Page 119 of Reluctantly You

“Like Mitchell said, your father is not his biological father. He found out through some genetic testing. It’s apparently why his father sold the company to me and Mitchell didn’t inherit it.”

Max and Matt’s mouths open and close in confusion.

“What the fuck?” Matt says.

“Dinner?” I squeak just as Doggo rounds the corner with Little Pants on his back.

Jesus, how did she get up there?

“No, I don’t want fucking dinner, Mitch. I want to know everything. Are you okay?” Max asks, and I hear my throat click. “God, I thought you invited us over here to tell us you had cancer or something.”

No, not cancer, just a dad that’s not my dad… God, I’m not okay. I haven’t been for ages, but how the hell do I say that?

I don’t know how to say that.

“I…I…”

“It’s okay to not be okay,” Beau says, and I swipe at my eyes.

“Yeah. I’m not okay. He’s been an asshole.”

“Always has been,” Matt replies and then he pulls me into a hug. “Dinner can wait. Can we go outside and chat for a bit? I think we need to hash this out.”

I nod and catch Gideon’s gaze. He nods at me, and I feel my chest swell with pride. I did it. I told them and they didn’t immediately leave.

They want to stay.

They think I’m worth it.

“I’ll bring the food outside. Drinks anyone?” Gideon asks, and everyone nods, Beau and Coop offering to help him bring everything to us. To give us time to talk, to process. Together.

They didn’t fucking leave.

“So, how did you find out? Testing?” Max asks when we finally settle in the chairs out back.

“Genetic testing. Those ancestry things. Curiosity got the better of me. Always kinda knew, maybe subconsciously, that I was different than you three.”

“Shit, I had no idea,” Max replies, and I shrug.

“I mean, I’ve always looked different than you too. Bigger, different in a lot of ways.”

“Not that different. No more so than Magnus,” Matt replies and then shakes his head. “And Mom knew?”

“Yeah, she knew. She tried talking to me about it recently, but I don’t want to speak to her. I mean, I tried to talk to the two of them when I found out, I sent them the results, but neither of them wanted anything to do with me. They shut me out. And then all of a sudden she showed up at my work, made a scene… Yeah, not yet… I’m not ready yet. I’m too pissed.”

“I would be too,” Max replies. “I can’t believe her.”

“Me neither,” I say, sadness seeping from my words. She was never the best mother, but she is my mom. And I miss her.

In an odd way, I want her back in my life.

“And dad…our dad?” Matt asks, running a hand across his mouth as if he can’t believe he said those words.

“I tried speaking with him, left him a few messages, but nothing. He wants nothing to do with me.”

“Asshole. Well, fuck him,” Max says, and Matt nods.

“Yeah, good riddance. He’s a shithead anyways. I haven’t spoken to him in forever.”

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