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Five
Nick stared at the social worker like she was insane. Since she was his nephew Michael's wife, he knew that wasn't quite the case. But this? He never would have imagined this. "You're serious? Selena Brown. She’s dead. She had a kid. My kid. My kid."
Jude nodded. She was such a pretty girl. Sweet. One hand covered the bump where Nick’s great-niece or -nephew was growing. “Yes. I have the paperwork. Normally I handle this in my office, but…I thought the quicker the better. It should never have taken a week for them to find you. All I can say is that our system is royally screwed up at times.”
Nick shot a look through the glass window in his office door at the tiny girl sitting so forlornly, kicking her feet, a scared look on her pretty little face.
A face so like his niece Nikki's there was no denying the little girl was a Tyler. And since he had been involved with her mother—in Cheyenne seven years ago—Nick wasn't stupid. “She looks just like Nikki did.”
“With the red hair like Juniper’s. I noticed. Similar eye conditions as Nikki, too, according to what information we have. It’s a recessive condition. Though Nova’s is not as severe. She’ll need a more thorough evaluation soon.”
Nova was his. He…was a father.
Nick’s throat closed, and his gut seized so tightly he’d thought he’d vomit. As what Jude was saying sank in.
Hell.
He’d missed six and a half years. He bit back the anger.
How had Selena justified doing this to him? To that little girl?
Nick fought the nausea, fought running for the hills. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do next. He had a kid. A daughter. Who had just lost her mother and was completely alone in the world.
She needed him now.
"I don't know how to be a father to a little girl." But he was. He was a father. All those times he’d had runs that took him through Cheyenne or Laramie, his daughter had been there the whole time. And he hadn’t known. How could Selena have done that?
Nick's heart pounded against his chest so hard he thought his heart was going to just stop right where he stood. "Her mother is dead? What happened?"
"Drug overdose, Nick. She was addicted to opioids. She took too many while the kids were at school last week. Her son found her after he came home. Nova was at the after-school program."
"Noah? Where is he?" Nick had never forgotten that kid. He had dated Selena for two years. He had known Noah and loved him. Would have taken care of him, too. Would have raised him like he was his own. He’d been planning on it, had wanted it.
If Selena hadn't suddenly told Nick to get lost. That she had found someone else. Someone better, someone more exciting who wanted adventure.
She had hurt him a great deal. Losing her and Noah had hurt like hell. “Is he ok? Where is he?”
Noah had to be twelve now.
He and Selena hadn't ever lived together, but he had helped her with her bills when she asked him to. Had bought her and her little boy groceries more times than he could count. Bought Noah clothes and shoes and even his first little ball mitt when he’d been four.
Only to be told to get lost. He wasn’t needed any longer.
Hard not to feel used after that.
A shadow passed in front of the door.
Robin. Looking beautiful and sweet, with her copper brown hair hanging loose down her back. She knelt down in front of Nova and offered her what looked like a juice box. And a smile. Nova smiled in return.
She was beautiful—his daughter. Absolutely beautiful.
Robin had kids.
Robin knew how to be a mother to a little girl. And Glenna—she had three girls.All under seven. Phil had four girls he’d raised to adults. They knew what they were doing with little girls.
He forced himself to pull air into his lungs again. To breathe in and out. He could do this. Figure this out.
He wasn’t going to panic. Panicking wasn’t something Nick did.
