“I don’t know much about cars,” Aidan chimes in, “but I’ll help too, if I can.”
“That would be so awesome.”
I let out a sigh and work to tune back out of the conversation as the three of them proceed to discuss the options Matt has been researching within his budget. I don’t want to listen to any more of my brother bonding with one of Steph’s kids.
Speaking of Steph, she continues to look extremely uncomfortable. Again, I study her, confused. She appears to be following the conversation and getting twitchier by the second. I watch her squirming in her seat, staring intently at her son, and I’m starting to think these nerves have something to do with her family. Her boys.
Does she have a problem with me being around them?
Everyone else here knows and has spent time with them. I’m the only one who hasn’t.
Is that it?
My stomach drops. If Steph doesn’t want me around her sons, then how is this ever going to work?
My thoughts from earlier return, and I realize she’s been uncomfortable any time there’s been mention of her sons. She’s always vague with me about them and changes the subject right away.
But … why?
I’ve met Alex twice now, and, while the boy is clearly wary of me and my intentions toward his mother, I hadn’t thought too much about the interaction, given that those feelings are completely understandable.
I’ve never met Matt before today, though. I take the time to study him now as he continues to speak excitedly with Noah about muscle cars. Steph moves in my peripheral vision, and I look back at her. It’s as though her panic is growing right before my eyes.
What the fuck is going on?
My gaze bounces almost frantically now between the two boys and then back to Steph, who worries her bottom lip between her teeth. Back to Matt. Then Alex. Steph again. Matt. Alex. Steph. There’s something going on here, I’m certain of it now. Something she desperately doesn’t want me to … know? See?
Matt.
Alex.
Steph.
Matt—
This time, when I look at Steph’s eldest son, my gaze snags on something I hadn’t noticed before.
His eyes.
His eyes.
“So how old will you be in May?” Noah asks, his voice breaking into my thoughts. “Seventeen, right?”
“Uh-huh, yeah. Seventeen.”
Seventeen. InMay.
My hackles are fully raised now, my nerve endings tingling and on high alert as I run through some quick calculations in my head. An anticipatory awareness blooms in the air around me,and I somehow know that when I allow these thoughts to reach their inevitable conclusion, my life will be forever altered.
Could it be?
This time, when I glance back at Steph, it’s easy to read her expression. She’s watching me with open trepidation, and I finally understand. Jesus fucking Christ,I understand.
Her face drains of color as she sees the realization wash over me.
I’m chilled to the bone.
His seventeenth birthday is in May.
