Page 30 of Dirty Grovel

“I love children,” I admit. “Before… all this—” I gesture to the gardens around us. “—the plan was to get a degree in earlychildhood education. I wanted to teach.” Jesse’s jaw goes slack. It’s a bigger reaction than I’m expecting. “Does that surprise you?”

She blushes, turning her gaze back to Teo. “A little,” she says. “You’re just so different than the other women Mr. Oleg has brought around.”

My chest constricts, but I still manage to keep my expression neutral. “There were a lot of women, were there?”

Jesse winces and hides her face from me. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“So it’s untrue?”

She clears her throat, plucking a lock of sunshine blonde hair off her face. “No, not really.”

“Then I think it’s fine that you said it.” I smile. “Tell me—what were these other women like?”

She glances over her shoulder at the house, like she’s worried Oleg might have found a way to eavesdrop on our conversation. “Honestly? Vapid and boring. They were silly women who flounced around here without a single intelligent thought in those heads. All of them treated me like shit. They looked at Teo like he was an inconvenience, a sore in the back of their feet. You’re the first one of Mr. Oleg’s female…ahem… friends who’s actually bothered to get to know either one of us.”

“I’m also the first one of his ‘friends’ who’s let herself get knocked up.”

Jesse freezes. “Y-you’re pregnant?”

“I am.”

“Oh my God,” she breathes. “Does Mr. Oleg know?”

Unfortunately, yes.

I force a tight smile. “He does. He’s just having a little trouble believing it.”

Jesse’s smile falters but she manages to pick it back up again. “Congratulations, Sutton! I’m so happy for you.” She glances towards her son. “Becoming a mother was the single greatest thing I’ve ever done.”

“I hope I’m not overstepping by asking you this but… Teo’s father…?”

Jesse doesn’t seem at all bothered by the question. “Back home, I assume. Teo is the result of a one-night stand I had years ago. His father was a tourist, here in Nassau on holiday.”

“So he has no idea he has a son?”

“None at all,” Jesse says. “Even if I had wanted to tell him, I had no idea where he was staying or for how long. It was one of those hot and heavy situations. We danced, we drank, we made out, and then we made love. Afterwards, he told me it was lovely meeting me, called me by the wrong name, and walked away.”

“Jesus.”

She laughs. “Hey, I didn’t mind. To this day, I don’t know what his name was, either.”

“Have you thought about what you’ll tell Teo one day?”

“I figured I’d just tell him the truth.” Jesse shrugs. “I’m the only parent that Teo is ever going to have. All we can do is be honest. If he can trust me, then I think I’ll have accomplished a lot.”

“Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Of course.”

“Do you ever worry about Teo growing up without a father?”

Jesse scoffs. “I grew up without a father.”

“So did I.”

“There you are,” she says as though I’ve proven a point. “We both turned out pretty well, all things considered. I don’t think the absence of a parent necessarily leads to a damaged child, especially when they have one parent who loves them to death.” Jesse sighs. “The truth is, I could have found out where Teo’s dad was staying. He came in with a group of guys and the bartender overheard the hotel he was vacationing in. I just preferred not to involve him.”

“It might have made things easier for you,” I point out. “Financially speaking…”

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