Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 45

Tom shook his head.

Kim continued talking in hushed tones as they served up the lunch. "Sophie was dating this guy, Marcus, ages ago. Anyway, just before Sophie found out she was pregnant I happened to see him one day, out at a café, with a woman and a couple of kids. He had his arm around her, which didn't make sense because he was with Sophie."

Tom could guess the rest. "He was married?"

"Yes. We had no idea. When Sophie found out she was pregnant a couple of days later, she went to see him and he told her that the baby couldn't be his. That he was married and would never leave his wife. He already had two kids, he didn't want any more. He told her to get rid of it and that if she ever contacted him again, he'd make sure she regretted it." Kim shrugged as she looked up at him waiting for a reaction.

Tom was shocked. Everyone who should've cared about Sophie had just walked all over her. Her parents. Her ex. Now him. He was ashamed of how their relationship had started. If he could do it over again, he would, but he couldn't.

He pushed those thoughts from his mind as he walked into the dining room to face his parents-in-law.

"Where's Sophie?" Gordon asked, concern in his voice.

"Where's lunch?" Mary grumbled.

Tom looked over at the older man, ignoring his mother-in-law. "She's sick, so she's sleeping. And I'm not going to wake her," Tom dismissed softly, not wanting to cause any arguments today.

Sophie's mother opened her mouth to say something but before Tom could say anything, Sophie's father spoke up again.

"Maybe we shouldn't have come today," Gordon said and got a glare from Mary. "Do you want us to leave?"

Tom sighed heavily. "You might as well stay, Kim's just dished it all up."

They ate in relative silence. There was polite conversation about football and the weather as he helped Jasmine eat her lunch, despite his mother-in-law's protests that the little girl should be feeding herself, but then complaining that she made too much mess and noise. Children should be seen but not heard.

Is that how they'd treated Sophie as a kid? He was very much in the opinion of letting kids be kids, like his own parents had done. His own mum always said to let them play with their food, and that it was how they learned. Besides they were guests in his house - technically Sophie's house - so he'd do things his way.

"I need your help," his Dad sighed wearily. "Gabe hasn't show up for work for two days. Greta hasn't been able to contact him, or locate him. I'm here now, I stopped off on my way back from New York."

Tom's heart beat faster. As much as his brother's antics annoyed him, he was worried about him. "Tell me you've found him?" he asked. He wanted his brother to be safe.

"Yes, he was at your place," Dad spoke angrily. "He's been sleeping off a mighty hangover apparently."

Tom groaned. Would Gabe ever learn? He only hoped his brother hadn't gone and done damage to Tom's house. He should never have agreed to let him stay. "What do you need me to do?"

"You know this place inside out. So I need you to hire a replacement for him."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Tom asked. He knew Gabe had screwed up a few times, but taking the job away from him might be a step too far.

"No. He took several bottles of the hotel's most expensive champagne to have a party at your house with who knows how many girls. Then he let the staff take the blame for it while he slept for two days."