Page 18 of Reckless Single Daddy

I pull into the circular driveway and immediately put it in park. I’m still in disbelief that the teenage boy I knew growing up managed to build enough of a business empire to afford something like this. And just for himself. Why he needs this much space for only him is beyond me. It seems a little gratuitous, but who am I to judge?

I open the door and step inside. The house is silent aside from my footsteps, but memories of the night I first came here flood back, and I feel my heart tighten a little. I thought we were having a good time, and I don’t know, some part of me hoped it would lead to something else. Notthat,but I would have kissed him.

I know I would have.

I sigh as I think about our conversation. How at ease and validated he made me feel about my lack of a relationship. It felt like he truly understood, and I guess he does, in a way, since he clearly isn’t tied down.

I look up at the loft and decide to walk up the stairs. Cade mentioned the room at the end of the hall when he offered to let me see it, so I ascend the steps and walk toward it. When I open the door, I gasp.

A large bay window overlooks the lake on the property. Inside, palettes, swatches, and canvases varying sizes are stacked on shelves throughout the room. The easel is in front of the bay window, allowing a complete view of the property. It’s the perfect set-up for the light to shine over the billowing ripples of water.

“He’s been setting it up for days.”

I jump at the voice behind me and turn to see a young boy, about ten years old, standing there with a matter-of-fact expression.

He looks like… Cade? No, it couldn’t be. He would have told me he had a kid, right?

“Oh,” I say breathlessly.

“Yeah,” the boy says. “I asked him what he needed an art room for, and all he said was it was for a friend.”

I visibly deflate.

Right. Friend.

“I’m guessing you’re that friend, huh?” the boy asks.

I look at him and swallow awkwardly. “I must be, unless he’s spending time with other artists,” I say, trying to make a joke through this interaction. It’s not every day I interact with a kid.

There is no point in denying it. No one has ever gone through all this trouble for me, but even if Cade doesn’t feel the same way, I won’t deny my own feelings.

“Nah,” the boy says, shaking his head. “Honestly, he doesn’t really hang out with anyone but Uncle Mike.”

That’s it. That’s the moment I was waiting for.

Uncle Mike.

Cade is an only child, and the only Mike I know of is my brother Mike. So this confirms it. I’m talking to Cade’s son, and he hid him from me. I’m not sure how to feel. Betrayed? Upset? Definitely upset, but not because I care he has a child. That doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that he didn’t think to tell me. Why would he keep this huge thing from me if he didn’t want to be with me?

For that matter, why would Mike, who obviously has a relationship with this kid? And Mia? She would have to know, too. And the rest of my family?

There are far too many secrets to uncover between my family and Cade, and I’m beginning to wonder why I even bothered coming home at all. It seems people had no problems keeping me in the dark. Probably as a punishment because I never visited.

I don’t want to take out my feelings on the kid, so I do my best to bury my frustrations.

“What’s your name?” the boy asks me. He looks up at me curiously, continuing to control the conversation. And bless him for doing so, because I’m still in shock.

“Sloane,” I answer. “Yours?”

“Liam,” he says.

I give a slight smile. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Liam. Thank you for not panicking about me coming into your house.”

He waves me off. “You’re forgiven if you paint me a sick dinosaur, spitting flames and shooting lasers from his eyes.”

I burst into laughter, even though I know he’s absolutely serious. Kids his age usually are about these things. “You got it!”

He smiles wide and holds his hand up for a high five. I meet him in the middle and smile back.

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