CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

GWEN POV

What was the saying about always doing the same things and expecting something different? How had I thought that Nolan wouldn't lash out at me again? Granted, this time, he didn't call me names, but the idea that he thought I would be in cahoots with my stepmother to get money from him was ludicrous. Hadn't I spent the last few months telling them I didn't want anything from him?

 He asked me to explain to him what was going on, but what was the point? This was a pattern, one I didn't want to be a part of anymore.

  After I shut the door and moved back into the house, my father appeared, clearly having heard it all.

 "Why didn't you tell him you had nothing to do with Mira? Or tell him the type of woman Mira was?” he asked.

      "What would be the point?"

"Because the man was desperate to know that you weren't part of it."

  How was it that my father was siding with Nolan again? "If he truly loved me, he would know that." Had he really said that? That he loved me?

  My father cocked his head, giving me a look like I was naïve. "From what I heard, he didn't say anything as awful as you indicated he’d said before. His only crime was having doubt, questioning you. But you remember Mira. Do you have any doubt that she said something to him that might make him think she was working with you?"

I hated that he was right. In fact, thinking about the entire encounter, it was true that Nolan’s only crime was in doubting me. He hadn't said mean things. He hadn't even come right out and accused me. He'd only asked about her and then begged me to explain.

Gwen, can't you tell that I'm in love with you?

He was asking me to confirm what he wanted to believe, which was that I wasn't involved. And while he told me he loved me in frustration, he’d said it. And I'd shut the door on him.

      "I guess I overreacted."

 My father nodded. "It's understandable considering your history, but he's right. If you're going to overcome it and be together, you're going to need to work through it. But is that what you want? Do you love him too?"

"I do." I headed back toward the door, pulling my jacket from the hook and slipping it on.

 "It's a little late to be going out, isn't it?"

 "I need to go see him. I need to tell him about Mira.”

•

•

•      

I had never been to Nolan’s house, but I knew where it was because April had talked about it enough times. I found a place to park and then made my way up the sidewalk toward his brownstone. Just before I reached it, Mira came out of nowhere.

      "What are you doing?” she hissed.

      "What are you doing?"

 She looked up toward Nolan’s door and then back at me, putting her hands on my arms as if she were pushing me back out of his view. "I'm about to make a great deal of money and I don't want you ruining it."

 "By threatening to ruin his reputation? Why don't you just seduce him?" I always thought that was her M.O. anyway.

 "I tried, but the man is clearly in love with you." Her face pinched with disgust.

 Meanwhile, I wondered how she'd been able to notice that and I hadn't.

 "So instead, I'll ruin him unless he pays. I was planning on giving you $10,000, Gwen. I mean look at how he lives and look at where you live. You’re having his child and he treats you like this."

 I shook my head. "It doesn't matter.”

I turned and started toward the door, but Mira stopped me. "Don't you ruin this for me, Gwen. Your baby daddy isn't the only person I could ruin here. Do you think anybody's going to want a teacher who has been sleeping around and getting pregnant?"

      "What is wrong with you?”

      "Or how about your father? I can ruin him as well."

 I couldn't imagine how. My father didn't have money, and he wasn't well-known so nobody would care if he ended up in the news.

 I made another attempt to go up to the door when it opened and Nolan stood on the threshold. At first glance, I worried that seeing me with Mira would confirm his suspicions about me.

"The cops are on their way and I'm planning to press charges, starting with trespassing, but then extortion or whatever my lawyer decides you're doing.”

 Mira sent him a smug smile. "It won't work. You have responsibilities to Gwen. There’s nothing wrong with asking the father of her child for help."

      I shook my head. “I don’t—"

He glanced briefly at me. “Gwen knows I’ll give her anything that she wants." There was something in the words and the way he looked at me that gave me hope that he understood what was going on.

 He turned his attention to Mira. "It's time for you to go. And if I ever see you     around here again, or around Gwen or Sam, for that manner, you will pay."

 For a moment, Mira looked like she was going to argue.

  Nolan looked at his watch. “You have about two minutes before the police arrive.”

"You ruined everything, Gwen." She stormed off.

I looked up at Nolan, a small smile on my face. "I always like to watch her leave."

 He didn't respond, so I hesitantly climbed the stairs to him. Nolan stepped back, letting me into the foyer of his home. That was a good sign, right?

  As I looked up at him, he appeared tired and wary. why hadn't I noticed all this while?

“I came to tell you three things, although I'm not quite sure which to start with." I looked at him with hope that he would forgive me. Would he be stubborn like I was and make me work for it?

 "It's usually best to just start from the beginning.” he uttered calmly.

  "Mira is a greedy, conniving bitch. And I absolutely am not doing anything with her. She learned about our connection and tried to take advantage, but it’s all her... I promise you that I had nothing to do with any of her plans.”

His response was just a curt nod, so I wasn't sure if he believed me and that hurt a little bit.