Page 28 of The Enemy Face Off

"Fine," I yell over my shoulder. "Just saying hello to my new neighbor."

Beth makes a sound, but I can't tell whether it's one of pleasure or irritation. Possibly both?

"Do you need me to come over?" Willow yells. "I would, but my heels on this lawn…"

"No. It's fine." I let out a sigh. I'll be glad when this is all over and done with and I won't have to spend any more time with the woman. "I'll only be a minute."

I turn back to face Beth. Her expression is set somewhere between annoyed and exasperated. So, the usual for whenever she's around me then.

"If we're going to be neighbors, you can at least tell me the real reason why you're buying this place." She looks up at me, and I don't know what it is, but there's something about her that just hits differently. Even with the very limited interactions we've had, no other woman has ever made me feel the way she does.

And because she's unlike anyone I've ever met, I do something I've never done before.

I open up to her.

"All right. On one condition."

"What?"

"You don't tell anyone."

"Who would I tell?"

"Your friends. Family. The media."

"I have better things to talk about with my friends and family than you. And I would never go to the media." She pauses for a beat, and I can't tell what's coming next, whether it's something sincere or a burning tease. "You're not that interesting. Fraser, sure. Culver, too. But you?…Nah."

I shouldn't smile, but I can't help it.

Despite not wanting word of my impending fatherhood to come out publicly until I'm ready—and not really knowing Beththat well—I do what I always do. I go with my gut. And my gut is telling me I can trust her with this.

"Fine. I'll tell you why I'm buying this place."

She lifts on her toes. "I'm all ears."

"They're not that big," I quip.

She rolls her eyes. "Get to the part where you tell me the juicy goss faster please."

"I recently found out I'm a father."

Her eyes go round, and she rocks back. "You're a…father?"

"Go ahead. Make some crack about how unbelievable it is that a woman would even sleep with me, or how terrible it is for the human race that my genes are being passed down to the next generation."

"No. It's not—I would never…I just didn't know you were seeing anyone."

"I'm not," I reply firmly. "Josie is five."

"Five? But you said you became a father recently."

"No. I said Ifound outI became a father recently." I blow out a heavy breath. "It's a long story."

"Milo!" Willow calls out again. "I have another appointment. We should get going."

"Okay," I yell back, without taking my eyes off Beth. I hate leaving after dropping this bomb on her, but she asked, so I answered. "Please keep this to yourself."

"Of course." She reaches up and slides her hand over the top of mine, giving it a squeeze. Warmth flares in my chest at the touch. "I won't tell a soul."

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