Page 121 of Down & Dirty

I’d put everything on the line for him. The job I was doing, my public image, the feelings of my son...I’d let myself get married to Cory and then actually come to trust that what we had was more than that initial contract. That what we had was real.

Snatching up a random pair of dress shoes, I threw them in my suitcase and slammed it shut. Vacillating between rage and heartache, I grabbed it off the bed and left, working to calm down before I arrived at Geena’s.

“He’ll be right out,” she said, her sing song voice grated over me worse than normal as I turned away from her. “You okay, Sky?”

I knew better than to think her concern was genuine, but it told me I needed to get it together or Micah would pick up on something. “Yeah. Just thinking about what the doctor said this morning.”

Geena hummed. “Yeah. It sounded like Micah had a great time.” She laughed, “Even better since Tommy wasn’t there to make a fuss.”

Convinced I’d heard her wrong, I spun her way. “What do you mean?”

She sighed. “You know. He’s a bit of a baby when it comes to doctors.”

The admission felt like a breakthrough, like Geena wasn’t completely delusional about the man she was about to marry. A revelation that stabbed me right in the gut; because suddenly I felt like I had been.

Had I really let myself be deceived again?

“Micah was telling me about learning how to calm himself down. If this specialist can really help him when he gets scared during an attack, we might not have to go the hospital, and then everyone will be a lot happier.” She was so pleased with the idea she hadn’t noticed me turn away again, swallowing down the tears that wanted to come.

“Hi Momma!” Micah’s voice rose up from behind me and I sucked in a quick inhale, spinning to greet him with a smile.

“Hey champ, you ready?”

“I’m ready to roll,” he said, sounding just like his father as he leapt down the steps.

“Thanks, Geena.”

“No problem, see you guys next week.”

When Cory called later, I let it go to voicemail, texting to say I’d been giving Micah his bath and would call him after. But I never did. I didn’t know what exactly I was going to say to him, but I needed to see his face when I told him I knew the truth.

CHAPTER 39

CORY

Where was my wife?

She’d texted me to say she’d call last night, but then she never did. Her flight got in a few hours ago, so she should have been in the tent by now. Not having her there last night was one thing. I’d missed her. I couldn’t sleep alone now. But it was more than that. In my gut I knew something was off. Skylar always checked in. Something was wrong.

Ronnie had spent extra time on the track after warm-ups, but if Sky was there to watch him, I hadn’t seen her. When he finally strode back into the tent alone, I pulled him aside.

“Where’s Sky?”

He winced, but didn’t look my way. “I don’t know anything. She wouldn’t say.”

“So, you’ve seen her?” To know that Skylar had been there, and I’d somehow missed her made me want to punch something. My nerves had me all keyed up.

“Yeah, she’s here.”

“Is she upset? She’s avoiding me. What the hell has she been doing?”

He finally looked at me. “Her job, man. She’s my manager?—”

I cut him off, struggling to keep my voice low. “She’s my wife!”

Ronnie jerked back. “Yeah, and yet she’s been in a mood all morning and hasn’t come to find you. Which makes me wonder what the hell you did. Because my sister doesn’t back down from anything, so if she’s avoiding you, I want to know why, asshole.”

My hand clenched into a fist at my side, but before I could swing, Billy was next to me. He slapped his hand down on my shoulder, as he gave Ronnie a stern look.

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