Page 22 of Silver Player

But maybe that’s the crossroad. I don’t want to just flirt and tease and to be some one-time wonder to Billy. I’d want a little more—like all of him—which would mean Billy being monogamous, for one thing, and that’s definitely not one of his character traits.

I’ve heard the rumors about his marriage. What he did and how it ended.

The other night, I heard Kristy Moseley was hot on his trail, and I can only assume he’s been on her trail a time or two to warrant her chase. She’s the former wife of Denton Chance, a famous rock star from Blue Ridge who left before I was a teenager. Denton’s older sister, Dolores, owns the diner down the street. She’s a good source of gossip although she doesn’t spread it; she simply knows it all.

I heard she’s after Billy Harrington in hopes to make Denton jealous, one nosy Nelly stated.

Heard she’s going to be the future Mrs. Harrington if she has her way, another replied.

One look from Dolores stopped both women from talking, but the rumors had been cast. If Billy did take a wife, that woman would be Sadie’s stepmother, and where would that leave me? What will Billy do once he finds out the truth? Once he knows from a scientific test that he’s the sperm donor, as Sadie called him. I will not be squeezed out of Sadie’s life. She is practically my child for all the raising I did of her before she was thirteen. Leaving her behind had been difficult for me, but the reality is: she wasn’t my child. She was my sister’s. I am the only living relative on her mother’s side, minus some distant cousins, and I wouldn’t let anyone take Sadie from me, including Billy Harrington.

+ + +

Within another day, we receive the results we already knew. As I read through the chart, analyzing numbers that make no sense to me, I find the only percentages we need. Billy needed a combined parent index of over one hundred percent with a probability of paternity over ninety-nine point zero. Billy has passed with both a one hundred and fifty-two and a ninety-nine point three. There wasn’t any doubt, but this confirms everything. I stare at the numbers, uncertain what they mean. Well, I know what they mean, but I’m waiting for emotion to hit me. Should I be relieved, appeased, or something between? I don’t know how to feel about these results, and I believe I should feel something. Instead, I’m numb as my mind races.

“So, he’s my dad,” Sadie states after I interpret what I can of the results with her. I emphasize the bottom-line percentages, and Sadie stares at the numbers as I do. “Does this mean I have to live with him?”

It’s a question I’ve been asking myself but avoiding an answer.

“Do you want to live with him?”

“I don’t know him,” she states, looking up at me from where we sit at my kitchen table. I brush wisps of hair behind her ear. I hate the black color, but I won’t mention it to her. She needs to work through her own emotions, and I can’t imagine being in her position: dealing with the death of her mother, making new friends here, and finding out who her dad is. It’s too much, and I’ve considered finding her someone to talk to about everything.

“Can I still live with you?”

“Of course, baby. If that’s what you want.”

“Do you want me to be here?” The question startles me.

“Absolutely.” I cup her cheeks, holding her face so she’s forced to look at me. “This is where you should be. With me. But I can’t deny Billy his right as your father, and if he wants you to live with him…well, we’ll just have to work something out.”

“Like every other weekend or something?” Sadie’s question turns sharper, disappointment and disapproval in her tone.

“I don’t know what’s next.” I do know I should talk to my lawyer, the one I hired for the petition for temporary custody until full custody could be guaranteed. She’s back in Atlanta because in a small town, there aren’t many choices. It’s either one Harrington or another, and I already know Billy secured his nephew Jordan Rathstone as he is who ordered the legal DNA testing. I want to ask Billy if we can just settle things between us. He doesn’t need to file for custody. I’ll take full responsibility for Sadie. Ideally, we could work out visitation or whatever else among ourselves, but the logical side of me knows it’s in Sadie’s best interest to go through legal channels. Her mother would definitely not approve of some kind of gentleman’s agreement or a handshake on schedules and finances. She didn’t want to bother Billy with being the father out of fear he’d want half of Sadie’s time. Theresa didn’t want to share.

He’s already given me this unwarranted gift. I don’t need to divide her with him.

Yes, the one-hit wonder, king of the one-night stand was perfect for my sister’s independent spirit, not to mention, being with him—as her unending high school crush—was fantasy fulfillment. I’ve heard that’s a heavy aphrodisiac. Theresa couldn’t have made a better plan for becoming a parent. As far as planning goes, though, Theresa never saw herself as a parent.

I did. I was the one who wanted children and didn’t have any. Instead, I have a niece.

A small part of me wants to do right by Billy. It would never be fair to ask him to deny his knowledge of Sadie, for her or him, and he doesn’t seem to be balking at the idea of fatherhood. As always, he seems overconfident, as though he can fall into parenting without assistance. No man, or woman, falls into parenting with experience, but most people have a support system. When I think of the Harrington clan, Billy will have more than his share, which leaves me wondering, once again, where I’ll fit into things.

When we don’t hear anything from Billy or a lawyer, as I expected, Sadie grows quieter in asking questions, and I become irritated. His child isn’t some floozy he can dismiss or play games with. I’m sure Billy has a checklist regarding the number of days before he can call a woman, if he even calls at all. But Sadie is his kid, and I won’t let him blow her off. These thoughts fuel my ire as I stalk across the street late one evening and enter the Blue Ridge Microbrewery and Pub to confront the father of my niece.

When I enter, Billy is intervening in an altercation near the bar between a wasted Denton Chance, the newly returned prodigal rock star, and his ex-wife, Kristy Moseley. I’m quick to assume Billy’s interference is to protect Kristy as Denton is holding her waist, and my fears of Billy excluding me from Sadie’s life with a potential wife double. When Mati Harrington arrives, Denton leaves with the aid of Billy but not before he makes another small scene.

I shouldn’t be staring, but the flame of my anger dulls a little as Billy escorts Denton out of the bar. I help myself to a stool and smile at Clyde Bebzene, who’s bartending. I don’t typically frequent the pub. It’s not my scene nor do I drink much but tonight feels like a night for some wine.

“I’ll take a Moscato,” I say to Clyde. He’s a rumbled mess. His jeans don’t quite zip and his flannel could use an iron, but his smile is sweet. He isn’t married, and he doesn’t have kids, but he coaches Little League baseball, and one of Grace’s sons is on his team. I’ve gotten to know Clyde over the years as his reading interests include superhero comics and fan fiction retellings.

“It’s a brew pub. We only serve beer,” a deep masculine voice states from behind me. Clyde’s eyes widen, and I don’t need to turn around to know who spoke to me in such a manner. Clyde shifts his large body to rest his hip against the bar and side-eyes the array of liquor bottles on the back wall. Then he turns back to me and lifts an eyebrow. I shake my head, attempting to ignore the man behind me even though he’s the reason I’m here.

“Billy,” Kristy Moseley squeals. “You’re my hero tonight.”

I don’t want to acknowledge them, but their presence is close, and the ear-splitting squeak of Kristy leads me to remember her cheerleading days with my sister. In the reflection of the mirror behind the alcohol bottles, I watch Kristy make a short leap for Billy who catches her on her sides near her breasts while Kristy’s arms wrap around his neck.

“I’ve been looking for you for days,” Kristy purrs, and Clyde’s head shakes. A huffed-chuckle comes from his mouth, and he reaches under the bar for a cooler. A bottle of wine mysteriously appears, and he fills a glass to the brim for me.