Page 87 of Cougar

“I still think we need to tell Cole the truth,” Dylan interjects.

“Why are you so hell-bent on telling him, Dylan?” Harper taunts. “Do you really think he’s gonna be like ‘Okay, that’s cool’?” She sarcastically gives two thumbs-up. “Or do youwantto see him hurt?”

Max frowns and looks over his shoulder at Dylan. “What’s she talking about?”

Dylan crosses his arms over his chest and raises his brow. “No clue.”

Harper raises her brows and mimics. “No clue?” She keeps her eyes pinned on Dylan as she continues. “Jade was actually interested in Dylan. He invited her to that party and even flirted with her for a bit, before he blew her off for another girl. Then Jade got stupid drunk and hooked up with Cole. She didn’t know they were brothers. Fast-forward a couple of months later and she’s talking to Dylan again. Then Jade found out she was pregnant. She and Dylan were still friends. Fast-forward another couple of months, and Cole shows up at Dr. Graham’s office, where Jade worked. He didn’t remember her, but she remembered him. I assume that’s why she made a photocopy of his patient information sheet. The last thing she wrote was that she was going to tell Dylan about Cole.”

Dylan’s tormented expression tears at my heart. He drops his head and says softly, “I didn’t know she’d been in an accident. It wasn’t until our family meeting that I put the pieces together.”

“I don’t understand,” Jessica says, turning to Dylan. “You’re angry with Cole because…why?”

“Because I liked her, and if he hadn’t knocked her up, things would’ve been different.” Dylan turns to address Harper. “I cared about Jade. It didn’t matter that she was having someone else’s baby. I would’ve been there for her. But the universe decided to play a sick joke on both of us. Cole….” He lets his last word hang in the air, shaking his head.

Oh my God.Dylan was in love with Willow’s mother.

“I know you cared about her, Dylan. Jade knew it, and she cared about you, too. It hurt that I had to learn all these things about my sister from a journal. I’ll always love my sister, but I’m so pissed at her for leaving me in the dark with all these secrets. And the Averys—” She stops talking and my head jerks to the side.

“What about the Averys?” I snap.

“Patrick Avery—”

“What about Patrick?” Patrick Avery is the son of Principal Avery and his wife, Patty. He’s also Max’s childhood friend. They were the best of friends until Patrick joined the Army and then Special Forces. I know Max still keeps in touch with him.

“He’s my father.”

“What?” I choke out.

Dylan throws his head back and laughs loudly. “Holy shit, this just keeps getting better.” He digs his phone out from his front pocket and taps the screen. “Hold on, let me get Jerry Springer on the line.”

“Shut up, Dylan.” Max sighs, rubbing his temples. “This is too much information. I’m starting to regret even bringing you in here.” He huffs out a humorless laugh. “I think I’m going to need a few minutes or months to absorb all of this. Harper, go to work and pretend we never had this conversation.”

Harper stands from her seat and heads for the door. “Thank you for giving me a chance and hearing me out.”

“Thank you for your honesty.”

“Harper,” I call out, and her gaze flicks to me. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

“Harper.” Jessica stands from behind the desk and makes her way over to Harper. She throws her arms around the girl and whispers something in her ear.

While they speak quietly near the door, I turn my attention to Dylan, who’s watching the two of them.

Harper looks over at him and smiles. “Are we okay?”

“We’re more than okay,” he replies with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Harper.”

“Thank you. Me, too.”

Once Harper is out of the room, Max rakes his fingers through his hair and blows out a breath, clearly frustrated.

“What did she mean she was waiting for Cole to call?” I ask. “I thought Cole didn’t know anything about Harper.”

“He knew Jaden had a sister, but because of her age, there was a guardian. Cole was given the option to reach out through the guardian, but I think he was afraid, and maybe he just didn’t want to share Willow with anyone.”

My eyes flick to Dylan to see him staring out the window. The room is uncomfortably silent, and my heart is pounding with anticipation for what’s coming next.

Tears spill down my cheeks as Max rounds his desk, walking over to Dylan and wrapping his arms around his son. “Jesus, Dylan. Why have you been holding on to this?” Dylan shakes his head against Max’s shoulder, fingers curling into his shirt. “You could’ve come to me, son. You should’ve come to me.”

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