Damon jerked his gaze toward her, but Linda wasn’t looking at his shocked expression as she was lathering a generous amount of butter onto the thick slice of toast.
The older man remained standing, crossing his arms over his chest. “Say what you want to say so I can get out to the stables.”
As calm as you please, Linda crossed to Damon, pointing her finger in his face. “You are being pigheaded. I know Jake hurt you, that’s understandable. However, have you thought about what you would’ve done in his situation? Would you have opened up to your greatest rival and bared your soul? No. You would’ve treated it like a business move. You would’ve been just as calculating and secretive.”
Guilt churned in Lily’s stomach. So many people were hurting all because Jake felt he’d had no other choice.
“Maybe I would’ve.” Damon nodded slightly. “But we’re not talking about me.” His attention turned to Lily. “What about her? What excuse does he have for deceiving her?”
Linda’s eyes softened as she took a slight step back from Damon. “She was an innocent bystander who got caught up in the family drama. Jake loves her, I’ve seen how he looks at her.”
Linda smiled, resting her hand on Damon’s cheek. “Just as he’s come to care for you and all of us. He’s hurting, too, Damon. Can’t you reach out to him? See if there’s any way you can work on this relationship? He’s your son. You can’t forget that.”
Lily cupped her stomach with both hands, wanting this nightmare to be over, wanting to go back in time and make Jake open up to her. But he hadn’t trusted her enough to let her in. Hadn’t trusted what they had together to share his life in full.
“Why are you so hell-bent on being in Jake’s corner?” Damon asked.
With a slight shrug, Linda moved to take Lily’s now-empty glass and put it in the sink. “I’m on the outside looking in. I can see people I care about in pain and I don’t like it. This family is too close and life is short. You above all people should know that.”
Lily winced as Damon’s shoulders fell, and he blinked his eyes as if trying to gain control of his own emotions. Linda had gone straight to the heart with that veiled hint at Rose’s unexpected death.
The doorbell rang before anyone else could say a word. Lily was all too eager to step away from this emotional battle because beneath all of this chaos, Linda and Damon shared something much deeper than the standard employer-employee bond.
“That will be the doctor,” Lily said as she escaped. “I’ll get it.”
Lily was anxious to see how the baby had progressed, eager to hear that sweet heartbeat that made the whole world seem perfect and right. She had to focus on her child right now. Her love life, or the love she’d falsely believed in, would have to wait because this innocent child came before lies, deceit and broken hearts.
* * *
Entering the open wrought-iron gate flanked by stone pillars, Lily steered her rental car into the long drive lined by pristine white fencing.
She couldn’t believe she was actually there. Nerves had her hands shaking as she maneuvered up the drive toward the impressive two-story colonial-style home. White columns extended up from the porch, stabilizing a second-story balcony that stretched across the house. A separate three-car garage sat just behind the house, and off to the left of the drive were the massive white-and-green stables.