Page 38 of Silver Fox's Twin Babies

I read and reread the words over and over, hoping for any hint of his state of mind to stand out. It was a flat statement, no emotion, no context. To anyone else it might sound like a threat or intimidation, but to me it was the lifeline I’d been waiting for.

“Oh, honey, that doesn’t sound good.”

I understood where she was coming from, but she didn’t know him. He was finally reaching out. This was a good thing—I hoped. Either he was about to tell me he wanted answers, that we could work on things, or he was going to tell me he was so angry, he wanted to wipe me off the face of the planet. All I knew was, he was alive and not harming himself or running away.

“Mom, I’m gonna go. I have to.” My thumbs flew over the screen as I talked to her, typing a response to him.

Amber 9:47 PM:I’ll be there. I’m sorry.

“Amber, you need to be safe. You don’t know what state of mind he’s in.” I welcomed Mom’s warning with a grain of salt, but happy tears welled up.

“Thank you, Mom, but I know him. He’s not going to hurt me. He could be raging mad and he wouldn’t lay a finger on me, okay? Please don’t worry…But…Can you watch the kids?”

Evan was right to tell me not to bring kids. What we had to discuss could not be handled with children around. I just had toshow up and hope for the best, praying he wasn’t so angry he might take them from me.

24

EVAN

My car’s engine had started to grow cold by the time I mustered the energy to pull my eyes from the sheet of paper in my hand. It was warmer today, a few days before Thanksgiving, but it was still brisk. I looked up at Montgomery headquarters and let my eyes walk up the windows to where Jacob probably sat by his desk, proudly reassuming control of the company I had neglected the past four days.

With a grunt, I pushed open the car door and climbed out. Light rain fell on my head, dampening my hair. I was glad it wasn’t snow that might hinder my plans for this evening. Amber had responded that she would be at my home at six for dinner. I didn’t want any reason to have to cancel this. After my vanishing act, she probably felt angry with me, or scared of me.

“Morning, Mr. Montgomery!” I heard behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Shelby walking through the parking lot toward the building. She had her phone in her hand too. No doubt she’d be texting Amber immediately to let her know what was going on. News traveled fast. I had to be faster.

“Morning,” I called back, keeping my tone even. I locked my car and followed her in, watching her type into her phone.

I steeled my resolve as I headed to Jacob’s office. I didn’t have to hear the news to know he’d be back there. After I walked out, someone had to lead. I just hoped I didn’t have to face Amber, but talking directly to my brother was worth that risk. And doing it during work hours when he would be more likely to remain calm was the only way I felt comfortable.

I rapped on his door and walked in. A woman I’d never seen before stood near his desk talking to him softly about a work event in January. I waited as his eyes flicked up to meet mine; then he nodded at her and waved her off.

“We’ll talk more later. Go on,” he told her, finally focusing on me. She smiled stiffly at me as she walked past, shutting the door behind herself. “Temp…Amber’s out sick.”

The thought rolled around my head for a moment as I mulled it over. Jacob would never have gotten a temp to fill in for Amber if it were just one day, which meant she’d taken some time off too—probably to deal with the fact that I up and left without a word.

“I assume you knew I’d show up here?” I walked forward, careful not to drop the slip of paper from my hand. The paternity results sure felt a lot heavier than the weight of that piece of paper, especially when I dropped it on Jacob’s desk before sitting down.

“I thought maybe you would.” His eyes raked over the paper then met mine. “Amber told me you reached out to her. We’ve had a lot of people looking for you.”

I wasn’t surprised they’d called in the cavalry. I’d never done anything like that before. Falling off the face of the planet had always sounded like a good idea, but the logistics of it were impossible. I had barely crossed the hurdle of a few days. Reinventing myself would never happen.

“Stayed at a hotel. Paid cash…” I tapped the edge of the paper then sat back in the chair again. “You were right.”

Jacob looked back down at the paper, this time examining it more closely. His lips moved as he read; then a firm pout formed on his lips. He took his time raising his eyes back to meet mine. His expression haunted me almost as much as the ghost of my former relationship with Amber—before I went to Europe.

“We should really talk.” He pushed the paper toward me, but I didn’t accept it. I didn’t need it anymore.

“Yes, we should.” My shoulders carried the weight of days of stress and heavy drinking. I was dehydrated and stiff. My body reminded me that I wasn’t a twenty-something anymore, that going on a bender was about as smart as turning your umbrella upside down in a rainstorm. “I’m a dad…I took toothbrushes the twins used one morning after a sleepover at my house to a private clinic and paid cash to have them run a paternity test. Parker came back a 99 percent match and Vera’s toothbrush didn’t have enough DNA.”

“I’m gonna crack down and make sure she starts brushing better,” Jacob joked. His deadpan expression matched mine. The humor didn’t faze me because the only thing I could articulate was that I was hurt. Laughter seemed like a thing of the past.

“I’m hurt, Jake.” My honest truth pulled a grimace from him. I ran my tongue along my teeth and sucked the saliva out of my mouth and swallowed it. It was a bitter taste to speak the truth so bluntly. “But I need to tell you I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

Jacob sighed and sat back. He rubbed a hand down over his face then back up over his head. My apology opened the dam, releasing tension from both of us. We were just two brothers here to have a chat about a mutual acquaintance.

“Evan, you have no idea how many times I wanted her to tell you.” He shook his head, furrowing his brow deeply. “She’s been through so much. Life hasn’t treated her well since having thosekids. Preemies take extra attention and care. She has expenses for Parker’s therapy for his learning disorder.”

Jacob’s posture told me more about the situation than his words. Since the first interaction with him after returning back here—the way he demanded I respect her—I’d known he cared a great deal for her. Now I knew why. He was here watching her struggle and almost suffocate under the weight she carried as a single mother. Things I should have been here to help with.

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