The party wrapped up, the little guests were sent home with their goody bags, and all that remained was the cleanup. My brothers and Finn had stayed behind to help since we’d all decided to go grab a beer once we left.
We were nearly packed up when Jess dug her fingers into the waistband of my jeans and pulled me to her, pressing her lips to mine.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her kiss lingering. “For making his dreams come true.”
“Thank you for making mine.”
She smiled at my saccharine response. “Now go. Have an awesome time with your brothers,” she said. “You earned it.”
“You sure it’s okay? Noah won’t be upset?”
“Are you kidding? He’s on such a high after getting carried off the racetrack like a football star on the shoulders of like eight famous guys, I’m not sure he’ll ever come down.”
“He’ll be a legend at school after that, for sure.”
Jess’s body went rigid in my arms. “Oh, god.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, Quinn. I should’ve told you,” she replied, pulling away.
“Told me what?”
“Dad!” Noah screamed, breaking through my brothers and sprinting toward the taller of the two men. He flung himself into Nick’s arms just as he’d done to me earlier. My chest splintered at the sight.
“He came when you and Noah were out,” she hastily explained.
“He was at your apartment?”
I wasn’t sure why that infuriated me, but it did. How dare he step foot into our space?
Jess put her hand on my chest. “Stay here. I’ll take care of this.”
She walked ahead. I followed. No way was I letting her go this alone. I understood now why she’d been acting strangely when Noah and I had come home with the necklace. She’d just had an encounter withhim.
“This is a private party, Nick,” Jess said.
“Tell that to the little man. You want your dad here, don’t you, Noah?”
“Yes,” Noah said, beside himself with joy.
“No. I’m sorry, Noah,” she said. “But your dad is not allowed. There are rules…”
“That can surely be broken on his birthday. I brought you a present.” Nick set Noah to the ground and handed him the gift.
“Jess, you remember Cody. I hear you’ve been breaking all the rules around him, haven’t you?”
The way he said it, his eyes flashing suggestively, made it sound like something inappropriate was happening between the two. Jess ignited.
“Don’t you dare!”
“Jesus. Chill. I was kidding,” he said, aggressively rumpling Noah’s hair as he spoke directly to him. “Your mom doesn’t have any humor anymore, does she?”
It was the first time Noah seemed to understand more was at play. He looked to his mother.
I stepped beside her, grabbing her hand.
The other dude, Cody, perhaps trying to explain Nick’s earlier remark, spoke up. “I work for the security company that patrols Goldfinch Road.”
