Page 41 of Irons

She took a long drink of her wine then slowly set it down. “Your mom wants to find you, but dad and I agree she didn’t deserve to know anything until you were ready.”

I stared down at my drink and swallowed hard. “My dad?”

I felt her hand on my arm. “I’m sorry.”

I shut my eyes. “He’s dead isn’t he?”

She ran her hand down my arm that was under the table and intertwined our fingers. “Cirrhosis of the liver and pancreatic cancer, it happened about two years ago.”

I wished I could say I had good memories of him, but I had none. That didn’t mean it didn’t feel like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t even reply, but I just sat there and tried processing it.

“You have a brother and a sister. Robert married Emma Trenton after your parents’ divorce, but they had been together for years. Your brother is eighteen now.”

My eyes shot over to hers. “How the fuck?”

She shook her head. “Your parents both lived double lives. Your mom knew about Brock, your brother. Once they divorced they became good friends and got along very well. Your mom married Charlie, the detective on Bobby’s case, and they have a thirteen year old daughter. Your mom has some things of your dad’s for you, but when she asked me to find you I declined. Dad has your address but also refuses to give her any information. He respected your wishes and never told me either. Dad agreed to never tell her that I’d be moving to the same place as you. If she wants to find you, she can do that on her own. I don’t care for Paula and she’s aware of my feelings. I told her she should just wait and see if you reach out to her. I’m sorry, Travis, but I always felt she lost her right to call you her son years ago.”

It was fucked up. She turned every corner of the world over trying to find Bobby, but I was just one Google search away. “You were right.” That was all I said about that. I tried to play it cool, but I was dying on the inside. My dad was dead, along with my grandparents. I had two siblings that probably didn’t know I existed. It felt like the room was closing in but then she squeezed my hand, and I turned my head to look at her. The concern in her eyes and her soft hand in mine was definitely a comfort.

“Make room.” Suddenly, Morgan, Melissa, Axton, Steph, Granger and Magnus took a seat at our table. I had to pull myself out of the mixed emotions and act like everything was fine. Honestly, I probably could have went the rest of my life not knowing about my parents. I just learned half my family was dead and couldn’t quite grasp on to that yet. Not with everyone looking at us.

“Okay, I’ve had enough. What’s up there?” Axton pointed at both of us.

I looked at Wrenly to let her explain it. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind.

“Travis is my childhood best friend. Unfortunately, we lost touch years ago.”

Axton tilted his head, looked at me then Wrenly, then at me before his eyes grew. “Oh shit.” He whispered.

Wrenly tilted her head. “Oh shit?”

Axton’s eyes shot to mine. “Yeah, oh shit. This is why you stayed out of her hiring process? She’s the girl you missed from back home?”

Fuck you, Axton.

Welcoming

Wrenly

I was still holding his hand, but looked at him and my heart melted. He was suffering and trying to hide it. I squeezed his hand, and his eyes finally met mine. “You knew how I felt about you.” Travis looked regretful.

“You told them about me?” I was surprised. Not only did I not know how he felt about me because he pushed me away, but he told them about our friendship?

He was grasping on to his glass with his free hand. “I missed you.” He looked away from me and at Axton. “I needed her hired under her own merits. Not because I wished to see her again, and not because she was important to me. That’s why I stayed out of it. I didn’t even speak with her beforehand and let it all happen without my influence. I didn’t want anyone to think she was only here because of me.” He then looked at me. “I didn’t want you to think that either. You earned this opportunity on your own.” I could see the pain and truth in his eyes as he was looking at me. I knew he would finally ask about his family, but I didn’t think he would ask so soon.

“Damn.” Axton shook his head. “No wonder Creed was so quiet about your vote. He knew, didn’t he?”

“Yes.” Travis answered.

“Awe, this is kind of like us. Childhood best friends.” Stephanie laid her head on Granger’s shoulder.

“Wait, what am I missing?” Morgan spoke up and she was completely lost.

Melissa seemed annoyed that Morgan was confused. “It’s not hard to figure out, Morgan. They’re childhood friends but Irons kept it to himself and stayed out of the hiring process so she could get the job on her own merits and not have to wonder if Irons did it for her. Now she knows and so does everyone else that she got the job on her own.” Melissa was a smart woman.

Morgan’s hand dropped. “Are you telling me that my husband kept this juicy little tidbit of gossip from me?”

Travis groaned. “It’s not juicy gossip. There’s nothing juicy about it.”

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