Page 138 of Pucking Rebound

“How do you…” Wade’s words die in the air.

It’s like I can hear Wade figuring it all out, piece by piece, realizing the truth that has been in plain sight all along.

The resemblance between me and my mother is striking. It’s hard to miss how similar our features are, from our blonde hair to our bone structure and eye color.

“She’s my mom,” I sob, revealing the truth, feeling a cocktail of relief and fear course through my veins.

“You’re my sister?” Wade asks, his voice faint.

I nod rapidly, making the tears fall down my face and off my chin.

Wade hurries to me. Standing toe to toe, he takes his time examining me.

I hope he knows that everything I’ve done is because I care about him.

“I have a sister?” he asks softly, completely dumbstruck.

“Yes, she’s my mom too,” I say, then spill the facts as fast as I can. “She was married to my dad. Not Marcus. His name was Ritchie Ramsay.” I wait while he absorbs that information.

And I shouldn’t have worried because within seconds, he’s wrapping himself around me and I’m sobbing into his chest.

“I have dreams about you,” he admits, then kisses the top of my head.

Kali told me about the dreams that Wade has about him as a little boy chasing a laughing baby. I don’t think it’s a dream though, I think it’s a memory.

“Did your father tell you before he died?” Wade asks.

I nod. “He wanted me to reach out to you. He wanted me to know I wasn’t alone in the world. He had so many regrets, Wade,about how he treated you and separated us. He wanted me to let you know how sorry he was before he died.” There’s so much to say and tell him.

I need to sit down with him without anyone around.

“You’re not alone, Lola. I’m here.” Wade runs his hand gently up and down my back, comforting me.

I have a brother.

Now he knows it finally feels real.

Digging for answers, Wade asks me a stream of questions. He’s not stupid, and it doesn’t take a genius to work out how we are connected. Miranda’s reputation doesn’t help. According to the papers, she’s slept with half of North America. Single men, married men, young, old—she’s not picky, and discretion isn’t exactly her strong suit.

“I can explain everything,” I say, but I need time to sit down with him and talk it through. It’s complicated.

“It’s all over the news, Wade,” Kali interjects.

He leans out of our embrace. “What do you mean?” The mood in the room grows heavy.

I step back and cover my face out of sheer embarrassment. “Graham sold my story to the press,” I sob, watching him scroll through Kali’s phone at the headlines.

“You weren’t meant to find out like this.” Kali’s voice cracks and Wade looks up as if completely startled.

“You knew?” His thunderous voice booms through the house.

Oh no, this is not Kali’s fault. It’s mine.

Kali begins crying. “I’m so sorry, Wade. I wanted to tell you but?—”

“You didn’t. Did he pay you to keep quiet, too? Is that what pulling a support team together for me was all about?” Wade points at Marcus.

“It was never like that.” Kali straightens her spine.

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