AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He stilled, and his eyes cooled from inferno to frost. “No, I… I don’t.”
“All right.” I stood up from my chair. “I gotta get to the computer. My DNA results should be up on the matching site any moment. Who knows, maybe the parents are looking for me too, and I’ll get lucky.”
James gripped the corner of his desk and stood up, wobbling on his feet.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“Tired.” He breathed unsteadily. “I need sleep.”
I got off my chair and hurried to his side, steadying him under his arm. I helped him to the couch where we’d first spent the night and covered him with a blanket.
“I’ll close the door on my way out,” I said, getting up, but he grabbed my hand.
“No, don’t go.”
I lowered to the bed beside him and snuggled into his body. My breaths instantly slowed, and my eyelids felt heavy. I’d had a long night and no luxury of a couch in my office, so his arms and body felt like the first peaceful moment since my parents’ revelation. He held onto me like he was about to lose me.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend. I’m coming with Ozzy, and my parents will be there as well.”
“Me too.”
“It will be nice for the kids to spend time together.”
Tomorrow night, my little boy would gain two sisters and a father. At the barbecue, with Teresa, Jacob, and my parents to support me, I’d tell the man I loved everything I’d kept from him.
“I’m looking forward to it.” He yawned and loosened his grip.
“Imagine—by tomorrow, I could have a match with my daughter.”
My phone vibrated, and I reached into my pocket and checked the notification. I shot off the couch. “James, I gotta go.”
He sat up. “What happened?”
“I have a match.”
His phone chimed on his desk. “For your daughter?”
“No, for my chickens.”
“You don’t have any chickens.”
“Exactly.” I hurried out the door.
“No, Laura. Wait!”
But I was already down the hall, opening the staircase door. My legs sped of their own accord, taking me down the flights in seconds. I sat behind my desk, opened the computer, and logged into my account just as James pushed the office door open and ran over to my desk, nearly tripping. His disheveled hair flew in all directions, from left to right.
“There it is.” I covered my mouth with my hand.
“What is?” His face was pale, and he was out of breath.
“It’s the match. Hold on. Copy, paste, send. And there.”
“There what?” He leaned over my desk.
“A personal note to the family about myself. Now I have to wait for a reply.”
“Oh.” His phone chimed with an incoming message, which he ignored.
