to be Abby’s assistant and I fell for it. She told me that Abby had asked her to prep me for potential questions from the press.”
    “Oh, honey. I figured it was something like that. You must be a wreck. What did Abby say?”
    “I haven’t actually spoken to her about it yet.” Lil had been trying, somewhat unsuccessfully, to avoid Abby since the night on