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“Chase,” Mia calls in warning.
“Yeah Mom, I’m going,” Chase responds and then turns to jog into the house. Mikey walks at a slower pace and glances back at Billy, before stepping inside.
Mia waits a few beats after the door closes, before speaking.
“Oh Billy, I’m so sorry.” She stands, her hands wringing. “This is a huge misunderstanding.”
“Oh, thank God.” A flash of relief hits his expression, as he bends slightly, reaching for his chest. “So, he’s not my kid that you hid from me for the past nine years?’
“No. I would never…I mean I would, I did, but not to you.”
“She would to me though,” I say, and do a little half salute, which only confuses Billy more. Mia shoots me a look, then shuts her eyes and sighs.
“Billy, Chase isn’t your son. My brother thought he was. And I let him think that because it was easier than telling him that he’s Luke’s, because Liam didn’t even know Luke and I had hooked up.”
“Neither did I,” Billy says, but he looks more amused than bothered by it.
“We didn’t do anything while you and I were still dating, if that’s what you’re thinking." Mia waves a hand, impatiently, like it’s beside the point. “It was after we broke up. Luke and I hooked up and I got pregnant, and I didn’t tell him about my son till about a week ago."
“Jesus, Mia.”
“I know, I know. I had my reasons at the time, but it was the wrong thing to do. We’ve already been over that." She finally stops, taking a deep breath. “But I never told Chase that you were his dad, ever.”
“I get that. But the real question is,” Billy moves around her in an almost protective stance, and pins me with a look. “Why doesn’t Chase knowyou’rehis dad, sinceyouknow,you’rehis dad?”
Something about his tone bothers me and I meet it with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, sinceyou’renot part of the equation.”
Mia comes to his rescue. “Luke literally just found out about Chase a couple of weeks ago. We haven’t had time to work out how exactly we’re going to break it to either of the boys yet."
“A boy would know his father,” Billy says, still staring at me.
“I agree," I respond staring right back.
Mia releases an exasperated sound. “Ok, let’s take the testosterone down a notch. We have more important things to figure out.” She lays a hand on Billy as though to move him out of the way, but then frowns as she hesitates. “Wait, Billy, you got huge.”
Billy smiles down at her. “Thanks."
Jealousy burns in my gut. Before I can think about what I’m going to do, I take Mia's wrist off him, drawing her closer to me. Her eyes widen but I don't apologize.
I don't care if it makes me a caveman, I don't want her touching another man.
While Billy is bigger than before, he’s still not my height and not quite my mass. And typically, I'm not the type of guy to enjoy throwing my weight around, but in this instance, it seems necessary - with this man who my son thinks is his father.
And Mia, apparently, likes his muscles.
“What do we do now?” Mia asks, and turns to me with a worried look in her eyes. "About Chase? Because I’m not sure if he believes me.”
“Why not just tell him who his dad is?” Billy says once again, looking right at me.
Mia turns to me, as though letting it be my decision. And while I’ve wanted nothing more than to tell Chase the truth this whole time, I balk.
I don’t know how he’ll react. What if he’s disappointed by the reveal? What if he’d rather Billy be his dad?
I need more time, more time to let him get to know me.
"We’ve already lied to him,” I say. "A lie by omission is still a lie. So at least when we’re telling the truth, let’s do it with a little more care for his feelings, and when the boys didn’t just have a huge event."
Guilt flashes in her expression, again. Mia doubtfully chews her lip, eyeing me below her lids. She turns to Billy.
