Page 4 of Wild Love
“Pardon me?” I say. I heard the words, but my brain is not processing their meaning.
“You’re my dad,” she says and rolls her eyes. “Biologically speaking.”
But there’s no way. There’s absolutely no way. The mere statement puts me on the defensive. It’s laughable.
One stupidForbesarticle about my bank account and the cockroaches crawl out. I know this story all too well. I almost feel bad for the girl. She’s too young to pull this off on her own. Someonemusthave put her up to it.
“Listen, whatever your name is, I’m not sure what you’re after from me, but I can take a guess. And you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“My name is Cora Holland. Your name is Ford Grant Junior, and you’re my biological dad.”
“Oof, leave the junior off,” West murmurs from behind me. “He hates that.”
I don’t spare my friend a glance. Instead, I stare down at the snarky little kid spouting total bullshit right to my face.She’s got a lot of nerve. I’ll give her that. “That’s impossible. I never fucked Morticia Addams.”
Her head tilts and her eyes roll again. She barely reacts. “Really original, nepo baby. Never heard that joke before.” She rifles through her backpack. Black,of course.With a flourish, she pulls out a sheet of paper emblazoned with a logo I recognize.
The company I submitted DNA to so I could complete a family tree as a gift for my mom.
“What about a paper Dixie cup?” she continues. “A petri dish? A sterile tube? You fuck any of those for a few bucks at any point in your life?”
I feel every drop of blood sink down to my feet as my stomach turns and my head spins.
Because yes, in fact, I did.
West slaps my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze as he edges past me and out the door. “Right, well, see you at bowling, I guess.”
And then I’m left here.
Alone.
Staring at a young girl who may well be my biological child. And feeling like what I might actually be is the World’s Most Unprepared Dad.
CHAPTER TWO
ROSIE
I smile backat the boardroom full of people.
My boss.
My boss’s boss.
My boss’s boss’s boss.
I wanted so badly to nail this presentation. I think I did. No, IknowI did. But you wouldn’t think so based on the blank looks and absent nods. It’s not like I expected a standing ovation, but a couple of pats on the back might have been nice.
Instead, it’s borderline awkward.
“And, well…” I wipe my hands down the front of my pencil skirt, a sign of how nervous I am. “That’s my take on the acquisition based on the research I’ve done.”
More blank fucking looks.
“So, uh, thank you for coming to my TED Talk.” I laugh at my own joke, but it comes out shrill and desperate and makes me cringe internally.
I glance over at Faye, my favorite member of the admin team, who’s taking meeting minutes. She presses her lips together to stifle a laugh and gives me a discreet thumbs-up.
At least Stan, the company president and also my boss, pities me enough to chuckle lightly. But he laughs at almost everything I say. Then licks his lips and stares at my tits.
