“My vibes?”

Jared snorts at that. “Think about it, Wade. Who would know enough to pull this off? And more importantly, why?”

“The lawsuit—” But no. The thing with Tim happened before the lawsuit. Before Tim got fired. Before I even knew he was an employee.

The paperwork had proved Tim was constantly messing up at work. We had no choice. We had to let him go. But then he sued for discrimination. He claimed he was fired for being gay. And when George couldn’t produce any of his documentation, we had to settle.

My stomach twists at the memory.Tim’s satisfied smirk as he collects his check and signs the papers. But at least it’s done.

Or so I thought.

That damn smirk—I’d seen it months before when I first realized he was employed at my company. “He tried to blackmail me.”

“What?” His grip tightens on my arms. “Why wouldn’t you mention that? We didn’t need to settle at all.”

I don’t want to discuss this anymore. “I should get back to my team.”

His understanding look almost does me in. “You weren’t out.”

I laugh. “I’m still not out.”

“Uh-huh,” he says with a grin. “I hate to break it to you, darlin’, but that ship has sailed.”

I knock his hands away. “It isn’t about being gay. Tim was an employee. I didn’t wantthaton the record.”

“The records are sealed, Wade. That’s why there’s an NDA.”

“And if it leaked?”

“Fine. But you’re still missing the point, Wade. How many people at the time knew you were gay. Andprotective…”

His emphasis on the word tells me he might know more than he’s letting on. I’m not ashamed of being a Daddy, but I’m not ready to have it shared with the world. Or my best friend. And then I focus on his actual words. And the realization makes my breakfast churn in my stomach. “Only one person knew.” I watch his eyes because I need to see his reaction. “My brother, Ander.”

“Not Meredith?”

“Fuck no.”

“River said she set this all up. What if she set up everything? From the beginning?”

I don’t know what to believe anymore. “It brings us to the same place. Only one person could have told Meredith.”

Jared shakes his head. “There has to be another explanation. Ander wouldn’t do that.”

“Because you know him so well?”

The door to the main hall opens and Jet runs in. “Hey, um…Ander says you guys need to get your asses out here.”

“We’ll be right there,” Jared says with a nod.

I’m glad he took care of it because I’m having a hard time focusing. I can’t believe it was Ander, but who else could it be? And it’s not even my top concern at this point. “Any suggestions on fixing this thing with Canyon?”

“Tell him everything.”

I snort. “As my lawyer, you’re advocating I violate my NDA?”

“How do you think River found out? If Tim violated his NDA first, you’re free to talk about it. Do you ever read the NDAs?”

“That’s what I pay you for.”