Page 11 of Puck Princess

“You know who Nicky’s father is?”

Callie breathes jaggedly, tears in her eyes. She’s scared. She knows I am going to be reactive. She knows I’ve been trying to figure this out for over a year. And she knows she has to tell me.

I clench my jaw. “Tell me.”

“I am about to connect a lot of dots, Owen. It’s going to form a picture you don’t want to see. But it’s the full picture. And it will explain why everything that is happening is happening.”

“Who is it?” I grit out.

“You have to promise not to completely lose your mind.”

“Who is it?”

“And you can’t do anything stupid.”

“Whois it?” I roar. We both know I won’t promise a damn thing.

She hesitates, her mouth twisting as she tries not to cry.

And immediately, I know. Some part of me has known for the last week, but I was in denial.

Still, I have to hear it. She has to say it for me to believe it. And once she does?—

“Nicky’s father,” Callie breathes, “is Miles Solomon.”

I shove to my feet. “I have to go.”

“Owen?” she reaches out for me, but I’m already gone. I march to the door, not looking back.

“Owen.” I hear her call my name again, but I keep walking.

4

CALLIE

The phone rings a fourth time and I know it’s probably going to go unanswered. I want to warn Summer that Owen knows and things are about to get even more complicated. But I also want to apologize.

I wasn’t supposed to find out Miles is Nicky’s dad, and Owen especially wasn’t supposed to find out.

It’s not like I have much of a relationship with her. She’s the sister of the man I…wasfalling for, the father of my baby.

Which, I guess, makes Summer the aunt of my baby.

So, there you have it! We’re family, and I need to apologize and warn her as soon as she answers her damn phone.Ifshe answers the phone.

But again, the call goes to voicemail.

“Fuck,” I hang up and immediately dial again.

Maybe she’s already talking to Owen. He left here a while ago, and I know he probably went to find her.

Or he went to find Miles.

My lungs squeeze painfully at the thought of what Owen might do—what Miles might do.

I get Summer’s voicemail again.

“Shit,” I hiss just as Kennedy walks in, arms laden with to-go bags.

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