Page 159 of Wild Blades

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Wade

Eagles owner confirms he is Wade Collins’ father

Yesterday was crazy.

The press release was posted and then an odd sense of relief washed over me.

I’m too removed from everyone to know what the fallout looks like, but I’ve checked the news, and social media, and the nice comments outweigh the bad at this point. For now, though, I need to focus on something far more important.

I look around the ice cream shop not far from my Caulder Creek home, feeling a little nervous to be seeing Lola alone for the first time since all this came out. We’ve spent plenty of time together before I knew the truth, but I’m nervous as hell. I have a knot in my belly, and I can’t stop chewing my lip.

“So, you like ice cream?” I ask her, knowing she does.

“Big fan,” she replies. “What are you having?” Hooking her arm around mine, she doesn’t appear nervous in the slightest.

“Eh, creamy coconut.” I point with my free hand to the ice cream flavor I want displayed inside the gigantic fridge full of multicolored gelato.

“That’s what I’m going to have too. They do table service here. Let’s grab a booth.”

“Okay.” I don’t care what she wants to do. I’ll do whatever makes her happy.

“That one.” She moves in the direction of the one that I knew she would pick.

Sliding herself into the curved seating area in pastel yellow and pink, I can’t help but smile and think how well those colors sum up her personality. She’s like summer all year round.

“What are you smiling at?”

“You,” I admit. “This place is very you.”

“Like ice cream, I’m ice cold and give you brain freeze?” she drawls.

“No, I mean––”

Smiling now, she butts in. “I know what you mean, Wade. Cheerful.”

“Yeah.” I slide in beside her, but not too close because I want to get a good look at her. Properly. “Are you sleeping?” I worry about her. She’s had lots going on too. First, she discovered she has an adulterous mother, then an estranged half brother, then there’s Zane too, her father passed away leaving her all by herself and then her ass-hole ex, who cheated on her, sold her private story to a newspaper.

“Not sleeping very well, no.” She confirms my suspicions.

“You look tired.”

“Thanks. Just what every girl wants to hear. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I’m more worried about you. What’s this?” She reaches up and tugs my newly grown beard. “I don’t like it. You’ve become lazy.”

She scarily reminds me of Gretchen sometimes. Brutally honest, but accurate.

When the waitress arrives, Lola and I end up deciding to share a sundae made for two people.

Reaching out, she takes my hand in hers. “Thank you for coming today. I wasn’t sure if you would.” She’s so petite and pretty. I can’t believe she’s related to me. Although I can. She inherited my mother’s knock out looks.

“You’re the one I wanted to speak to the most.” Well, second actually, Kali sits at the top spot. I’m hoping to stop the ship with Kali on it sailing away from me. I hope what Thomas and Joe advised me to do after the guys left yesterday will help.

“I’m so happy you said that.” Her eyes fill with tears. “I wasn’t sure if you would still want to be friends.”

“You’re my sister, Lola.” I will never hate saying that. “I admire you for keeping my life on track.”

“And I admire the way you have handled yourself. You have a good heart.”

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