Fool for You by Kelly Elliott
Landon
I RUSHED INTO my room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before I made my way back into the living room where Emmerson was curled up on the sofa with Lady snuggled next to her.
The moment she’d walked into the kitchen, I could see the tension on her face and feel it in her body when she kissed me.
“Okay, what’s going on?” I asked, sitting on the ottoman in front of her.
Emmerson drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She closed her eyes for a few moments before meeting my gaze.
“First, I want you to know that I don’t believe it. I’ll admit, I was thrown by what I’m about to tell you, but I truly believe with all my heart this is not something you would keep from me.”
My heart started to pound as I tried to figure out what in the hell she was talking about. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded for her to keep going.
“Today I met with a client and the groom’s mother at a country club to go over last-minute things for her wedding. After the bride left, the mother—her name is Mary—started asking me about you. When I mentioned you owned the restoration shop in town, she started saying all this nonsense about her niece and her niece’s baby son…and how you were the father.”
I nearly fell off the goddamn ottoman. “What!”
She nodded and took in another breath. “The child’s name is William, and his mother’s name is Hannah Marie Patterson.”
Emmerson paused, clearly waiting for me to recognize the woman’s name. I had to think for a moment before it finally clicked. “She worked at the bed and breakfast a year or so ago, right?” I asked.
“Yes.” Her voice suddenly sounded defeated.
“Emme, I never slept with her. I remember her because Noah liked her. The few times I was in town that year, I remember him telling me about how he wanted to…” I let my voice trail off. “Well, you know. Anyway, I’ve only spoken to her maybe five times, if that.”
Emmerson’s expression turned to one of pure confusion. “Why in the world would she claim that you’re the father of her baby?”
I brought my hand to the back of my neck and rubbed at the ache that had formed. “I don’t know. But I sure as hell am going to find out. What if she goes to a reporter about this?” I grabbed her hands and held them tightly. “Emme, you believe me, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course I do.”
My chest warmed when she didn’t even hesitate.
“I mean, at first I was thrown by what Mary had said, and I needed time to wrap my thoughts around everything. Once I was over the initial shock, I knew you wouldn’t keep something like this from me.”
I dropped down onto my knees in front of her. “I love you, Emmerson. I’ve only ever loved you and will only ever love you. I swear on my life, I would never lie to you.”
Cupping my face in her hands, Emmerson leaned forward and kissed me. “I know, Landon. I know. I think we need to tell our parents about this, though. There’s a reason this woman is going around saying you’re the father of her baby. If she hasn’t reached out to you yet, I’m wondering if she will.”
“Honestly, with how much the two of us have been in the press lately, I can’t believe she hasn’t already.”
Emmerson frowned. “We need to talk to our folks.”
“Let’s eat dinner first, and then we’ll go over there. I don’t think we need to go into panic mode just yet. It’s our wedding night, Emme.”
She smiled. “You’re right. I’m sorry for having to tell you this. And I’m sorry for the few brief moments earlier today that I wanted to rip your dick off your body.”
I flinched. “Jesus. Remind me to never make you angry.”
After Emmerson and I turned the oven to warm, we headed to the bedroom and made love. Then we quickly ate and drove over to our folks’ place. The only thing we told them beforehand was that we needed to speak to them about something important. Hailey and Noah were both home, so they joined in on the conversation.
As soon as we were all settled around my parents’ dining table, Emmerson explained what this Mary woman had told her. The moment she mentioned Hannah’s name, everyone remembered her. Including Hailey. Then, after Emmerson finished speaking, all eyes went to me.
“Did you really knock up the front desk chick who worked for Mom and Paislie?” Hailey asked, arms crossed over her chest.
I rolled my eyes. “No, I didn’t knock anyone up. I hardly even talked to her except to say hello, how are you, that kind of thing. I wasn’t even in town most of the time when she worked at the bed and breakfast.”
“Why in the world is she telling people you’re her baby daddy then?” Hailey questioned.
“If I knew, Hail, I wouldn’t be here talking to Mom and Dad.”
Malcolm stood up. “Everyone just settle down. There has to be a good reason for all of this, and one we’ll be able to figure out once we talk to Hannah. From what I can remember, she was a sweet girl.”
“Wait a minute,” Noah said as he stood and started to pace.
“What is it?” Emmerson asked.
Noah kept walking as his brows pulled in tighter and tighter.
“There was this one time I walked in on Hannah in the kitchen of the B and B. She was flustered and out of breath. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said something about running in from the chicken coop because a rooster was chasing her.”
My mother chuckled. “That isn’t surprising. She was scared to death of the chickens.”
Noah stopped walking and looked directly at Emmerson. “Yeah, but then I remembered that I left Bo Bo in the car and had to run back out to get him.”
Hailey gasped. “You left the dog in the car?”
“No wonder the poor thing didn’t live very long,” Malcolm mumbled under his breath.
Noah shot his father a dirty look and then turned back to Hailey. “It was one time. And it was January, so it wasn’t hot out. Anyway, can I get back to what I was saying?”
“Yes, please do,” I said with a sigh.
“When I ran out to my car, Jason was there.”
Emmerson sat up straighter. “Jason Emmes? My ex-boyfriend?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, and I remember wondering why he was acting strange. He stumbled on his words and he was…”
When Noah’s voice trailed off, everyone leaned in closer. “He was what, Noah!” Hailey shouted. “He was what!?”
Noah looked at Emmerson again. “Sweating. Like he had just been working out or something.”
It didn’t take long for everyone to quickly piece it together.
“That douche might have cheated on Emmerson with Hannah! Do you think he was having sex with her before you got there?” Amy asked from the corner of the room where she was sitting with Lady on her lap.
Noah looked back at his girlfriend. “I didn’t think so then, but now looking back on it, yeah, I think Jason and Hannah were having a bit of fun in the kitchen before I interrupted them. They must have heard me coming around back, and Jason took off through the front of the bed and breakfast.”
“That jerk,” Emmerson said as she folded her arms over her chest.
“Okay, so we think Hannah and Jason did the deed. That still doesn’t explain why she told her family I was the father.”
My mother stood up. “Do you think Jason could be the father?”
Emmerson ran her fingers across her forehead. “Goodness, this is a mess.”
Dad cleared his throat. “The only way you’re going to get any answers is to go straight to the source: Hannah.”
“I agree,” Malcolm said. “Only way to find out what’s really going on is to get the truth from Hannah.”
“Mom, Paislie, do y’all still have her address?” I asked.
My mom nodded. “Yes. I can look it up first thing in the morning.”
Turning to Emmerson, I reached for her hand. “Do you have appointments in the morning?”
She shook her head. “No. The only thing I had planned was to stop in at a floral shop. I’m open until two, and then I have to meet with Abby Hawn and Kurt Richard.”
Hailey gasped. “The senator’s daughter? She really called you?”
With a wide smile, Emmerson nodded. “Yes! Fingers crossed things go well. I thought it was sweet that she wanted to meet with me in Waco, so I didn’t have to drive to Austin.”
“That was very nice of her,” Paislie said with a proud smile on her face.
It was time to get back to the subject at hand. “Emme, I’d like for you to go with me when I talk to Hannah.”
“Smart, son,” Dad said. “Best you don’t see her alone.”
Emmerson took my hand and gave me the sweetest smile. “Of course I’ll go with you.”
With a loud sigh, I looked around the room. “Looks like we’re paying Hannah a little visit tomorrow.”