Had that been published? Based on what? What was wrong with these gossip sites?
His wife clarified, “Well, it wasn’t explicitly in the article, but it was the general speculation in the comments. And seeing you here tonight, we just assumed it was true. Forgive us, but… is it not?”
“It would be a shame if it weren’t,” Dr. Holloway opined. “To be perfectly frank, some of the other board members consider you too young for the directorship, Dr. Turner. The initial news of children out of wedlock didn’t help. But when I called them today and mentioned I believed you and the children’s mother were together, I felt that resistance soften considerably.”
His wife added gently, “We do apologize if we’ve overstepped. We don’t wish to make this uncomfortable. We want to reiterate our invitation foryou to visit the hospital next week, regardless of your personal circumstances.”
I wasn’t that naive. I knew what they were saying. They knew it, too, and they could barely hide their disappointment.
But I hadn’t come this far—I hadn’t gottenthisclose—to let my dream slip away over a technicality.
That’s why I didn’t think. I simply reached for Evelyn’s hand, lacing my fingers through hers, and declared, “Actually, we were just trying to be discreet. You know, to protect the girls from more media attention. But yes… we are giving our relationship a second chance.”
“What?” Evelyn whispered, her voice strained.
I turned to her, my eyes pleading with her to just go along with it.
I continued, pouring on the charm, “What Evelyn and I had in the past was… special. And when she came back into my life and introduced me to our daughters… I knew I wanted to try and reclaim what we lost. Especially for the girls.”
Evelyn blinked several times, utterly speechless. I had the distinct feeling her silence was born less from compliance and more from sheer, unadulterated shock.
In that moment, I was profoundly grateful for it.
And I was even more grateful when a waiter appeared right on cue, handing us our menus and providing a desperately needed distraction.
Chapter Seven
LOGAN
Evelyn looked furious.
And not in a loud way, but in that terrifying, silent way where you can feel the anger radiating off a person even when they’re perfectly still.
She didn’t say another word for the rest of the dinner. She spoke quietly to the girls, pointing at pictures on the menu and explaining the dishes—Anna, as usual, choosing for both of them. She forced a few thin smiles and gave short, polite nods whenever the Holloways addressed her directly.
The entire time, I was braced for it—for the moment she would snap and expose our entire charade. But, luckily for me, that moment never came.
The four of us walked back to the room in a heavy silence. The second the door clicked shut behind us, Evelyn finally exploded.
“What the hell was that? That wasnotour agreement.”
“I was put on the spot! What was I supposed to do?”
“Stick to the plan? Say, ‘No, we’re not together. She’s just here to give me the children and will be gone in two days’?”
“I couldn’t say that. You heard them. My situation, as is, isn’t sitting well with the board.”
“Screw the board!”
The moment the words left her mouth, Evelyn’s hands flew to cover it, her eyes darting from me to the girls, who were sitting on the bed, wide-eyed, watching our argument. For a moment, I’d forgotten they were even there.
Evelyn immediately went to them, crouching down beside the bed. “Hey, do you two want to watch more of that cartoon?” she asked, her voice soft again as she gestured to the TV. They both nodded. She turned it on, found the same show, and then came back to me, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the bathroom, shutting the door firmly.
“They already seem to like you,” I commented, hoping a little flattery might soften her.
“They don’t know me well enough tolikeme. But I’m the only one who’s paying them any attention. Unlike you, their actual father.”
“I haven’t had time to give them any attention! I haven’t even had time to process this whole thing myself.”
