“Hayden told us,” Laurie says.“I’m sorry you had to find out that way,” Amanda says. “I didn’t know a better way to tell you without it being in front of him.”“It’s okay,” Laurie says. “We’re just glad to meet him.”I want to ask why he’s just now allowed to be in our lives, but I figure it’s not my place to ask. I’m just the fake girlfriend in this scenario. As much as I want to be a bigger part of Hayden’s life, that’s the truth of the matter.“Amanda wants to start fifty-fifty custody,” Langston says.“I have cancer, and it’s become too much for me to care for Hayden on my own. We’ll start with fifty-fifty, but on my bad days, I might need you to take him more. I just know I can’t be the mom that he needs.””“Do you have family who could help you through this?” I ask.Amanda shakes her head. “They’ve all either stopped talking to me, or they’ve passed on. I have no one left. That’s why I need your help.”From what I remember, Amanda’s family was a lot of drama. Something about he
“And you know who your dad is?” Laurie is treading lightly, but I can tell from the look in her eyes that she’s dying to get answers. Not that I can blame her. I’m in the same boat.“Yeah. Of course. He’s Langston.”I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. So it really is true.“But I don’t know why you guys want me to call him by his first name. He’s my dad.”I open my mouth to speak, but then I just shut it again.“You can call him whatever name you’d like,” Laurie says.“Anything?” Hayden gets a silly grin on his face. “Even Mr. Stinky Pants?”I can’t help but laugh. “If you really want to.”“He’s not nearly as stinky now as he used to be,” Laurie says. “He earned the name Mr. Stinky Pants when he was a baby. You don’t even want to know what he smelled like back then.” She pinches her nose and waves a hand in front of her face like she’s blowing the stench away.That gets a bubble of laughter from Hayden. “My mom’s friend has a baby. He sure smells bad too.”“I’m afra
JENNIHayden is Langston’s son. I knew it the minute those dimples showed up on that kid’s face. He looksexactlylike Langston. Same hair, same eyes, same smile, dimples and all. I’d still want a paternity test if I were Langston just to cover my bases, but the truth is right in front of our faces.Does Hayden know? And is that what Amanda is telling him in there, that she’s been hiding this kid from Langston foreightyears?If it were my child, I’d be livid.I’m already furious for him. How could she have done this to him? Not only did she abandon him right after they got married, but then she realized she was pregnant and didn’t bother to call? Or did she already know she was pregnant and then decided to leave?“I’m hungry,” Hayden says. “Do you guys have any snacks around here, Grandma?”Laurie and I freeze and stare at each other. A huge smile spreads across her face, and I get the impression she really likes being called Grandma by this kid. Does he just assume we both know the tru
Her voice drifts in from the foyer, talking to Gregory in a tone too low to understand.When Gregory appears on the other side of the wall with the giant fireplace, he has Amanda with him as well as a boy who appears to be about seven or eight.I was expecting Amanda to look vibrant and full of life, like she’s hunting for a man, but this woman looks emaciated and pale, like she’s been malnourished. She has dark bags under her eyes, and they’re sunken into her face with her cheekbones sticking out. Her hair is different too. It’s short, choppy, and thin. Far from the luscious long hair she had when I last saw her. Has she been starving herself or something?But the kid with her is the picture of health. He has thick dark hair and eyes that are roaming across the room like he’s never seen a place like this before. The home is like a museum, similar to Biltmore, where they charge admission to get inside.“Hi, I’m Langston. What’s your name?” I shake the little boy’s hand and look into e
“Jenni’s my girlfriend. There’s nothing Amanda can say that I wouldn’t want her to hear.”“I know. But your relationship is still new, and I’d hate to have Amanda ruin things between you.” Mom continues knitting.“I’m not worried about it. Jenni and I are rock solid,” I lie. Well, maybe it isn’t quite a lie. Ourfakerelationship is rock solid. Because Jenni wants the protection I can offer from her mom’s scheming.Mom looks over at the east-facing windows. “Speaking of, it looks like she’s pulling up right now.”I glance down and see her red sports car parked in the front drive from my second story view. “I’m going to go talk to her.”“You go see your sweetheart. I’ll just be up here, watching for Amanda to arrive.” Her knitting needles click together as she speaks.I head downstairs to see the butler, Gregory, opening the door for Jenni. My parents keep a full staff, just like our ancestors have for many years. They’re old fashioned like that, and they’re proud to provide the jobs for
LANGSTON“Let’s go hose each other off,” Jenni tells me after her mom goes back into the house.“I’m not sure I trust you with a hose pointed at me,” I say.“So you’re just going to walk home like that, dripping across your floors?” Jenni asks.I hadn’t thought this far ahead. “Fine. You’re right.”“I’m right?” She gets this huge smile on her face. “Can you say that again?”“Why?” I arch a brow at her.“Because I want to bask in this moment.”“Oh, brother.” I roll my eyes. “Let’s just get the water hose.”Luckily, there’s a warm water option on the hoses, since the horses need warm water in the winter.I stand outside the stable and Jenni drags the hose over to where I am, spraying me down.I scream like a little girl. “I thought you were going to use warm water!”“Where would be the fun in that?” Jenni gives me an evil grin.“This is just wrong.” I stalk past her and adjust the water to a warmer setting. “That was inhumane.”She’s bent over laughing. “You should have heard yourself,”