Page 93 of Scoring Grey

“Yeah, you looked good out there. Why don’t you stay and have a drink? They’re on me.”

Austin looks toward the bar. “In that case, maybe I’ll stay for one.”

Austin slides out, and once he’s far enough away, I say, “Is it possible Blair was never the villain but rather a martyr? Was Keely crying for help through her, trying to gain an alliance with you through her niece?”

“That’s a stretch. Blair said it herself: some people are rotten to the core. She may have set out with good intentions in whatever deals she made, but if anything’s true,it’sthat she got caught in my father’s web.”

“It’s never good when you’re dating and can’t stand the in-laws, but I really hate your dad.”

Cal chuckles. “At least we’re on the same page. I hate him more. Iverson’s helping me locate him…”He grimaces. “God, I can’t believe those words just came out of my mouth. The last thing I want to do is find my father, but it’s necessary for our plan to work.”

“You think he won’t see it coming?”

“Your mother left today. If he’s watching how I believe he is, I don’t think she stayed long enough for him to suspect that she told us anything about the past. I think your mother is still acting a part. By leaving, it looks like everything is status quo. We don’t know about my inheritance, the blackmail, or Dash being your half-brother. This means whatever he’s planning for my birthday is still scheduled as planned. If we know where he is, we can tip off the Feds, and the second he makes his move, we got him.”

“It sounds like a solid plan, but I don’t know,” I say, unable to keep the skepticism out of my voice.

He pulls me close. “Look, I know it sounds too easy.Trust me, I’ve doubted that it couldreallywork, but I think that’s becausethe idea ofputting all of this to rest feels surreal after everything we’ve been through.We deserve our happy ever after, Eloise, and I know we’ll get it. Have faith,blondie.”

I give him a soft smile. “Oh, I have faith. I want this to work because I’d rather not have the weight of a brake problem on my shoulders.”

He kisses my lips. “If it comes to that, it would never be your burden. It would be mine.”

I nod to my father sitting alone in the corner. “I should probably go over there.”

“Yeah, go talk to him. Wait…”He looks around. “Where did Adler go?”We both hear his laugh simultaneously. Sure enough, he’s sidled between Roe and Moon at the bar. “I should have known he’d be with them. I’m going to say hi to Coach Beck, and then I’ll collect our son.”

Imake my wayto my father, and he’s so lost in his thoughts he doesn’t see me coming.“Hi, Dad,” I say as I help myself to the empty stool beside him. He raises his glass and gives me a small smile. “Dad, I’m not sure there’s a right way to approach this question because it’s a conversation I never thought I’d have, but?—”

“Your mother told me.”

“She did,”I say more as confirmation than a question, but he replies all the same.

“She did. I know Dash Westin is my son. Seeing Keely Balfour stumble her way into my bar recently makes more sense now.”

“Recently… when exactly did she visit?”

He takes a long pull off his glass. “I guess about the time you came up here to work things out with Callum. She wasn’t in town long. A woman like that doesn’t go unnoticed. She was there for less than forty-eight hours and then was gone.”

“Did you talk to her?”

Gah, I want to scream, but I shove it down.My mother left, and nowI feel likeshe may have taken more secrets with her. She failed to mention in her confessions that Keelypaid a visit toCopper Falls. I’mnot surewhy I expected my mother to leave no stone unturned and reveal everything. She hasn’t done that once in the past twenty-five years. Why would she start now?

“Nope, Ihad no reason to, and I stilldon’t.”He takes another heady drink. “Dash is an adult. There’s no co-parenting required.”

“Are you mad?”

I’m sure a million scenarios and thoughts are running through his mind. The entire course of the past twenty-four years is now shaded differently. With everything that’s surfaced between Cal and me since I arrived in Toronto, I believe I know exactly what he’s feeling, but I also didn’t find out I have a child I never knew existed.

“I’m not sure mad is the correct word. I feel many things. It’s hard to settle on one.”

“Do you still want her back?”

For the first time since I’ve occupied the stool beside him, my father’s eyes float to mine. “Always.”

“Idon’t think Mom ever stopped loving you. She walked away because she believes she doesn’t deserve it.”

He swirls the amber liquid in his glass. “I know.”

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