Colin looked around as if needing to see it again. “I guess they are. More than just our friends, eh?”
Taking his hand, I called Bella and walked us back into our home.
We mingled for a while and accepted congratulations from our teammates. We recounted our wedding and the things we saw in Australia until I caught sight of Thomas. A single nod told me the time had come.
I took out my phone and sent him a text.
Me: Going to the guest house. Give me five minutes.
Looking up, I watched as Thomas read my text, then gave the slightest nod.
Taking a calming breath, I put my arm around Colin’s shoulders and leaned in. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
He nodded as I took his hand and led him into the guest house. Evan caught my eye and smiled.
Closing the door behind me, I brought him to the sofa and sat him down. His face was a mix of amusement and concern. “What’s wrong?”
Sitting on the coffee table in front of him, I took his hands and stared into his eyes.
“Nothing’s wrong. But I’ve done something, and I hope you won’t be upset with me.”
His brows shot up. “Okay. What have ya done?”
I took another breath and looked him in the eyes. “I found your father.”
Colin froze and stared. I watched his Adam’s apple bob. “I’m sorry. You did what?”
Swallowing thickly, I held his hands, afraid he might bolt. “I found your father.”
I let that sink in for a moment, then continued. “After breakfast with my parents when we got back from training camp, it got me thinking about him. I wanted to give you the family you didn’t have. So I talked to Hudson after our pool day, and he said Thomas might be able to help. He was a military intelligence officer and an FBI agent. He had some connections, so I hired him to see what he could find.”
Colin looked at me with tears in his eyes. “You did that before we decided to be together.”
I curled my lips and nodded. “Yeah. I couldn’t stand the thought of not trying to find him. The internet and knowing the right people made it relatively easy.”
A tear slipped down his face, and I reached over to wipe it away. I gave him time to process what I’d said.
“How do you know he’s my father?”
I smiled. “You look just like him. And to be safe, before I offered to bring him into your life, I ran a DNA test. He’s a 99.99% match. A thorough background check matches up with what your mother told you. He’s an Irish rugby player who was in Sydney when you were conceived.”
He swallowed again, and his voice cracked. “What if he doesn’t want anything to do with me?”
Cupping his face, I leaned my forehead to his. “Baby, I don’t think that’s possible. He wouldn’t be here if that were the case.”
Colin pulled back. “Here? Where here? In the States here? Or California here?”
I laughed. “No. As in here, outside that door. Waiting to meet you. But if you don’t want to meet him…”
His eyes went to the door as more tears trickled down his face. Colin got up and wiped them away. Striding to the door, he paused with his hand on the door knob and smiled back at me.
“I thought I loved you before, but somehow, you’ve topped that and made me love you even more. Down to the core and into my bones. You are the most selfless human being I know, and I don’t know what I did to deserve you. But I thank the stars every day for making you mine.”
Tears filled my eyes. “That’s what you do for someone you love.”
Colin swallowed and turned the knob. He opened the door to find his father standing outside the door. His eyes panned up to meet his son’s, and tears filled his eyes. I saw the same soft side that my husband possessed.
“Hello, Colin,” he croaked. “I’m Sean Kearney. And I’m your father.”
