Page 110 of Riches and Romance

She shook her head. “I moved to Houston ten years ago. Right after Payton was born.”

Ten years. The math added up. Payton could definitely be my kid.

Fuck.

“Good for you guys. Do you like Houston, buddy?”

Payton nodded, but it was clear he was getting restless. He shrugged his mother’s hands off of him, and Amber smiled knowingly at me.

“I better get him back to the hotel. We’re staying at the Willow Inn, and Opal said something about bringing cookies for Payton before bed.”

“Well, I’m glad we ran into each other. Maybe I’ll see you guys around.”

Amber smiled, and the two of them walked away, greeting a few other old friends before leaving. I felt my entire body relax the moment they left, like I’d been holding myself together the entire time I was in their presence.

I downed my whiskey in one gulp, racking my brain to remember those last few months of my relationship with Amber. But there was just one thought that kept circling my mind.

Was I really that much of an idiot at nineteen?

CHAPTER 7

Valentina

“Maybe it’s notwhat you think.” Charlotte was sitting on my bed, glass of red wine in hand, watching me pack my things with those worried eyes of hers.

I threw my still-damp bathing suit into the suitcase, stuffing the memories of our day at the swimming hole into a deep, dark corner in my mind.

“You didn’t see that little boy, Char. He was the spitting image of Duke. There’s no way he’s not his kid.”

And there’s no way in hell I’m sticking around long enough to find out.

It was stupid getting involved with Duke in the first place. His whole life was here—an entire history I didn’t understand. And my life was in LA. It was as simple as that. He didn’t owe me explanations about his exes, or the fact that he had a kid I knew nothing about.

“I just think that it might be worth talking to him about it. Maybe running back to California all angry and broken isn’t the best way of going about things.”

Puta madre.I always hated it when she was right.

But that didn’t mean I had to listen to her.

“I didn’tfallfor him. We fucked one time. And besides, what am I going to do, pick up my life and move to the middle of nowhere for a good lay?”

Charlotte winced, and I immediately felt like shit. I guess that’s kinda what she did. Only Luke and her are the real deal—totally in love and all that shit. Things never had the chance to get that far between Duke and me. Tossing the pair of jeans I’d been folding onto the growing pile in my suitcase, I joined her on the bed, placing my hand on hers.

“Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. You and Luke are great. I’m just…I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe I let myself get involved with Duke, even after you warned me about him. And oh my God, Char, I don’t know how you deal with the freaking gossip in this town. I swear they even turned off the music to eavesdrop on us the second his ex walked up to the bar.”

She laughed, shrugging and downing the last of her wine.

“You get used to it. Molly didn’t say anything about the music stopping, but she did mention that the whole town thinks the kid is Duke’s too.”

“You mean he didn’t even know about the kid?”

Charlotte shook her head. “Amber never said a word.”

Wow. That’s a hell of a lot to deal with.

“Qué pinche culero,” I muttered. I laid back on the bed with a huff, a tension headache already forming at the base of my skull. All I wanted was to be back in my apartment, soaking in the clawfoot tub I saved up for six months to splurge on, a thousand miles away from my problems.

Charlotte flopped down on the bed next to me, our heads sinking into the fluffy blue comforter.

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