Page 10 of Rejected By My Shifter Billionaire
“You look like a princess,” my grandfather Chris said loyally.
I laughed. “Oh, Gramps.” I turned to Kate, asking shyly, “Gran?”
“It’s one of those rare instances that I’ll have to agree with your grandfather,” Kate answered.
There were tears in her eyes, but there was also sadness, and my smile faded. “What’s wrong?”
Kate shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just an old woman getting sentimental.” She wiped her eyes as she spoke. Looking up again, she seemed to hesitate before saying, “You understand this won’t be permanent, don’t you?”
Her words made me realize what she was worried about, and I sighed. “Oh, Gran.” Taking a seat next to her on the couch, I hugged Kate tightly, touched by her concern. “I know what you’re thinking, and it won’t be like that.”
Kate was normally tough, like an army sergeant (but then, she and Grampshadbeen in the Marines), but she was also the onewho had raised me since I was a baby. The years I had spent in her care had taught me things only few people know about, and one was that Kate’s greatest pain came from seeing her loved ones getting hurt.
“You’ve explained to me about this before. My mother lost her head in love but when my biological father left her, she wasn’t ever the same again. The moment she gave birth, she left me in your care, knowing she wouldn’t be able to take care of me. But now she’s back and she wants to start anew. I’m not to expect anything from it, but I shouldn’t hate her for what she did.”
Hugging her again, I said simply, “And I don’t. It’s impossible to hate when you and Gramps raised me to be so dreadfully nice.”
Before Kate could answer, we heard the unmistakable sound of a car coming up our farm’s driveway.
She was here.
Kimberley Dresden.
My mother.
We all stiffened, and for a moment all we could do was look at each other, as if not knowing what to do. If it had been happening to someone else, I would probably think it was funny. We were acting like it was the U.S. President coming to visit us when it was just their daughter. My mother.
Chris broke the silence, saying gruffly, “Let’s go and meet our prodigal daughter then.” Standing up, he went to the door, telling us to stay behind. My heartbeat began to race as I watched my grandfather open the door and speak in a low, undecipherable murmur.
Was this how it felt to be in love?I wondered giddily. This excitement of seeing my mother, of finally being able to see her and talk to her in the flesh – I really had a feeling it would be no different from how it would be if and when I fell in love for the first time.
Finally, Chris came walking back and I saw the silhouette of two women walking behind him.
Chris’ face was bland, and his tone was equally impersonal as he said, “Kassia, I’d like to introduce you to your mother.” He stepped aside.
I caught my breath.
My mother was beautiful. Like an actress, or any one of those women who starred in reality shows featuring rich men’s housewives. She was beautiful, elegant, and sophisticated. Like Kate and me, she was also a strawberry blonde, and her eyes were also the same shade of brown. I looked so much like her, it was uncanny, and my heartbeat raced even faster.
My mother. This was my mother. My mother—-
“Hello, Kassia. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman.”
Her voice was...odd.I didn’t know how to explain why, only that I knew I hadn’t heard a voice like it in my entire life. Ignoring it, I rose to my feet and said shyly, “Hello, ma’am.” I waited for her to tell me I shouldn’t call her that. That I should call herKimberleyor evenMom.
But she didn’t.
“I’m glad the dress fits you perfectly. I knew you’d be the same size as me and your grandmother.” Her gaze moved to Kate, who had risen to her feet as well.
I turned to look at my grandmother and found her unsmiling.
“Should I leave the two of you alone?” Kate asked. “I’m sure you and Kassia have a lot to talk about—-”
Kimberley’s laugh cut her off. “Oh, dear heavens, no. There’s no need for that. I’m sure you’ve told her all about me?”
That was odd, too, I couldn’t help thinking. The way she smiled. It wasn’t something I had ever seen before.
“Not all,” Kate answered. “I’m hoping you’d surprise me and show us you’ve changed.”
