Page 29 of Wild Hearts

When I don’t make a move, Ivy steps forward to pull him into an awkward hug. “Hi Dad,” she squeaks out.

Dad pats Ivy on the back twice before stepping away. He offers a hand to me, but I just stare at it. He uncomfortably clears his throat before dropping it, and we follow him into the large open plan living, kitchen, dining area.

“Perfect timing,” he says. He leads us to a large white sofa that stretches its L-shape around the heated concrete floor, sectioning the living area off from the dining room and kitchen behind it.

It’s a simple room, with high vaulted ceilings and a television mounted on the wall in between the two arched windows. There’s a wooden entertainment unit underneath with framed photographs decorating the shelves. There’s photos of Dad and Tarshia, and some of Theo. I spot a couple of Ivy and me. One of them is from the WSL Championships last year. I’m standing with my board, the waves crashing behind me. It was taken before my first round, before I saw Dad and Tarshia kissing. It’s a kick in the guts to see the photo on display.

I tear my gaze away from the photo and move over to sit next to Ivy, eyeing off the white fluffy rug littered with a play mat and toys.

“Tarshia is just bathing little Theo, but you’ll get to spend a bit of time with him before he goes to bed for the night,” Dad says, rubbing the back of his neck.

“That’s great,” Ivy says. When I still don’t say anything, she elbows me in the stomach, pulling a surprised grunt from the back of my throat.

“Yeah, great,” I echo, though it doesn’t sound great to me at all. It sounds like a nightmare. This whole experience is just one giant fucking nightmare.

Dad clears his throat again. “So, how’s your mother?”

I let out a snort. “Seriously?”

“Brady!” Ivy hisses. She moves to elbow me in the stomach again, but I’m quicker. I shuffle along the large couch away from her and her pointy limbs.

“What?” I scowl at her. “He’s going to pretend like he actually gives a shit about her?”

“Language, son,” he growls.

“I’m not your son,” I snap. “I quit being your son the day I busted you with your tongue down the throat of a woman who wasn’t your wife.” My hands are clenched so tightly my nails dig into my palms.

Ivy’s face pales. Her eyes dart back and forth between the two of us. “W-what? You knew?” she finally asks me.

“Not now, Ives.” Realising I’ve just fucked myself over, I swallow against the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry.”

My sister takes a couple of deep breaths to centre herself. “Listen, this isn’t doing anyone any good,” she says. “Whatever happened–”

“Is because of him.”

Ivy reaches over and squeezes my arm with a whispered, “B, stop it, please.”

I force myself to release my fingers one by one and mutter under my breath, “For fuck sake.” I scramble to my feet, surprised when Dad flinches. Does he truly think I’m going to come at him?

Instead, I walk over to one of the arched windows overlooking the driveway. I rest my head against the cool glass, wishing I could get in the car and take off, but I can’t do that to Ivy. As torturous as it is for me, Wren was right. Ivy needs this.

I don’t bother turning around. “Why are we here, Dad? What do you want?” I don’t need to look at him when he answers. I don’t think I’ll ever believe another word out of his mouth ever again.

“I was hoping–”

I don’t get to hear what he was hoping for.

He’s interrupted by hisgirlfriend– the woman he left our mother for. Tarshia’s dirty blonde hair is tied in a messy bun on top of her head, her freckled face is make-up free, but she doesn’t need it. She’s an attractive woman, there’s no denying that.

It actually makes me ill to remember checking her out in the Surfing Life magazine spreads with Jordan. Before I knew she was sleeping with my dad. When I turn around, it’s hard not to take my eyes off the squirming dark-haired bundle in her arms. Theo. My brother –half-brother.

“I thought I heard voices,” Tarshia says with a wobbly smile. The tension in the room has just ramped up to eleven. “Hi Brady. Hi Ivy.”

My tongue feels like lead. I grunt, unable to find words. Theo has spotted my sister frozen on the couch. He’s smiling at her, reaching his arms out, making some sort of... babbling baby noise. He squirms, trying to wiggle out of his mother’s arms.

“He likes you.” Tarshia laughs, approaching Ivy slowly as if she doesn’t want to spook her. “He usually screams with new faces. Makes it awkward when we’re out and about.”

Ivy lets out a shaky laugh of her own as she stands up. “Can I hold him?”

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