Page 68 of Outlaw Heartstrings
Jagger buries his face against my shoulder. “Twenty-four-seven. All the time.”
“Yeah, Buddy. All the damn time.”
I can’t get the conversation out of my head. Even after I’ve put my son to bed in his new room, and climbed into my own bed. Now more than ever, I’m determined to give that perfect little boy the very best life has to offer. Nothing has ever been more important to me.
That’s why the text message I receive from Lincoln just before midnight nearly makes me fall out of my bed.
I bolt upright between my tangled sheets, hitting the call button on my brother’s name and not giving a fuck how late it is.
“What? What the fuck are you talking about?” I hiss, my heart pounding like it never has before.
Lincoln pulls in a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, Easton. The DNA test results are in. Jagger’s not your son.”
25
ALBA
Istumble into Eggs ’N Oats with my pulse throbbing violently in my throat.
Patrons chat quietly at their booths, utensils clanking against ceramic dishes. The upbeat music of a top 40 radio station plays on low in the background. The scent of bacon saturates the air, making my stomach queasy with nausea.
Tammy greets me with her regular friendly smile, no signs of a hangover in her graceful movements. But I’m too wrapped up in anxiety to return it. “Hey, sweetie.” She ambles by me with plates of breakfast stacked in both hands. “Easton and Lincoln are waiting for you at the back.” Her chin juts toward a table hidden in the shadows of the diner.
“Thanks, Tammy,” I croak out, letting my heavy feet carry me across the restaurant.
This whole thing feels like a bad dream. I’m convinced that it is.
Easton called me in the wee hours of the morning, while I was sleeping off the effects of a night of drinking with thegirls. He told me that the results of the at-home paternity test came in. And that they weren’t what we were hoping for.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
We jumped the gun. We told Jagger that Easton is his father. We introduced him to a new grandma and new uncles and a new cousin that he adores, all without waiting for the paternity test results. Now, it turns out that we were wrong.
But I was so damn sure. When Raya got pregnant, she swore that Easton was the only possibility. Plus, Jagger and Easton are so much alike that it’s eerie. In my mind, a DNA test was only ever a formality because in my heart, I was so damn sure.
I feel like I’ve had the rug pulled from under me. And, if I’m this devastated at learning the truth, I can’t imagine what it will do to Jagger. The thought of seeing my sweet nephew in shambles is almost enough to bring me to my knees. All I’ve ever wanted was to protect him, and now his heart is going to break into a million pieces because I was so reckless.
“Hi,” I say somberly as I approach the table and Lincoln gives me an unsmiling nod.
Easton quickly rises and pulls out a chair for me. “Hey.”
I get settled and Tammy comes over with the coffee pot. I wait until she’s done filling our cups before I speak.
“So, Jagger’s not yours…?” I ask, my throat burning around the words.
But Easton only jerks forward in his chair, a stubborn expression on his face. “We’re taking the test again,” he announces.
I blink, surprised at his words.
“They made a mistake. Someone got it wrong. We’re taking the test again,” he says with certainty.
Lincoln drags a palm down his face. “Easton…”
The stubborn man just shakes his head. “I was up all night, doing research. These tests are not fail-proof. In fact, the company that produces this particular brand of tests is under some sort of investigation right now. Right, Lincoln?” His eyes snap to his brother.
“Yes. True,” Lincoln concedes on a sigh. “The lab is facing multiple allegations of paternity testing fraud. A few of the company’s former lab technicians went on record admitting to reporting erroneous test results in the past.”
Easton’s hand darts out, stretching his phone to me. “Look at this!”
