Page 16 of Tight End

Ryan: DNA test is done. They should have results by the end of day Friday.

Ryan: Can we meet up on Saturday? We should talk.

I stareat the message for what feels like the hundredth time today. My fingers hover over the keys, and just like this morning, like this afternoon, I type out a reply and promptly delete it. Simply replying with justokaydoesn’t seem like enough, and the word vomit that comes out when I try to type anything else won’t do either.

So instead I look around the empty lobby, nod toward Tracy, the other receptionist who’s swiping across her phone screen like it’s her entire job, and text my sister.

Me: I need help. Ryan wants to meet up on Saturday and I don’t know what to say.

Poppy: Duh. You tell that hunk of football meat you’re ready for him anytime.

Me: You’re not helping.

Me: He says he wants to be involved but what if he changed his mind?

Poppy: Until you know if that’s the case, why are you worried about it?

Me: Ugh. Because I suck.

Poppy: The bigger question is ... now that you know this man’s name, have you googled him?

Me: What? No, of course not.

Dammit. Why haven’t I googled him?

Oh, yeah, I put Oliver to bed and promptly fell asleep on the couch. I woke up with the TV remote stuck to my forehead and my pajama shorts twisted between my butt cheeks. After a mad scramble to get Oliver and me ready, I had just enough time to drop him off at day care and get to work with seconds to spare.

There was lunch, but between typing up the notes from last night’s partner meeting and scarfing down the turkey sandwich my mom dropped off at my desk, I haven’t had much time.

Ugh, but I should have made time.

Poppy: You are ridiculous. I need reinforcements for this.

Poppy added Kinsley Rhodes to thechat.

Poppy: You’re not going to believe this, Kins, my big dumb sister didn’t google the shit out of her famous football playing baby daddy.

Kinsley: What? That was the first thing I did when I found out about this guy and damn, June. Were you not going to tell us how much of a hottie this guy is?

Me: How hot he may or may not be is irrelevant.

Poppy: You sure you don’t want to be a lawyer?

Kinsley: Of course it’s relevant. You’re a woman, he’s a man. Surely I don’t need to stop by your apartment tonight and tell you how all that works.

Me: I have a kid. Pretty sure I figured it out. It’s not relevant because absolutely nothing will be happening between Ryan and me.

Poppy: Not with that attitude.

Kinsley: But seriously, search his ass right now. We will wait.

Me: Are you both sitting in Poppy’s office right now?

Poppy: Yep. Perk of working in the same firm. The better firm.

Kinsley: Those fingers better be typing.

With a groan, I put my phone down on my desk and shift the mouse to wake up my computer.Ryan Devlin Football. Search.

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