“I can’t talk about it.”
“Do you two have a history?”
“Us? No. We don’t.”
Gardenia studies me with interest. Her stare is so intense, I squirm under her scrutiny. Finally, I can’t take it anymore.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask, needing her to fill in the blanks. Call it a sixth sense, but I’m fearful of her answer. Something’s off, and I know it as well as I know my name.
A slow, knowing smile crosses face, and she nods. “I finally get it.”
“Get what?”
“Why you hate him so much.”
“And why do you think that is?” I tread lightly, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. Only where will I bolt to? It’s not as if I can leave Noah at the rink and disappear.
“The truth has been staring me in the face all along, but I didn’t see it until now. Your sister lived in Vegas, and Drakos played for Vegas years ago.”
I literally choke and take a long drink from the water glass sitting in front of me. “I don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“From your reaction, you do. Drakos is Noah’s father.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I go cold inside. Every part of me is frozen and unable to react. I can barely breathe beyond the abject terror of what her discovery might mean. Do I deny her revelation? Do I admit the truth? Do I trust her to keep my secret?
“Don’t try to deny what’s so obvious. I know it’s true, and everything makes sense now. I’ll bet Noah looks identical to Drakos at the same age.”
I have no words.
“You told me long ago that Noah’s father relinquished his rights. Were you referring to Drakos? He did that?”
“He did.”
She’s silent for a long while and stares out the window before facing me again with clear resolve. “I don’t know if I’ll ever see him the same way.”
“I struggle with that too. For so long I saw him as nothing but an asshole, and now you know why. He walked away from his son without looking back once. Paid off my sister and relinquished all rights. Officially, he’s no longer the father.”
“Does he know who Noah is?”
“No, and I don’t think he should.”
“I can’t blame you, yet what if he finds out anyway? It’s hard to picture the Drakos I know doing something like that, but he was young and a huge partier back then. Maybe he’s grown up since.”
“I would hope so. My dilemma is that I’ve gotten to know him, and it’s hard to hate him as passionately as I once did. He’s been good to Noah, and they have a bond I can’t deny.”
“There’s something to be said for genetics.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say dejectedly.
Sometimes life has a way of forcing a person to do something they don’t want to do. Life did that to me today by being forced to admit Drakos is Noah’s father. Gardenia will keep my secret. I’m certain of that, but how long before others figure it out?
How long before Drakos starts putting the pieces together and demands the truth?
Then what do I do? The answer isn’t as cut-and-dried as it once was.
Chapter 23
