Her Two Wilde Billionaire Bad Boys (Wilde, Nevada 3)

Danielle opened the door. “Mother, come in.”

Her mother ran through the door and fell to her knees, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, Pauline. Please forgive me.”

Pauline stroked her mother’s hair. “You saved my life, Merle. Don’t you know I could see right through Miguel and the prison he kept you in? I was trying to find a way to pull you and Danielle out of that horror, but before I got a chance to do it, the bastard attacked me. I never saw any of you again. Danielle told me he’s dead. Somehow I have t

o find a way to forgive him for his evil deeds. You did nothing wrong. You were doing your best to protect Danielle.”

Pauline could see the silver lining in the darkest of clouds. She was a saint.

Her mother continued to sob and put her head in Pauline’s lap. “I missed you so much. You were like a mother to me.”

“I know, my dear. Poor thing. Your mother died when you were so young.”

Tears rolled down Danielle’s cheeks as her giant wall against her mother came crashing down. She bent down and put her arms around her mom and Pauline.

“Mom, I love you.”

* * * *

Chuck leaned against the wall in the hallway outside Pauline’s room. Lance stood next to him.

Danielle came out of the door, her eyes red and puffy, clearly from crying. The smile on her face told him they’d been happy tears. “Pauline wants to meet you.”

Lance put his arm around her. “And we want to meet her, too.”

Chuck grabbed her hand. “Lead the way, baby.”

They walked into the room together. Danielle’s mother sat on the bed facing the elderly woman, whose eyes were full of life and joy.

“These must be the young men you were telling me about, Danielle. They are quite handsome. I can see where the attraction came from. You two will be good to my girl, won’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he and Lance said in unison.

Pauline’s whole face lit up. “Merle, look how happy these three are.”

Danielle’s mother smiled. “They do seem good together.”

“Have a seat, young men.” Pauline didn’t look like a woman of eighty-seven years, and she definitely didn’t act it. “I want to hear all about you and your time in my childhood hometown.”

They all talked for a couple of hours. Pauline had some of her own stories that made them all laugh. This felt good. This felt like family. It was clear to him by the way Danielle kept hugging her mother that the walls she’d built up over the years were gone. He was glad. He wanted the love of his life to be happy. She had her mother again and Pauline.

“Would you ladies excuse me and Lance for a moment? I would like to discuss something with him in the hallway.”

Pauline smiled. “Just like my Ernest. Go. Have your man talk.”

Chuck bent down and kissed the dear woman on the cheek. “Thank you, Pauline.”

Lance kissed her on the other cheek. “You’ve made our girl very happy.”

“And I just got a kiss from each of you. You’ve made my day, young men.” She winked. “Leave us ladies to our talk now.”

He and Lance nodded and walked out the door.

Lance turned to him. “What’s up, buddy?”

“I know we talked about moving Danielle’s mother in with us already, but—”

“Get out of my head. You and I are thinking the same thing. We need to move Pauline back to Wilde and in our new home, right?”