The Billionaire's Secrets (28 page)

Chloe sighed. If there was any blight on her happiness, it was the secret of
Sophia
's parentage. She felt so much sadness for
Gaelan
and understood his struggle to accept the truth. How terrible it must have been to learn the daughter he loved so much was really the product of his wife's infidelity. And with his brother at that!

"What was that sigh for?"
Gaelan
asked, planting a kiss on top of her head.

"I was just thinking how much simpler it would be if
Sophia
weren’t
Bowen's."

"I've been thinking that for years. Unfortunately, it doesn't change the facts."

"I know," Chloe said resignedly, turning around in the circle of his arms and looking into his dark eyes. "I've been thinking we should talk to a child psychologist. I'm sure you're not the only father in the world
who has
this problem."

He touched the tip of her nose with his finger before planting a light kiss on it. "There you go again."

"What do you mean?"

"Being so wise.
I knew I'd put myself in good hands."

She laughed off his compliment but was all the same flattered. She liked that he respected her opinion where
Sophia
was concerned. And she was pleased she had made such a difference in how he related to
Sophia
. His love for the child was
so evident now, h
is affections so easily given - a far cry from the days when he couldn't bear to be called Daddy. Chloe couldn't help but be proud to have played a role in this process.

A shout rang from the house
,
and they turned to see Windy calling them for lunch. They in turn called to
Sophia
,
and she came running over, colliding into
Gaelan
as she came to a halt. She was breathless
,
her cheeks flushed and rosy.
Gaelan
released Chloe and caught
Sophia
up in his arms, lifting her laughing into the air.

Gaelan
set her down
,
and with an arm around Chloe and a hand holding
Sophia
's, they walked back to the house together where Windy served up some of her famous clam chowder.

It had been
three
weeks since
Gaelan
had asked Chloe to marry him, and the wedding was
Sophia
's favourite topic of conversation. She
’d
already picked her
flower girl
dress with the help of
Renée,
the wedding planner
Gaelan
had hired in New York.
She’d also
chosen
the flowers she was to carry
,
and
Chloe
was surprised by the girl's good taste. The wedding had become the favourite subject of
Sophia
's drawings as well. She drew pictures
of
Chloe in an array of different fairy princess dresses.

"I've been wondering,"
Sophia
said
,
stirring her soup thoughtfully. "Now that you and Daddy are getting married, am I supposed to call you Mommy?"

"If you like," Chloe said, exchanging a smile with
Gaelan
. They were lucky.
Sophia
had accepted Chloe as her new mother without hesitation.

Sophia
rested her elbows on the table and s
upporting her face in her hands
scrutinised Chloe across the table. Her face contorted into comical shapes as she mulled over the problem.

"I will call you Chloe until yo
u and Daddy get married. Then I’ll
call you Mommy," she concluded. She
sipped her soup from her spoon,
her busy mind at work over a new problem. "It's a good thing the wedding is not at a church," she said a few moments later.

"Why’
s that?" Chloe asked.

"
’
Cause if it was at a church, Cookies wouldn't be able to come.
I don't think they let cats into churches."

"We hadn't thought of that," said
Gaelan
with a wink at Chloe. "But it is a good point."

Sophia
chewed thoughtfully on
a
muffin, and Chloe somehow knew she had an agenda in mind. "If I had a puppy, he could come to the wedding, too."

Gaelan
and Chloe laughed together.
So much for the wedding being the favourite topic of conversation.
Sophia
was not going to give up on the puppy, and Chloe knew she and
Gaelan
were going to have to discuss it. Sooner or later they were going to have to tell
Sophia
yes or no. Chloe liked the idea of making this decision with
Gaelan
, as she liked everything about her new role as mother.

Sophia
continued. "You put the wedding rings on the pillow, and the puppy carries the pillow in his mouth. I saw it in a movie."

"What happens if the puppy chews the pillow and swallows the rings?"
Gaelan
asked.

Sophia
dropped her spoon into her soup and shook her head at
Gaelan
in exasperation. "You have to train the puppy, you silly." she said with exasperation.

"Your Daddy
silly?!"
Windy
exclaimed with mock indignation
as she passed a slice of buttered bread to
Sophia
. "You're the one that's as foolish as old socks. Imagine a cat and a dog at a wedding! As if my nerves weren't skinny enough as it
were
!
"

"You're an old sock,"
Sophia
said to Windy as she stuffed the bread into her mouth.

"I think you're a pair of old socks,"
Gaelan
said, regarding both of them with indulgence.

Sophia
laughed at
Gae
lan's
joke. "You're an old sock
too," she hooted.
"And Chloe.
We're all old socks."

Gaelan
got up from the table, shaking his head at
Sophia
. He had to attend a meeting in Puffin's Cove and was already running late. He had proposed a joint venture between Byrne Enterprises and the town to address the current unemployment problem. Fishing had once been a way of life on the island, but the stocks of
cod
were now
depleted
,
and a generation of young people whose families had
for centuries
fished off Newfoundland's Grand Banks were
continuing to face
an uncertain future.
Gaelan
, whose love of the island extended to its people, was passionate about bringing them a more prosperous future.

Gaelan
gave
Sophia
a goodbye hug. "Do you need anything while I'm in town, Windy?"

"No, thanks.
M
y
nephew
Cullen is picking up groceries for me later."

"Chloe?"

"No, thanks," she said, getting up. She was on her way to the ballroom to see if
Renée
, the wedding planner, needed any help. "But I'll walk you to the door," she added.

"You didn't ask me if I needed anything,"
Sophia
called after them.

"I'm sorry,
honey
," he said. "What would you like?"

"A puppy!" she announced triumphantly.

Chloe walked with
Gaelan
across the hall to the front door. "You know, we're eventually going to have to make a decision about that puppy," Chloe said.

"I know," he said. "How about we make it a wedding present from us to
Sophia
? That way she'll have something to amuse her while we're away on our honeymoon."