Page 26 of Unrivaled

Me: I have the paternity test kit. When can I get it to you?

I sit in the parking lot and stare at my phone, wondering if I’ll get a response at all. But at least the message shows as delivered, so it looks like she unblocked my number. That’s something I guess.

After five minutes with no answer, I back out of the parking lot and head to campus for my two o’clock. Maybe she’s in class right now and she’ll respond when she’s done. I don’t know her schedule aside from the theatre class she has with Jackson.

Which means I can always find her tomorrow if she doesn’t answer me today.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Tiffany

I stare at my phone, reading and rereading the message from Grayson.

Grayson:I have the paternity test kit. When can I get it to you?

Hmm, never? Never’s good for me. Crawl back into the football stadium and leave me alone, please.

Though only part of me actually wants that. The part of me that fears change and doesn’t know what he intends to do once he sees the positive results of that test.

But a tiny part of me wonders if it might be okay. If he’s telling the truth and he really didn’t know back then and he really did just find out, it might even be a good thing. Ben’s too young to really start asking questions yet, but it’s only a matter of time. One of these days he’ll want to know about his dad, and wouldn’t it be nice if he got the answer before the questions even came up? Wouldn’t that be better than learning your dad is a deadbeat? Or me making up lies to cover up that fact?

Either way, it looks like the deadbeat is around, at least for now. It’s thefor nowpart that gives me pause, though. Because it would be better for him to just stay away if he has no intention of following through. A deadbeat who abandoned you before you were even born is bad enough, but it seems like having someone drift in and out of your life, never keeping promises, never making you a priority would be even worse.

Sucking in a deep breath, my stomach swirling with nausea, I text Grayson back.

Me:I’m available now

He responds immediately. He sent the text almost an hour ago. Is he just sitting around waiting for me to text him back? Does that make me feel good or terrible?

Grayson: I’m in class right now. Can we meet after?

Me: No. I have to pick up Ben.

Grayson: I could come with you

Me: I don’t think that’s a good idea

Grayson: It was fine yesterday

Me: And you said it would be just one time

He doesn’t respond for several minutes, and I’m about to put my phone away and ignore it, because he’s the one who wants to meet. It’s not my job to be accommodating.

Grayson: I could drop it off at your house later tonight

Absolutely not. No fucking way. I haven’t even told my parents about Grayson showing up. God, I don’t even knowhowto tell them. Or how to tell Ben. My stomach clenches and swirls at the thought, nausea swamping me, cold sweat breaking out under my sweater.

Everything’s been fine. Life was fine. Why does he have to show up and ruin everything?

Tiffany: Fine. Meet me at the bench in front of the Early Education Center after your class

I can just imagine those sinful lips curling into a smug grin at his victory. And I can also imagine how much I want to slap that grin off his face.

* * *

Grayson strolls up looking warm in his puffy coat and track pants, the smile I imagined earlier tugging at his lips.

I narrow my eyes. I don’t need him being all cute and pretty right now.

---