Page 96 of Unbidden

“I get it. Things with Ingram probably don’t help.” He sighs.

“It’s not just her though.”

“Talk to me, Sage.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Mr. Yates said that Mom tried to break up his marriage. Is that true?”

“Absolutely not,” he says vehemently. “Preston always wanted your mother. She used to tell me stories about the man who would come visit her at her job. He would flirt with her and try to get her to go out with him. She would laugh about how stupid his antics were.”

Elijah sighs. “He was in love with your mother. She didn’t want him. She wasn’t breaking up his marriage. He was the one who offered to leave Michelle to be with Abi. Even with Michelle pregnant, he still told your mom that he would marry her and claim you as his daughter. He didn’t care that his wife was pregnant with his real child. He wanted a life he had always imagined with your mom. When she left, he took it hard. For a while, he disappeared. Then he came back and started spreading nasty rumors about your mom.”

“But why? What did she ever do?”

“She did nothing wrong, Sage. Some people just don’t take rejection well,” he tells me softly.

“I hate what people say about her,” I murmur.

“I do too. Always have. I had two great loves in my life, your mother being one of them. Hearing people whisper about her has never been easy, but it’s something you learn to deal with over time.”

I think about what he says for a few minutes before turning away from the window and sitting on the couch across from him.

“So…,” I drawl.

“So…,” he says with a smile on his face.

“I remember you saying something about having two sons. Do they know about me?”

Elijah chuckles. “Nice topic change,” he teases before sighing. “They do. David, my oldest, took it better than William. William is your mother’s age, so he thought it was wrong. They want to meet you once you’re ready.”

“I don’t know if and when I will be, but that’s nice to know.”

“No pressure, Sage. I’m thankful for every moment I’ve had with you since you moved here.”

“Me too,” I tell him with a soft smile.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Arriving at the Yates estate, I feel nerves build up inside me. I haven’t spoken to Reed in over a week and barely responded to Keaton and Tinsley. I needed some time to get my head straight.

I thought about backing out of tonight, but I couldn’t do that to Tinsley. She deserves to have the best sweet sixteen she can.

That’s how I ended up standing here in the Yates mansion, wearing my cheap dress, holding a gift for the birthday girl.

“Here’s your birthday gift. It isn’t much, but I hope you like it,” I say, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Victoria also bought her a gift, but hers was a little different than mine.

Tinsley sets the shot glasses back down and turns to open the present.

“Oh, I didn’t mean you had to open it now,” I rush out, feeling even more embarrassed now.

“Don’t be silly. I want to.”

She opens the small package and pulls out the charm bracelet. She looks at each charm before turning to me with tears in her eyes.

“This is beautiful. Thank you. It’s perfect. How did you know?”

---