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And even while I’m thinking it, I can’t stop myself from tutting impatiently.
Because clearly, I’m an asshole now.
Ford squares his shoulders, drawing himself up to his considerable height. “Noah called an automated voice mailbox. The message he left was cryptic, to say the least.”
When I stare deadpan at him, allowing my newfound asshole to shine bright, his jaw tics, but he continues despite my uncharacteristic lack of niceties. “He left in a town car shortly thereafter. Layla rang down to reception for room service and fresh towels, which my man delivered, posing as staff. He’s confirmed she’s alone and was running a bath.”
“And Noah’s voice message? What’s being done about that?”
“I have our best guy, Eduardo, from Dad’s main office in New York running point. He should have access within the next few days.”
I nod sharply. “I want to know the second you do, Ford. No more Tequila Sunrise, yeah?”
He inclines his head, his gaze sliding to Summer, who has returned to her seat in the high-backed armchair for a split second before he pivots on his heel to leave us in silence.
I don’t mince my words. “And then what? What stopped you from coming back when he was ten, Summer? Why keep him from me for another fourfuckingyears, hmm?”
Her eyes are on the swirling liquid inside her tumbler as she swishes it around the glass. I can feel the tension rolling off her body in waves, and the silence between us continues to stretch.
Eventually, I stand and walk over to pluck the glass from her hand. Her eyes slowly climb my body until they come to my face. I arch a brow, feeling my jaw tic before I place the tumbler to my lips and knock the Macallan back in one burning mouthful.
“Whynow, Summer?” The question is a hoarse rasp as the whiskey sets fire to my throat on its descent to my churning stomach. “Answer thedamnquestion. Give me something to go on here. Any-fucking-thing!”
She sucks that pouty bottom lip between her teeth as her brows crease. Her nostrils flare, but she holds my eyes unflinchingly.
“You might want to sit.”
I cross my arms over my chest and widen my stance. “I’m perfectly fine where I am.”
She sits back in the seat, folding her hands atop her lap before her eyes glaze over, and I justknowshe’s reliving whatever it is that drove her back here. Silence abounds for long minutes until her voice whispers through the air so quietly that I need to strain to hear it, even with how close I’m standing.
“When Jesse was ten, I brought him for a wellness check-up. He’d been too tired to participate in his favourite sports, and his appetite was shockingly low.”
Goosebumps break out on every inch of my skin when her eyes refocus and shift to mine. “A blood test showed abnormalities. So we went for more tests.” She swallows, clears her throat, and raises her voice slightly. “Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Early stages. Entirely treatable.”
Every inch of my body is on high alert, unable to even acknowledge what she’s just told me.
“It was the same week news of your wedding broke, actually. I—I wasn’t in a good place….” she trails off, glancing at her lap where she’s wringing her hands, her knuckles white from the exertion.
“I did reach out, I swear….” She raises haunted eyes to mine. “I knownowthat she was lying, butthen, I had no reason not to believe her.”
My forehead creases in sheer confusion, and I’m unable to keep the impatience from my voice when I snap, “You knowwhowas lying?”
She swallows, clears her throat, and holds my eyes unwaveringly as she stumbles through her response. “The week of Jesse’s first—his first chemotherapy session. I—well, that’s to say my boss was able to get your cell number for—for me. I rang…and Layla answered.”
Her nostrils flare, and her jaw tics noticeably as she tries to keep a lid on her emotions. “I told her about Jesse. I told her everything.”
My stomach churns, threatening to dispel the pizza from earlier.
Layla fuckingknewI had a son forfourdamn years!
Silent tears track down each of her flushed cheeks as she continues. “She said you guys werehappy. With a child of your own on the way, which only broke to the media shortly thereafter. She said if I contacted you, it would ruin everything—I had no way of knowing she meant it would ruin everything forher, Cade. I swear, I didn’t know….”
My emotions are barely hanging by a thread when I pin her with a stare. “What about Jesse?”
Pain flitters across her face, but in a flash, it’s replaced with determined resolution as she sets her jaw and continues.
“My boy made—”
