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“Last year, when Spencer took her to your cousin’s wedding and a tabloid article came out about them, I recognized her last name. It was the same as the one on my birth certificate. I was curious. We were from the same area, so I looked her up.”
“You found out you had the same father?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You were sure enough when you were sitting in that lobby the night we met. That’s why you were there. There was no recital.”
“No, but I didn’t know how to explain why I was in the hotel. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“What were you planning on doing had I not found you and introduced you to Coda?” Tyler asked.
“I wanted to see her. I was eager to see her up close. I wanted to know if we looked alike or had anything in common.”
Sammy never thought she’d get to meet Coda that night. If she and Spencer hadn’t gone looking for Tyler, she probably wouldn’t have. All she wanted was a chance to see the woman who could possibly be her sister, and then she was prepared to let it go. She had no proof she was related to Coda, and she didn’t want to disrupt anyone’s life. She saw no reason to tell Coda her father had an affair. Tyler was an unexpected surprise. The more she got to know him the more she wanted to be part of his life.
“Was I your mark?”
“What?”
“Was I your fucking mark?” He raised his voice. “Getting close to me, was that your plan?”
“No, of course not.”
“You knew exactly who I was that night.”
“I did, but—”
“Stop it!” he yelled. “Even if you’re telling the truth—and quite honestly, I’m not certain you are—you could have told me at any point after that night in the lobby.”
“I didn’t think it was important, especially not after I got to know you. I wanted to leave my mother’s past behind me and start my own life.”
“You played me every chance you got. The job, getting close to Coda, everything.”
“Your grandfather hired me. I couldn’t have planned that.”
“After you put the bait out. Spencer was right about you from the beginning, but I was too stupid to see it. I defended you to my brother. And Coda? She believed you too. She went up against her husband, but he was right. I can’t believe it.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “How did I not see?”
“I wanted to tell you, but I’m not even sure if he was really my father. I have nothing to back it up. What was I supposed to say?”
“That there was a possibility you could be related to my sister-in-law.” When he stopped pacing, she saw the agitation in his eyes. “You could have asked for my help.”
“I wanted to, but would you have believed me?”
“You didn’t give me a chance to believe you.” He fisted his hands by his sides. “All you had to do was tell me what you suspected. Do you know how many times you could have done that? How many intimate conversations we had?”
“I’m sorry.”
“What about us? Was any of that real?”
“Yes.” Didn’t he know he was the most real part of her life? The best part? “You’re the only thing in all of this that I care about.”
“How can I trust that? How do I know you weren’t playing me?”
“I would never do that.” She reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “Please.” He had to believe her. “I didn’t plan this from the beginning. Things weren’t supposed to get this far. I wanted to see my sister that day and then I was going to walk away. I never expected to fall in—”
“No!” He walked toward the door, reaching for the handle. “I can’t do this right now.”
“Don’t leave.” Desperation settled in. The one thing she had never wanted to happen was unfolding right in front of her. She was losing him. Why hadn’t she told him the truth before this point? “What about everything we shared?”
