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Her home was just a ten minute walk away from Main Street. I could’ve driven over since I’d brought my car home with me, but I felt like having the time to think about things and Silverbell wasn’t really that big of a place. After a few minutes, I stood in front of a single family townhome with my heart in my throat. The last time I’d come to her home she still lived with her parents. What would I do if a man answered the door? Who in town could have fathered her child? I would worry about that when the time came.
I hopped up the stairs two at a time. The front door stood ominously before me, and I shook off the nerves before reaching up to ring the bell. Turning around, I made sure no one was standing staring at me like I’d lost my damn mind. Right now, I really wondered. Waiting, I noticed beautiful flower beds lining the front of the house. My eyes trailed farther and noticed a random shine of light hidden in the grass. What was it?
Before I realized it, I was halfway across the yard looking at what had been left so haphazardly in the yard; a small red Hot Wheels car was the answer.It was just a coincidence that he likes Hot Wheels, I told myself. What kid doesn’t like Hot Wheels?
When two minutes passed and she still didn't answer, I walked back up to the door. I rang the doorbell once again and knocked, hoping that she’d hear one or the other. A flash of blue to my left caught my attention just as a woman next door quickly closed the curtains. Well, she wouldn’t be any help. After another few minutes, I gave up and jumped down the stairs to walk around the house. I wanted to see if I could look in any of the windows.
As I was about to turn down between the two houses, the front door of the next house groaned open, where I’d just seen the lady, opened, and she appeared. Her neighbor was an older, short, graying blonde with curves; definitely someone I had never met. She must be new to town in the last six years. “Can I help you?” She asked politely with a smile because Silverbell was nothing but small town charm.
“I’m looking for Anna. Tom said I could find her here. I have something to tell her about Luke’s will.” Why in the hell was I telling her all this information? I shook my head in confusion. It was like my mouth decided word vomit was the answer.
She snapped her fingers together and I saw the lightbulb go off; clarity shining through. “Wait, you’re that famous car guy, right? Didn’t you race across the pond earlier this year? It was a good run, I didn't think you’d pull it off.” My mind spun back to my last victory. It was certainly a good one to end my career on.
A tiny pang hits my heart. Driving was my dream and now I’d never do it again professionally.
Her hands found her hips. “Well, you’ve just missed her. She takes her little boy, Ben, for ice cream every Monday after school at The Village Parlor in town. Want to leave a message for her? I can let her know when she gets home.”
The corners of my lips cranked up at another memory; one of me and Anna at that same little ice cream shop. I wasn’t a fan of ice cream, but I could never tell her no. “No, ice cream sounds good today. I’ll just go try and catch her there.”
“All right, have a good one.” She smiled and said politely before going back into her house. Well, at least I now knew she definitely had a child. I needed to put my mind at ease.
It took only ten-ish minutes to walk down Main Street to The Village Parlor. It was an old school ice cream shop that’d been here since we were kids, so I remembered it well. The line was out the door like it always was on a warm evening in Silverbell.
The line didn’t matter, though, because ice cream was the last thing I had on my mind right now. It didn’t take me long to find them, sitting at a table at the end of the patio. She sat facing me while a kid sat across from her. A son. Anna had a son. I was still finding it hard to wrap my head around. I blinked and did a double take just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
For a few minutes, I just stood and watched them interact.
She was laughing with her little boy until she caught sight of me. Her eyes widened in horror, and it made me uneasy, but I spoke anyway. “Hey, Annagayle. Just wanted to say thanks for coming to Pop's funeral and helping take care of him while I was away. He always had the nicest things to say about you. But I’m not surprised.”
Why the hell did I sound so damn formal? “Ace?” She whispered my nickname, and I couldn’t help the rush of feelings over her using it still. Her eyes flashed up to me, and then quickly flicked to the boy. “I… what are you doing here?” She looked completely and totally flustered. The rose flush that I’d loved for years returned and crawled up her collarbone to her neck and landed on her cheeks.
“I’m here for Pops’ funeral.”
“No, I meanhere. Last time I recall, you weren’t a huge fan of ice cream. So, what in the world brings you to The Village?” She kept glancing behind me, and I couldn’t figure out why she felt the need to bolt so badly. Why couldn’t I know she had a son? What was she hiding?
I pulled out the chair to the left of her son and sat down. She stiffened. I turned, ready to introduce myself to her son when all the air left my lungs like I just got punched. I was staring at a younger version of myself. It was like looking at a mirror and going back to when I was a kid again.
Fuck. Me. Sideways.
I could see her features blended with mine. Dark hair with a stubborn curl that matched my own with the blue eye color from Anna. Sure, it could be a coincidence, but I’d seen too many today, so I wasn’t as quick to toss it away.
I instinctively knew he was mine.
I had a son.
ChapterFour
He knew.My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest, drop to the ground, and keep on running without me. Hell, I wouldn’t blame it if it did. Sweat clammed up my palms, and I was lightheaded and hot all at once.Was it suddenly really, really hot out? Phew.
My eyes flew to the patrons sitting around us on the patio. Dear God, please tell me Sally wasn’t here because she was the last thing I wanted to deal with right now. My eyes fixated back on Jullian as he looked at our child.
It was only a matter of time until he figured it out, but hell if I still didn’t want more time to come up with a plan. One that would’ve left me in control of the situation and when Ben found out; not like this. I should’ve known to keep him at home until I knew how long Julian was staying, but I couldn’t keep Ben cooped up because I was too scared to run into his father; too scared of what his father would think about the lie I’ve been keeping from him for the last five years. It wouldn’t be fair to Ben. and I didn’t want to mess up his routine. Sitting here. I realize that would’ve been the smarter idea.
And if he knew about Ben, then chances are he’d already spoken with Mason. Shit, he had to have just found out about the will and the trust fund Luke left for Ben.
But how did he figure out we were here? Had he gone to the house? Why did he come looking for me? Sam must have told him.
Gathering all my courage, I glanced at Ben, who was curiously staring at Julian. “Benjamin.” His name whispered across my lips, and a spurt of joy spread through my body when my voice didn’t waver as much as I thought it would. “This is Julian McCormick, buddy. We went to school together back when we were kids just like you, and now he drives a race car.”
