“You’re not really cut out to be a teacher. And you should probably concentrate on looking after yourself, because once the paternity tests come back, I can’t see Callum’s wallet staying open for you.” I grab my bowl of corn chips and start for the door.

“And you look out for yourself,” she calls after me, “because I’m not going to give you a shoulder to cry on when Reed breaks your heart. Or maybe you should give Gideon a try. I have it on good authority he’s an animal in the sack.”

I can’t keep the shock off my face.

Brooke roars with laughter. “You’re such a child. The horror on your face is adorable. Here’s one last piece of advice—ignore the Royal boys. They’re bad for you. Let Dinah and me help you with your money, and we’ll all live happily ever after.”

“I’d trust Reed before I’d ever trust you.”

She’s unfazed by my biting retort. Instead, she beams and continues as if I didn’t speak at all. “Play your cards right, and you can be a bridesmaid at my wedding. Won’t that be fun?”

Ha. I’d rather walk barefoot on a ten-mile road made of lava than be her bridesmaid.

“No thanks.”

Her eyes burn a hole into my back as I walk out of the kitchen and straight into Reed’s smiling face.

“Knew you still had feelings for me,” he murmurs.

I want to deny it, to tell him he’s delusional, but the words die in my throat. I can’t tell him what he wants to hear. I’m too…raw from all the things swirling around in my head. I’m not ready to have this conversation with him.

“You stood up for me just now,” he presses when I don’t respond.

I shake my head. “I didn’t stand up for you. I stood up for myself.”

22

Reed

I stood up for myself.

Two days after Ella said those words to me, I still can’t stop thinking about them. And I can’t stop thinking about that night in my bedroom either. Her tears. How she insisted we weren’t good for each other.

She’s right. Well, half right. She’s definitely good for me, but what good am I for her? I was an ass to her when she first showed up. I lashed out and treated her like crap because I hated that my father brought Steve’s bastard into our house when he couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to his existing children. Dad clearly cared about her, so my brothers and I did the opposite—we shunned her.

And yeah, I changed my tune. I gave in to the attraction. My guard dropped lower and lower until I was completely under her spell. But even after I fell for her, I still kept secrets. I still pushed her away more than once. I still let her run off instead of immediately explaining about Brooke.

I told Ella I was going to win her back, but what the hell am I really doing to make it happen? I put my fist in Henley’s jaw on her behalf, but what do I really have to offer someone like her? She’s perfectly fine taking care of herself.

But the thing is, the reason she’s always fighting her own battles and standing up for herself is because…nobody has ever done it for her.

Today, that’s about to change.

“You’re really not gonna drop me at home first?” Wade grumbles from the passenger side of my Range Rover. He’s glaring at every car in the parking lot as I pull up in front of the French Twist.

“Why the hell would I?” The bakery is literally five minutes from school, while Wade’s mansion is twenty minutes in the other direction. “I’ll be five minutes.”

“I’ve got someone waiting for me back at my place.”

“Who?” I challenge.

“Rachel.” He grins sheepishly. “And her friend Dana.”

I snicker. “Guess you shouldn’t have smashed up your Porsche last night, then. But you did, and now you’re stuck being my bitch boy until you have wheels again.”

He gives me the finger. “I’m late for a threesome because of you, Royal. I’ll never forgive you.”

“I’m crying a river.” I leave the keys in the engine and open the door. “Wait here. I won’t be long.”

“You better not be.”

The bakery is surprisingly deserted when I stride inside. Usually it’s packed around this time, but I spot only a couple of Astor Park kids, plus a trio of old ladies at a table in the corner.

Ella’s former boss frowns as I approach the counter. “Mr. Royal,” she says politely. “How can I help you?”

I take an awkward breath. “I’m here to apologize.”

Her eyebrows rise. “I see. I’ll be honest—you don’t strike me as the type of boy who knows the meaning of that word.”

“Trust me, I know how to say I’m sorry.” I offer a rueful smile. “I’m pretty sure those are the only two words I’ve been saying lately.”

That gets me a reluctant smile in return.

“Look, it’s my fault Ella ran off,” I explain in a rush. “I don’t know if she told you, but she and I were sort of going out.”

Lucy nods. “She didn’t tell me, but I knew she was seeing someone. That last week before she left, I’d never seen her look happier.”

Guilt arrows through me. Yeah, Ella had been happy. Until I took that happiness and turned it into something ugly. Like I always do.

“I messed up.” I force myself to man up and look Lucy in the eye. “Ella wasn’t sick. She ran away because I didn’t leave her any other choice. But I’m telling you right now—she feels terrible about letting you down.”

“Did she send you here to tell me that?” Lucy asks, frowning again.

I choke out a laugh. “Are you kidding me? She’d kill me if she knew I was here. Have you ever met anyone with more pride than Ella Harper?”

Lucy presses her lips together as if fighting back a laugh.

“She loved this job,” I say earnestly. “Everyone in my family, myself included, didn’t want her to work. It’s, uh, a status thing.” I’m a prick. We rich people are the worst, I realize. “But she took the job anyway, because that’s the kind of person Ella is. She doesn’t like accepting handouts or sitting on her ass all day like everyone else at Astor Park. And she really liked having you as her boss.”