Page 65 of Wyatt

Agreed. “Okay, yeah, we had a one-night stand in Moscow, but it wasn’t like that for me. I love—loved her. I wanted to marry her. I know I should have led with that—I mean, I know better. I was raised better. But she has this way of getting under my skin and my brain sort of turns off, and I just get into the zone, sort of like I do for hockey, you know. Where you just feel it, and know it’s right? Like I know when a wing is going to take a shot and my body just reacts. And that’s what happened. She was there, and I missed her so much, and I just reacted. And no, I don’t really regret it, except, maybe…I should have asked a few more questions. But then she was gone. And nothing’s been right after that. I’m still playing, but there’s something missing, you know? I keep thinking that it’s because I left myself back in Russia, with Coco, and if I can just find her again and tell her how I feel…but maybe I’ve got this thing all wrong. Maybe she didn’t love me, but it seemed like she did, and now I look at her with that kid, and he’s so cute, and she’s such a great mom, and there’s something wrong with me because it just makes me want her even more—”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, man. The kid is your son. He’s yours.”

Everything went silent. In his head. In his body. Not even the thump of his heart.

“Take a good look at him. He’s got your eyes and your hair, and…geez, man, did you see the way he looked at you? He knows it too.”

“But he’s…too old. I mean, he’s what—”

“I don’t know. Five?”

Five.

Five years old. Oh. No.

Their first time. Oh, Coco.

Wyatt looked at York. Closed his mouth. Swallowed. “I got her pregnant that night.”

“Whatever night you’re referring to, I’d say that’s a yes.”

Wyatt pressed his hand to his chest. “Oh…uh…”

“Wanna rethink everything you just said?”

What he wanted to do was rethink his entire life.

For the past four hours, Coco had experienced the happy ending she’d longed for. At least, deep in the secret parts of her heart.

She just wanted to snapshot this moment.

Mikka lay with his head on Wyatt’s lap, sound asleep, his little lips askew, and even drooling a little onto his jeans. Wyatt’s hand rested on his tiny body, almost in a protective embrace.

A fatherly protective embrace. Which might be as much as she should ever expect given the fact she hadn’t told him the truth.

She simply didn’t know how to form the words.Wyatt, so, the little boy you’ve been playing with for the past four hours? Teaching him how to win a thumb war? Kicking that tennis ball you always carry down the hall to you? The one who erupts into laughter when you tickle him? Yeah, well, he’s yours.

She’d stood at the entrance to their private berth, watching Wyatt stop Mikka’s crazy throws, not unlike he’d done with her back when she’d been a scared little girl fresh out of her home country.

He just had this way of making everyone feel safe. As if they mattered.

She’d never seen her son so happy. Wyatt had bonded with Mikka so fast it took out pieces of her heart. It almost made her think that maybe he’d figured it out. But he’d said nothing to her, no,Hey, Coco, got something life-changing to share with me?when she’d returned to the compartment, so…

She had to find a way to tell him.

But not with York around, because, well, this was a private conversation. Not just the news, but the fact that she’d spent five years not telling him. Five long, stolen years.

So, as happy as she was to see Mikka curled up against Wyatt, her stomach was in a hard knot by the time they reached Khabarovsk.

Wyatt started to reach for a sleeping Mikka, but when his eyes closed hard, probably against a rush of pain from the now horribly bruised and swollen head wound, York stepped in.

Picked up the kid and threw him over his shoulder.

Wyatt picked up Mikka’s bag, as well as his own, and braced himself as he rose from the bunk.

“Sarai should check out your head,” she said.

Wyatt wouldn’t look at her. She had noticed that too. Ever since she returned from the dining car where she’d purchased Mikka a milk and chips, Wyatt had practically ignored her.

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