She, the Kingdom (She #1)(58)

“Yes! Yes, everyone’s fine. Grammy’s doing great, Hannah!” I called to her.

Nick brought the phone closer, as if that would keep the kids from hearing. “I can bring the kids home early. You lonely?”

“A little,” I nodded, wiping my cheeks again.

“I just picked them up from camp. We’ll go home, pack, and I’ll drive them there in the morning.”

My face crumbled. “Really?”

“Really. They’re dying to see you. I don’t think they’d last another two weeks.”

My bottom lip quivered. “Thank you, Nick.”

He winked. “Cheer up, Mama. We’ll see you soon.”

“We’re going to see Mommy tomorrow?” Hannah squealed. “Yay!”

I laughed through my tears, and once the screen went black, I covered my face and sobbed. Knowing the kids were coming home made everything else fall away. Sophie, Colton, the camera—it was all irrelevant compared to Josh and Hannah.

Dawn rapped on the door twice before walking in, supplies in-hand. “Morning!” she chirped.

“Hi,” I stood, leaving my tablet on the table. “Good timing. My kids are coming home tomorrow.”

Dawn paused. “Hey. Are you all right? Looks like you’ve been crying?”

I assumed she’d heard the rumors. “I have, but it’s not what you think. Somewhat unrelated.”

Dawn nodded once. “Okay, but if you need to talk, I’m here. Just so you know, I’m on your side.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Dawn. That means a lot.”

She lifted the small vacuum in her hand like she was raising a glass for a toast, and then left me alone to start in the children’s room.

I rummaged through my drawers for a pen and paper, and then sat down, making a list of the things I needed to do before the kids arrived. Max was right; I was thankful Dawn could take care of the house, allowing me to concentrate on other things.

My front door slammed, and I jumped. Amelia called my name, turning to see me sitting at the table.

“Did you hear?” she asked, her ice blue eyes like saucers. “Tell me you heard! And you’re okay!”

She fell to her knees next to me and threw her arms around my neck. I hugged her back, closing my eyes. My eyes burned, and I waited for Amelia to tell me the news, trying to calm the hurricane inside of me that wanted to kill Sophie Kingston. I would have to call my parents, and find some way to explain to my children before someone else did.

“Don’t cry,” Amelia said. She let go of me to look into my eyes. “It’s not your fault. Sophie’s been having an affair with some old college boyfriend. Max caught them together—in their bed—this morning! You know what that means? Max obviously wasn’t in their bed this morning. They were having problems before, so don’t blame yourself. Why they would want a surrogate to bring a child into that mess is beyond me. John checked on him today. Has he called you? Came by? Anything?”

I shook my head, and she stood. I pushed my chair away from the table and stood with her.

She continued. “Sophie’s already filed for divorce! She claimed he cheated on her first with you! Unbelievable. No one believes it. Everyone’s disgusted. She’s been let go from the Ladies’ Auxiliary Board… Morgan?”

“Yeah?”

“You don’t seem that surprised.” She watched me with wary eyes, unable to mask the hope that she was right about me.

“That’s,” I shook my head, “crazy. Sorry, I’m trying to process.” It didn’t make sense. Sophie had spent all that time sneaking behind his back to get a divorce to ruin it all by getting caught in their bed? Did she think he’d be too distracted to notice?

“John said he seems fine, but he’s worried Max is really a mess. Maybe you should go talk to him?”

“I don’t really think that’s appropriate. It’s none of my business.”

“But aren’t you…? Haven’t you gotten close?”

I opened my mouth to speak, wondering if now was the right time to tell her the truth. She was my best friend, and I was going to lose her. “Amelia.” I swallowed. “I need to tell you something.”

Her shoulders sagged, heavy with disappointment. “Oh, Morgan. You didn’t.”

“I—”

Dawn turned the corner, her eyes big and all the color gone from her face.

“What?” I asked, alarmed.

“I’m sorry, Morgan. I hope you’re not upset with me. I found this on your bedroom table,” she said, holding up the broken pieces of the camera and the wire. “Mr. Kingston asked me to call him if I was worried about anything. I told him about the camera and your tears. He’s headed this way. He should be here any—”

“What is that?” Amelia shrieked. “Is that a camera?”

The door slammed again, and Max blew through the living room and rushed to envelop me in his arms.

I peered over at Amelia who looked both confused and incensed.

Max held his cheek to mine. “What happened?” He held me at arm’s length to see my face. “Are you okay?”

“Colton came over,” I said.

Max’s jaw twitched.

“He confessed to placing the camera. Sophie put him up to it. She paid him a hundred thousand dollars.”