Page 26 of Mercy Lake

She’d been unusually quiet and guarded the past few days, even before we got the news about our dad. I tried broaching the subject before we left for Acacia Falls. Let’s just say that didn’t go down well.

I had sent Austin her way more than once, if only to give his aunty some well-needed cuddles and kid humour. Which usually shone through with his unguarded toddler logic and spontaneity.

Keeping with that narrative, my wayward son was true to form. When he walked into the room, he thought he’d announce his ecstatic news.

“I just met my daddy,” he said, all sunny and smiling. They didn’t even bat an eyelid, used to his shenanigans. He had been obsessed with that train of thought since they’d held a father’sday lunch at his kindy earlier in the year. After that, those pesky daddy questions began.

How did you tell your son he was conceived through one blissful, passionate night with a stranger? A person you never saw or heard of again?

Well, you didn’t tell him, that’s what.

When Austin first asked, the question caught me by surprise. I freaked, claiming his father was an old friend. I wasn’t necessarily lying. For some reason, I did consider that stranger a friend, no matter how long we were acquainted.

For that short period of time, we trusted one another with all our hurt, shared in that joint pain, and in doing so, produced the greatest joy of my life—my boy, Austin Thorne. For that alone, I would never regret it.

Although, I still didn’t know how to combat the new three-year-old inquisitiveness.

It had already been an insecurity of mine.How much will it affect him, not having a father? Will he eventually come to hate me since I can’t even tell him who his father is?

Now, he was searching for a dad in everyone we crossed, and the very inclination had my heart straining from the need to fulfil something I couldn't give him.

And when he asked Owen, of all people…Geez, I wished I had the ability to disappear at will because that was straight embarrassing.

My mum’s cooing brought me out of my thoughts as she encouraged Austin’s musings. “That’s nice, baby boy, who is your daddy?”

I nearly choked on air. “Austin, we’ve talked about this. You can’t go around saying that. Owen already has a family, hisownchild.”

“No, he doesn’t,” my mum cut in.

Wait. What?“Since when?”

Her disappointed green eyes swept my way. “I’ve tried talking to you so many times, sweetheart. You never wanted to listen. Owen—”

I silenced her with a glare, my gaze pointedly flicking to Austin. That wasn’t a conversation for little listening ears. If Mum didn’t quit talking, there would be worse things to worry about than Austin calling another man daddy. The last thing I needed was for my nosy son to ask about my previous marriage and inevitable divorce.

“It doesn’t matter, Mum. I’ve moved on. We’vebothmoved on.”

Alicia fake-coughed into her hand. “Bullshit.”

Yep, my family, everyone. The epitome of role models for my three-year-old boy.

Thankfully, no one else got a word in when we were interrupted by a knock before Dad’s doctor walked in.

My breath hitched. I had a gut feeling that everything was about to change.

Chapter 15

OWEN

Immediately after my chance encounter with Alexis, I raced to my office and assigned myself to Phil’s case.

Was it unprofessional? Definitely. Did I care? Not in the least.

In that small exchange, I had gathered enough information to come to one conclusion.

I needed more.

To see her face, hear her voice, feel her presence.

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