Leah slides the envelope across the table. “Here you go, Cody,” she says, her voice calm and steady.
I take it, tearing it open without hesitation. Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I inhale deeply, bracing myself for whatever truth is written inside.
An unexpected pregnancy wouldn’t be the end of the world—not for me. Wilder went through this exact situation eight years ago, and his daughter, Willow, turned out to be the greatest blessing in his life. But still… I can’t shake the feeling that I’m just getting started, that I’m finally stepping into my own. A kid? Now? With a woman that I don’t love. I’m not ready for that.
But readiness doesn’t matter. The answer is in my hands.
My eyes scan the page as I look at the percentage match between my DNA and Harper’s baby’s.
PROBABILITY OF PATERNITY: 0
“Shit...” I exhale, letting my head drop into my hands. I slide the paper over to Victor, who gives it a quick once-over, claps me on the back, and then hands it across the table to Leah.
“Alright, so we’ll go with option number two on the post. I’ll call Harper’s publicist and confirm she’s received the results as well. We’ll time it so that her pregnancy announcement is released at the same time as your post,” Leah says, standing up and clearing the table all business with no further questions. Option number two for my post is a congratulations to my former tourmate onher new pregnancy and wishing her the best.
Victor squeezes my bicep. “Hey Cody, you going to be alright?”
I lift my head and smile with a nod. “I’m ready for this tour now, boss,” I say grinning as he laughs.
“Go home and rest up, because we leave for your Atlanta opener tomorrow night.”
We say our goodbyes and head back out to the parking lot ofSterling Sports PRwhere I instantly call Mae through the Bluetooth in my car.
“Hey baby.”
“Hey Cody, how’d everything go?” she asks, her voice relaxed, completely unbothered. And that’s the one thing I’ve always known, no matter how much chaos swirled around. Mae would be there. Unwavering. I’m grateful for that—whether I was the father or not, I know the results wouldn’t change how she feels about me or what we’re building together. She’s just that solid. That understanding. And I’m not letting her slip away again.
“I’m not the father,” I respond.
She lets out a breath. “I’ll see you tonight when I land in Nashville?”
“Come home soon.”
***
Later that night, Harper released her pregnancy announcement post on Instagram perfectly synced with the post that Leah had timed for mine. I re-read over the words I agreed to one last time.
Harper’s post:“I’ve been keeping a secret! Baby Lane is coming on tour with me this summer! For privacy purposes, I’ll be keeping the father’s identity a secret while we enjoy this time together. Thank you to everyone for the well-wishes!”
Cody’s post:“Big congratulations to my friend and fellow tour mate Harper Lane on her new baby! I know there will be speculation aboutlast summer, so I wanted to address it upfront. While fatherhood is something I look forward to someday off in the future, right now, my focus is on the summer tour. See y’all on the road soon!”
Chapter 20: Mae
A few days later...
“Georgia Jane Cameron,” I say with a smile as my old friend from Lonestar Junction rushes towards me, squeezing me tightly.
"How have we let so much time pass without seeing each other?" Georgia asks as she pulls back, her brown eyes searching mine earnestly.
“It's been way too long. Come on inside and tell me all about what you’ve been up to.”
She smiles and walks into my home with a slight waddle, placing her hand protectively on her upper stomach. “I went to Cody’s tour opening concert in Atlanta last night and Troy has some press runs taking him to Montana, so I figured I’d stop by here to visit you on my way back to North Carolina.”
“Well, I’m glad you did. Do you want something to drink?” I ask.
“Water’s fine.”
I fill a glass with ice and water then push it across the counter to her. “I remember when I was pregnant with Elsie, ice water was the only thing I could drink.”
