The Virgin Cowboy Billionaire’s Secret Baby(65)
He chuckled softly.
“I meant, do you want me to leave the room?”
No. “It’s okay. I might not be very good company, though.”
“You’re in pain. I wouldn’t expect you to be.”
“It doesn’t actually hurt that bad. Just keep the lights down and don’t talk very loud, and I’ll be fine.”
“It doesn’t hurt? I thought migraines were really painful.”
“They can be. This kind is more in my eyes. My head feels weird, and it makes me feel kind of sick, but it’s mostly the fact that I can’t see. As long as I don’t try to focus my eyes too much, it’s more annoying than anything.”
“Hence the dark and the cold cloth?”
“Yep.” He paused. “If I start slurring or tripping over words, don’t worry about it. It happens sometimes.”
She laughed softly and squeezed his arm. “I’ve seen you drink, sweetie. I probably wouldn’t notice if you started slurring.”
He lifted his hand, middle finger up.
She patted his arm gently. “Is there anything you can do?”
“Not really. Just ride it out.” He gingerly rubbed his temples. “I have some drugs for the ones that get unbearable, but I don’t want to waste them on one like this.”
“Don’t want to build up a tolerance?”
“Yep.” He moistened his lips. “I brought this on myself, though. I shouldn’t have gone to my mom’s house earlier.”
“Ugh. No. Why would you do that to yourself?”
“Honestly?”
“Yes.”
He inhaled slowly. “Have you been out to Goldmount recently?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Can you imagine Aspen Mill turning into that?”
“I couldn’t imagine Goldmount turning into that.”
“Yeah. Exactly.” He swallowed, pushing back a wave of nausea that may have had more to do with the conversation than the migraine. “I can’t stop thinking about it. Sooner or later, my folks are going to find out about the baby. That I’m the father. So I decided to feel her out a bit and see how she’d respond. Now I’m scared to death that’s going to be the final straw for my mom.” He pushed out a breath. “And then Adam’s going to have free rein to build another Goldmount out of Aspen Mill.”
“I can’t believe she’s going to let him do that. I mean, if the farm is so important…”
“It’s not the farm,” he said through his teeth. “She couldn’t care less about the farm itself. But she knows it means a lot to me and Beth, so she lords it over us to bend us to her will. Do what Mom says, or watch the farm get bulldozed.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, squeezing his hand.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Actually, it kind of is.”
“No. You’re not forcing my brother to be a money-grubbing idiot, and you’re not the reason my mother is on a manipulative power trip.” He rubbed his eyes through the cloth. “And you’re not forcing me to let her play me like this. I’m a little old to be my mother’s puppet.”
She stroked his hair. “You’re old enough not to be pushed around by your mother, but you’re also wise enough to know what will happen to Aspen Mill if Adam gets his hands on the property.” She paused. “Why hasn’t Adam bought any of the other properties in town?”
“The farm is in a prime location, and it has more acreage than any other property in the area.” He paused. “And besides, why buy when your folks are going to hand you a hundred acres of prime real estate?”
“He’s that sure they’re going to will it to him?”
“Yep.”
“What will he do if they don’t?”
“Probably build somewhere else. He didn’t even have any interest in it until Mom started talking about giving him the land.”
“And he won’t sell it to you?”
“Not a chance.” Matt gritted his teeth. “Even if I pay him double or triple the value, he’ll still make more money in the long run once it’s developed. He’s not interested in selling. That fucking greedy—”
“Matt.” She took his hand. “You’re going to make your migraine worse, you know.”
“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bitch about my fucked-up family.”
She squeezed gently. “It’s okay. And I’m…God, I’m really sorry this situation is making yours worse.”
“It’s not your fault. To be honest, baby or not, I wouldn’t trade having you back for peace with my family.”