Page 55 of The Girl He Loves

“This is nice,” I say as I skirt past him and run my hand along the shiny black hood, leaving an obvious smudge. In the back seat is not a car seat for his child but a golf bag loaded with clubs.

“Having regrets for quitting me?” Justin smirks.

As if. “Is this why you can’t pay child support? Having an ex-wife and a kid to support cramping your style?”

He pushes me away from the car, and I stumble backward.

“Hey, hands off her,” Dax yells and makes it across the yard in record time, especially for a man using crutches. He’s got Justin backed up against the car and is towering over him. “You can come here and make your request. But you can’t come here and put your hands on her or Tyler. Do I make myself clear? I know you’ve been letting yourself in and breaking things. I don’t know why. Maybe you thought she’d call you for help, or maybe you’re just an asshole. Either way, it all stops now.”

Justin’s Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows convulsively. “I’ll happily let you take them off my hands.”

Dax’s shoulders broaden. “I’d happily take them.”

It’s a stare down, and I break the silence.

“Leave, Justin.”

He has to slide away from Dax and can only open his door a fraction.

“Here,” he says and reaches into the car. He pulls out a small white box and tosses it to me. I catch it with one hand. The label on the top reads DNA Kit.

“When the label gets scanned at the post office, I’ll get confirmation it was submitted. Forty-eight hours.” His remarks are directed at me.

“What? You don’t want to make sure I don’t fudge it somehow. Maybe I have some of your DNA lying around. I could use that.” I know I can’t and I won’t, but this isn’t my finest moment. How did I ever marry this man?

“Duh,” Justin says. “I already asked that question, too. That would show up as a direct match to me.” He gets in his car and slams the door. The locks engaging makes me laugh.

Dax looks over his shoulder at me and rolls his eyes.

Justin pulls away at a quick clip, and I’m happy to see him gone.

I say, “He should be ashamed of himself.”

Dax turns and gestures for us to go inside. “Is it even a possibility? Could Tyler be mine?”

We go inside and I close the door, then follow him to the couch. “The last time we slept together was the night before the draft. That was the last week in April.”

Dax smiles, pleased I remember. Men!

“I met Justin in July at a party. I’m ashamed to say I slept with him the first night.”

One of Dax’s brows raises slightly.

“Don’t judge me. I was trying to get over you. I never claimed having sex with Justin to be my finest moment. Though I did get Tyler.”

Dax sits up and slaps his hand on his knee. “Wait. Back up. You were getting over me? You broke up with me!”

“We've had this conversation. I broke up with you because you were going to break up with me.”

“Based on what my dad said. Which was what exactly?” His face is dark with frustration.

I give a half shrug. “He said you had no plans for a long-distance relationship and it would be really hard on you at training camp. You couldn’t be distracted.”

Dax slaps his hand on his forehead. “And you never thought to ask me about any of that?”

“Was he wrong?” I toss the DNA kit on the coffee table then cross my arms. I’m ready to rumble, having not gotten all my frustration out on Justin. “You said the other morning that training camp was a ball buster.”

Dax grimaces. “Not entirely. Yeah, it would’ve been hard. But I didn’t want to break up. I thought maybe we’d just see how it played out. Then you ended it. Out of the blue. I felt blindsided.”

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