“But then my dad got himself in hot water again, and probably knowing they can’t get blood from a stone, they came straight to me to pay up. It wasn’t like last time. Not as much. I tried to ignore it, ignore them, but they kept resurfacing and threatened to make it look like I was betting on games if I didn’t settle my dad’s debt again.” His jaw clenches. “The security gate break-ins… I’m pretty sure that was them too. They left a note on the gate once. That’s why I went to the bank that day. To wire the money and make it go away.”
My breathing stutters.
“The only person who knows is Jagger. You should also know that I’ve been paying my dad too. Every month. Not because I want to. Because it keeps him away.”
He finally lifts his gaze to mine, and there’s a rawness there I’ve never seen before.
I feel sick at the thought of Foster paying the man who brought him so much pain. It must be like a constant reminder every month, a revisiting of all the trauma. No wonder he hasn’t been able to move forward.
“I told him the checks would stop if he ever tried to contact me again.” He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. “If this gets out, I’m ruined. And now you’re in my life, and there’s a baby… but I can’t… I can’t keep secrets from you anymore. I’m done with that.”
My throat tightens.
“It’s behind me,” he adds quickly. “It’s paid in full now. But I needed you to know. Because I don’t want there to be anything between us.”
I stare at him, my mind still trying to catch up to everything he said. All the heartbreak he’s endured.
Without thinking, I scoot closer on the bench and lean into him. His arm wraps around my shoulders, and he sighs as though he’s waited to have me next to him again.
I close my eyes. “Okay.” The one word isn’t good enough, but I’m not sure what more to say. “Thank you for trusting me with it.”
His hand gently tightens on my shoulder. “I’ll always be transparent with you, Callie. I don’t want anything to poison what we have.” He bends down and kisses me. “I love you.”
I smile up at him and lay my palm on his cheek. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing those words from you.”
“Good, because now that I’ve said them, I’m not sure I can stop.”
We laugh, and he kisses me again. We have so much to look forward to in our future.
Chapter
Sixty-One
Foster
* * *
Having the weight off my shoulders now that Callie knows everything I’ve been trying to hide feels indescribable. I feel like a fucking idiot for avoiding this for so long.
Her hand is in mine as we walk into the doctor’s office. No more worrying about someone taking our picture. No more pretending we’re something we’re not. Although I’m still wrapping my head around the fact I fell in love with someone, and they love me back, even after unpacking all my trauma for her to lay eyes on.
Callie checks in with the receptionist, then we go sit down.
This time not behind the plant.
Not shoved in a corner.
I pick a spot right in the middle of the damn room.
Callie smirks at me as I wait for her to sit first because we’re on the same page.
“Want a magazine?” She picks one up off the table and holds it out to me.
“Yes, I do.” I accept it, but I’d really rather talk to her. “Look where my reading got us the first time.”
“I think it would’ve been inevitable even without the magazine article.” She knocks her shoulder into mine. “I was hanging on by a very, very frayed thread.”
“You?” I balk. “You were prancing around in those tiny pajama shorts and threadbare T-shirts.”
