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No way she was clean. Not anymore.

And maybe Bella needed to see this also.

And maybe he selfishly wanted her to remember that she had it good with him.

He provided for her. Gave her a stable life with minimal drama.

That if she ever had to choose, she’d choose him.

Which was hard for a man to accept. That he’d put everything he had into this and maybe he’d lose it anyway.

Like he had all his relationships in the past.

But those, he could honestly admit he hadn’t given it his all.

Not like he was with Marly.

Not like he had with Bella.

“Is that her?” Bella whispered.

“Yes. Still want to do this or leave?”

“We can do it,” Bella said, lifting her chin. “She saw us.”

“I’m right next to you,” he said. “Just remember that.”

They walked toward the booth. Bella slid in first, then him next to her.

Holly looked her daughter over, more curious than loving. “Wow. You don’t look much like me. I thought you would have.”

Couldn’t even say hi to her daughter.

“Who do I look like?” Bella asked.

Holly looked back and forth between him and Bella. “More like your father, I guess. You’re thirteen now?”

Christ. She had to ask her daughter’s age.

“Yes. You’d think you’d know that,” Bella said defiantly.

Good for her.

“I know your age. I’m just, trying to wrap my head around this all. Nothing more,” Holly said.

“Why did you leave me?” Bella asked, coming strong out of the gate.

Holly shrugged. “I didn’t want to get pregnant. And when I was, Robert said he’d marry me. I thought I’d have a home and someone to take care of me. Give me things I never had.”

He couldn’t contain the snort. “You must not have known him well enough then.”

“Obviously not,” Holly said. “I was young. And got into some things.”

“Drugs and alcohol,” Bella said. “Colson told me. I saw your criminal records.”

Hiding nothing.

“He had no right to show you those things,” Holly bit back.