We all step into the elevator and I notice Mallory’s mouth has fallen open. “But you’ve had number fifteen on your jersey since you were in high school.”
“Since I was seven years old, actually,” I replied and hit the button for floor fifteen. “That’s when I realized my dad had the record. And that’s when I told myself I would beat it.”
“I had no idea that’s why it was your number,” Mallory whispers thoughtfully.
“Dyllie Bear is your number going to be sixteen?” Tenley asks Dylan and she tickles his belly through his little navy hoodie with white polar bears on it. He giggles and squeals and babbles something I think he thinks are words.
“He’s going to play hockey?” Mallory asks.
“Of course,” Tenley and I say in unison, in the exact same confident tone.
Mallory smiles. “I don’t know why I even asked.”
The elevator doors swish open and Tenley steps off before all of us. I quickly step off and block her from walking ahead of us. "Can you please just take a back seat? You shouldn't even be here."
“It’s a good thing I am here,” Tenley replies as we walk down the hall. “Otherwise you were going to force a woman who just had a serious car accident onto the shitshow that is L.A. freeways.”
Oh. I hadn’t even thought of that when I asked Mallory to meet us here. Fuck. I’m a total shithead. I glance over at her but she looks away and fusses over Dylan. I turn back to my sister. “How did you find out?”
“I decided to use your house for my shoot despite you saying no.”
"Tenley, why can't you, for once, stop trying to control everything?" I reply my voice hard.
“Stop being an asshole,” Tenley barks back. “I’m not controlling this. I’m just here foryou. Whatever you need.”
“I needed you to mind your own business and not break into my house and find out about him before I was ready to tell you,” I hiss at her and then turn a corner and find yet another reception desk. This one is unmanned and just has a little sign that says to take a number from the dispenser on the counter and wait for it to pop up on the screen in the waiting room.
I yank off a number and move to the plastic seats across the hall in the glassed-in waiting room. There’s a little play area in one corner and I walk to the seats closest to it. Mallory immediately sits Dylan on the plush gray playmat in front of the toys.
“Okay then.” Tenley’s glare gets steely. “Then I’m here for Mallory. She’s been through it, Tate, and someone needs to watch out for her. This arrangement of yours isn’t making her life easier.”
Oh my God is Tenley really trying to pretend she gives a fuck about Mallory? She doesn’t even know her. Not really. Not like I do. She’smy…friend.
“Mallory loves Dylan like he’s her own and she’s here of her own free will,” I reply tersely and shift in my small, almost too small, plastic seat to glare at Tenley. “And in case you forgot, her last name is Echolls. You think that the family will be thrilled to know she’s the one who technically has custody at the moment? Or thatherfamily will be thrilled she’s shacked up with me? No. That would make this whole situation more complicated so keeping Dylan on the down low right now isn’t just about me. It’s about her too.”
The room is silent when I finish my little rant. Mallory is watching me from her seat on the other side of Tenley with a look I can’t fully understand. She seems… shocked and maybe a little hurt. Fuck. Did I hurt her feelings again? Why am I such an idiot without even knowing it?
Before I can rectify the situation, the electronic board above our heads beeps, and our ticket number and a room number appear on the board. I get up. Mallory gets up and picks up Dylan. Tenley gets up and I put my hand on her bony shoulder and gently but firmly push her back down into her seat. "You wait here."
She twists her face up in this ugly, pouty frown. “Hold that pose. Forever. Then maybe my teammates will stop hitting on you.”
I turn and walk to the door, holding it open for Mallory who is carrying Dylan.
Chapter13
Tate
The testing is simple, a swab of the inside of my cheek and Dylan's as well as a little clip of both our hair. I was super worried that he wouldn't like the swab in his mouth but he barely fusses at all. The nurse assured me that all his teething slobber made it easy to get a good sample. She assured us that the results would be ninety-eight percent conclusive and that I should have them in seven to ten business days. They are checked three times, by three different labs which is why it takes longer than other places.
The nurse leaves the room, and Mallory and I both get up to leave too, but she turns to me with a curious look in her caramel-colored eyes. "Are you worried about the results?"
“No. I know he’s mine,” I say simply. “I’m only doing this test for legal proof.”
She nods and as soon as we get into the waiting room, Tenley springs out of her seat and reaches for Dylan. He goes to her happily and I have never been so jealous in my life. It must show on my face, because in the elevator on the way back down to the lobby Tenley shoots a sympathetic smile. "Don't get all butt hurt. He's a ladies' man, just like his daddy. He prefers hanging out with girls."
Mallory giggles. I roll my eyes. As we cross the parking lot I tell Tenley, “I’m going to call you an Uber.”
“Nonsense. I’ll drive you guys home. My car is at your place anyway.”
