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“I’m not sure. I don’t think he’s made the decision yet.”
“When I heard about the accident, I felt terrible. I don’t know much about bull riding, and honestly I don’t care to know. He was a good-looking guy who gave me some attention when I was in a bad place. I had just broken up with my boyfriend a few weeks before, so it was a wild and crazy thing to do. Not something I would normally ever do.”
“Honestly, you don’t need to explain, and I really don’t want to know the details, if you don’t mind.”
Her cheeks turned red. “Of course. I’m sorry.”
As we walked down a long hall, I asked, “She’s not the old boyfriend’s?”
“I . . . I don’t think so. I’m not sure.”
“You haven’t had him tested?”
She glanced my way, a look of sadness on her face. “He died in a car accident about two months after I hooked up with Ty. I didn’t even know I was pregnant yet. His family blamed me for the accident. Said he’d been distraught over our breakup. Once I found out I was pregnant, I didn’t bother telling them. I assumed the baby was Ty’s. But when Olivia got sick, I approached them to see about DNA testing. To see if someone in the family was a match. They’re . . . well . . . the family is wealthy, and they accused me of trying to get money. They won’t have anything to do with me or Olivia. I mentioned Ty possibly being the father, and you can imagine how that sounded to them. Knowing I’d slept with another man so soon after breaking up with their son.”
I nodded. “I see. I’m sorry they won’t help you.”
She gave me a sad smile. “So am I.”
As we walked up, Katy now carrying Olivia, I saw Ty. He looked my way and smiled when he saw me.
“Oh, my. If that isn’t the look of a man in love, I don’t know what is,” Katy said in a hushed voice next to me.
His eyes moved to my right, and he frowned slightly but didn’t seem to recognize Katy. He gave her a polite smile, glanced at the little girl, and then made his way over to me. He leaned down and kissed me. Not on the cheek or forehead, but on the lips, for everyone to see. “Hi.”
It was one simple word, but I could hear it in his voice. Something was off. He turned to look at Katy.
“Ty, this is Katy Olsen and her daughter, Olivia.”
The little girl looked at Ty, and he smiled bigger, but I saw it in his eyes.
He knew.
A sickness rushed to my stomach, and I almost felt the need to turn and find a trash can to get sick in.
“It’s a pleasure,” Ty said, narrowing his eyes slightly at her.
Katy simply nodded.
“Where should we be so that we’ll be out of your way?” I asked.
Ty looked at me, a concerned expression crossing his face. “Would you mind if the three of us”—he looked back at Olivia—“the four of us, stepped across the hall to talk?”
I forced a smile. “It’s nothing that can’t wait until after the show.”
Ty’s gaze met mine, and I saw the wall going back up.
I took his hands in mine. “Ty, it can wait.”
His eyes bounced from me to Katy, then back to me. “I’m not on the air tonight. I told them I wasn’t interested in the job.”
My eyes widened in shock. “But Ty, I thought you—”
“No,” he said as he shook his head, stopping my words with a look of determination. “The only place I want to be is on the ranch, with you. Now, let’s go across the hall.”
A heaviness settled in the pit of my stomach. I knew I had gotten through to Ty earlier. He was willing to try a relationship with me, even though he had fears and doubts and the crazy notion he wasn’t good enough for me. Now, he very well could have a child. I knew this was going to take us back a few steps. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure if he was simply trying to appease me for the time being.
Placing his hand on the small of my back, Ty guided us to an empty room. Food was on a table, and it appeared people had been in earlier to eat.
Once Katy had walked into the room, Ty shut the door. Then an awkward-as-hell silence filled the air. I watched Ty as he took in the little girl, then looked at Katy.
“She’s not mine.”
I gasped. “Ty!”
He snapped his head to look at me. “She’s not mine. I have never had sex without a condom.” Facing Katy, he looked at her with an expression I couldn’t read.
“I’m not here to ask you to be a part of her life, Ty. I need your help, and when I saw you on TV, I had to come. You were in Billings, and . . . I just need your help.”
