Page 80 of Snowed In with My Best Friend's Dad

I hated that he was right. In fact, thinking about the entire encounter, it was true that Brett'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.

Miranda, 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 Loretta.”

I had never beento Brett's house, but I knew where it was because Lindsay 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, Loretta came out of nowhere.

"What are you doing?” she hissed.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up toward Brett'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, Miranda. 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 Loretta stopped me. "Don't you ruin this for me, Miranda. 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 Brett stood on the threshold. At first glance, I worried that seeing me with Loretta 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.”

Loretta sent him a smug smile. "It won't work. You have responsibilities to Miranda. 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. “Miranda 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 Loretta. "It's time for you to go. And if I ever see you around here again, or around Miranda or Peter, for that manner, you will pay."

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

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

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

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