Page 74 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

Gillian puts her hand on my shoulder, wearing an endearing smile. “You knew, didn’t you?”

I feel a smile creep up on my lips and nod. “Yeah, yeah I did.”

She wraps her arms around me. “Congratulations.”

I bury my face in her shoulder. “Thanks, Gilly.”

“You and I have a lot to talk about,” she says and then adds with a dry laugh, “A lota lot.”

“Yes, we do. I need all your expertise.” When she draws away and I get a good look at everyone, I can see the joy on their faces. Kira’s clearly been crying while Dana rubs her back and Amy is obviously bouncing with excitement.

“Who is the dad, Harley?” Amy asks with a grin.

“Let’s not overwhelm her too much, alright?” Dana says, holding up her hand. “She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”

I mouth, “Thank you,” to her and she nods simply. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to connect the dots. She knows that this is going to be a big bomb dropped on the family.

If I ever decide to tell them.

“How did I get here?” I ask.

“Your…” Dad clears his throat. “Your mother called to tell us that she was with you when it happened.”

I glance around the room. “Where is she?”

“I don’t think she came with, sweetheart. She said Grant offered to bring you here.”

My heart flutters. Grant brought me here? No wonder I knew the voice and the arms. He was taking care of me. Of our baby…and he didn’t even know it.

Then Dad looks away. “She asked me to give her a call when you woke up.”

I laugh, though my heart breaks. “I don’t know how she manages to keep getting worse, and yet…”

“I’m sorry, honey,” Dad murmurs and wraps his arm around my shoulder. “I shouldn’t have told her you were there; it was my mistake. I just…” His eyes are welling with tears. I’ve seen my dad cry more than most. It breaks my heart every time. “Knowing that you girls are growing up and having your own babies without her there. Just hurts me so much.”

I cup my dad’s cheek. Fuck my mom. I don’t know if she ever even wanted to be one. And that’s its own kind of heartache. But I know this man wanted me and each of my sisters beyond compare. “The people who matter are here.”

A few tears stream down his face. “Yeah…”

“None of us have missed out on a drop of love with you around, Dad. I promise.” I wrap my arms around him. Dad starts to cry. I wave to my sisters. “Come on, get in here.”

The Solace sisters all gather around our dad, hugging the ever-living daylights out of him.

These are the people who matter. The ones I would do anything for.

Even denying myself the father of my baby. If that can protect my dad from any more hurt, so be it.

I’ve got everything I need right here.

24

GRANT

Yellow roses are supposed to be a flower of friendship. At least that’s what Google says. So that’s what I’ve brought with me, a big bouquet of yellow roses to make it abundantly clear to Harley and the Solace family that this is just a visit offriendship.

Nothing more.

I walk up to the Solace front door. A fateful image. The last time I was here was the Fourth of July party. Before everything…happened. This feels like déjà vu.

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