Page 88 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

He stood there sweating through his shirt, arms aching, and all the happiness he’d felt at seeing her again slipped through his hands like sand.

What the fuck just happened?

ChapterEighteen

“How is this happening?It doesn’t even make sense.” Lorelei paced across the guest cabin, looking out the window but not seeing anything but Slick’s handsome face in her mind, his cheeks red from exertion.

Her dad leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, and Margot sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’m so confused. Out of all the people in the world, how is Ginty’s agent Stevie’s father?”

“It’s crazy,” Margot said.

“I can’t believe it.” Memories pelted her.

Him, coming in with a Christmas tree. Stringing popcorn on fishing line. He’d made cocoa for her when it wasn’t even something he drank. He’d been so kind. So generous. “He said he left me a note.”

“You don’t believe him?” Margot asked.

She thought back to that morning. It had taken her all of fifteen minutes to decide to get the hell out of there. She’d hidden long enough. Thanks to Slick, she had a purpose, a to-do list, and the determination to attack it.

“Honey?” Margot prodded.

“It’s not like I looked for it, and I left almost everything behind.” She’d been so sick of wearing the same clothes for three months.

“And the service you hired to clean didn’t try to get in touch with you?” Margot asked.

She turned to her stepmom. “No. But the place was a mess. We’d made decorations and meals and cocoa. I don’t know that they would’ve noticed a note.”

“Do you think he’s lying about it?” her dad asked.

“I don’t know him to be a liar.” She lifted her arms and let them drop. “But then, we hung out for all of thirty-six hours. How well could I know him?”

And yet, even as she said the words, she felt resistance. She had known him. In some small way, he’d shown her his true self. She had a feeling he’d given her a gift he didn’t share with many.

“So, now what?” Margot asked.

“Now…” She turned back to the window, pressing her fingertips to the cool pane. “I have to tell him.” Tears blurred her vision. “How crazy is this? I’ve dreamed of giving Stevie a dad. But it was some guy who lived locally, who worked a nine-to-five job. It wasn’t a workaholic who lived in New York City.”

“Yeah.” Margot sounded concerned. “It’s complicated.”

“I don’t want to share her. She’s my daughter. My girl. The idea that he’ll take her from me?—”

“No one’s taking Stevie anywhere.” Her dad’s tone was firm. Implacable.

“Dad, he lives two thousand miles away. If he can prove paternity—which he can—then he has rights, too.”

“I think he has to sign an affidavit.” Margot read the screen of her phone.

Because of course, while Lorelei flipped out, her stepmom had looked up the legal process. She was so grateful for her. She was the most nurturing, kind, smart, creative woman Lorelei had ever met. “I mean, she’s his daughter. I can’t imagine him walking away. And then what? He’ll want fifty-fifty custody.” She pressed a hand over her aching heart. “What if he takes my baby away for half the year?”

Her dad pushed off the wall. “He’s not taking Stevie.”

“He could,” Lorelei said. “As her father, it’s his right.”

“First of all, we don’t know if he even wants to be a father.” Margot’s tone had steel in it, too.

She thought about what he’d just said about his schedule.I’d be a terrible husband.

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