Page 69 of Electric Blue Love
Holding my breath, I watched the doctor’s face carefully. Would he recognize Court? Would Court call him out right here in front of everyone? I couldn’t venture a guess and I didn’t know which way I hoped it’d go.
“Nice to meet you. I didn’t catch your name,” Dr. Sterling said with an easy smile and extended a hand.
The faintest smile played on Court’s lips. “Courtney Adams.”
If I hadn’t been so carefully watching the exchange I might have missed the way Court held onto the shake too long or the way Dr. Sterling paled and stilled as the name registered.
“And how do you know these two?” He asked Court but looked to his brother.
Allen Sterling placed a hand on Court’s shoulder. “Court here is the best damn risk analyst I’ve worked with in the past twenty years. Sharp as nails and dedicated to his work. All work and no play. Sort of like you, brother.”
I whimpered at the statement, no longer able to bear witness to whatever was going to go down. I accepted two things. One, Dr. Sterling was Court’s father and he knew exactly who Court was. And two, Allen and Todd were completely oblivious, confirming something I’d hoped wasn’t true – that his father had kept him a secret.
I turned to Todd and quietly muttered, “I’m sorry, I need to…” I trailed off, no excuse seemed fitting. “Please excuse me.”
I didn’t look back to see Todd’s reaction at my brash departure, I just hurried out of the ballroom looking for a place to hide. I found the restroom first and hustled through the large oak door to a thankfully empty room.
I slunk against the wall and let a tear fall. For what I wasn’t even sure. For Court? For my mom? For everything?
The creak of the door opening alerted me that someone had entered, but it was his presence I felt. Current flowed between us.
“Ishewhy getting Todd was so important to you?” His words were mean and accusing.
“No,” I pushed away from the wall ready to defend my intentions. “I never expected this. Todd wanted to help so he invited me here to introduce me to his uncle… your father.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about Todd and Uncle Cal?” he said the last part in a mocking voice and it rankled me that he was mocking my friend who had done nothing to him.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t sure how to bring it up and then today…”
He paced the white tiles of the ladies’ room. “Fuck, Bianca. I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around this. Are you with Todd? Was everything between us really just about getting him… about his connections?”
“What? No, of course not. You can’t really believe that.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or believe. You show up here tonight with him and now I find out he’s related to my father? That’s some shit.”
“He recognized you,” I said quietly.
He nodded. “Yep. His reaction is about what I expected.”
“Are you going to talk to him here tonight?”
“I don’t know. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know,” he repeated.
“Look, Court, Todd speaks so highly of his uncle. Go talk to him. I know it won’t be easy, but…”
His eyes darkened, and his hands balled into fists at his side. “That man –”
“Is a world-renowned doctor. A respected member of the community. I know what he did thirty-five years ago was crappy, but it doesn’t mean he’s all bad. I need him. He is the best shot my mother has. Her bullshit doctors in New York sure as hell aren’t going to give her the same level of care.”
A pained expression pinched up his face. “He abandoned me. He abandoned my mother.”
I nodded because I guess I knew as soon as I’d put it together that I’d made a decision. It was why it hurt so damn much. “And I hate him for that, but I need him more than I hate him. And I think you need him to – if only to get some closure.”
“So that’s it? You’re choosing Todd and my deadbeat dad over me?”
“No, this has nothing to do with Todd or you. It’s not even about me. My mother needs him.”
A strangled groan erupted as he shoved both hands through his hair. I shook my head and placed a hand on his face.
