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I scrunch my face in confusion, taken aback by the question. “No. Not really. Sure, he’s tall and has dark hair and blue eyes, but that could describe a ton of people.” I pause, trying to recall what Gavin had mentioned about his family over the years. Not that we’ve spent that much time together.
My nephew, Austin doesn’t have many friends. Yet somehow, he and Gavin connected and remained close. I’ve always respected Gavin. He’s a kid who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, who could’ve turned to drugs or crime, but instead buckled down and studied hard, befriending a boy on the autism spectrum.
“I assumed, based on conversations with Gavin, that his biological father had a similar appearance.” Particularly given Shelly is a blonde with brown eyes.
“I’ve tried to let it go,” Sebastian whispers, his voice thick under the weight of years of uncertainty. “I swear I’ve tried. But as time has passed, I’ve thought more and more about it. Especially after adopting Austin, and watching my kids achieve their milestones.” He steps closer, lowering his voice to ensure no one else can hear.
“I keep wondering… could Shelly have been pregnant before we split up? I mean, Austin and Gavin could be brothers.”
My mouth hangs open for a second, my brain struggling to process the massive, life-altering bomb Sebastian just dropped. “Bas…” I start, taking a slow step back and looking at him like he’s suddenly grown a second head. “Holy shit. Are you serious? This feels like a real stretch.”
Sebastian stares at me with a desperate, haunted look in his eyes. His knuckles are white where he’s gripping the edge of the bar.
“Think about this logically for a second.” I run a hand through my hair as my mind races. “Gavin is eighteen years old. If Shelly was pregnant when you two broke up, that means she kept an entire human being a secret from you for nearly two decades. She raised him here, in the same town, knowing you could eventually bump into them. That’s… that’s insane, man.”
“Is it?” Sebastian asks, his voice barely above a whisper, raw with a mix of anger and agonizing doubt. “What if she was scared, Sam? We were eighteen. Our parents, especially Mom, would’ve ruined her life if a townie tried to trap a Lee heir with a baby back then. What if she ran because she thought it was the only way to protect him?” He rubs the back of his neck. “Hell, for all I know, Mom did run her off.”
I look at my brother, seeing the genuine pain etched into the tight lines around his eyes. This isn’t merely some fleeting, crazy thought. This is an open wound he’s been quietly carrying around while trying to play the perfect husband and father.
I step in close, placing a grounding hand on his shoulder and squeezing hard. “Listen,” my voice drops into a firm, steady tone. “I think this is a long shot at best. Gavin seems to feel fairly certain his mother’s story about a college guy she fell for is the truth. But, if you really think this could be a possibility… if this is going to tear you apart every time you look at him until you know for sure, you can’t sit on it. It will eat you alive.”
“I think it already is. But what am I supposed to do?” Bas rasps, shaking his head. “Go up to my son’s best friend and ask for a cheek swab? Accuse a woman I haven’t talked to in twenty years of lying to her child, and me, his entire life? If I’m wrong, I blow up my relationship with Austin, I blow up my marriage, and I look like a lunatic.”
“Well, you’re already a lunatic, and she married you anyway, so—”
He immediately pops me on the back of my head.
“Dammit!” I rub my scalp. “Don’t do anything reckless,” I encourage. I’m equally as shocked that he’s asking my advice as I am at this far-fetched theory. “And you damn well don’t say a word to Isabella or Austin until you have actual facts. Because if you’re wrong, you can’t un-ring that bell.”
Sebastian nods, his jaw clenched tight.
“But it’s clear you need to get this monkey off of your back, Bas.” I look him dead in the eye. “Find a way to get a DNA test quietly. Gavin spent half the summer crashing on your couch with Austin. He leaves water bottles, hoodies, razor blades in the guest bathroom.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.” He snorts.
“Ha ha. I only mean, there has to be something you can use to get a discreet test done without making a scene.”
Bas lets out a shaky, exhaled breath, running both hands over his face. “And if the test comes back positive? What then?”
“Then you figure it out,” I say without a second of hesitation. “You’re the smartest guy I know.” I place a brotherly hand of support on his shoulder. “But until you have a piece of paper confirming this hair-brained notion, you lock this down. You continue to be the cool dad. Focus on your wife and your kids. And that uber-successful art gallery. Don’t let this ruin your life before you even know the truth.”
Sebastian stares at me for a long moment, the tension in his broad shoulders finally easing a fraction. He lets out a jagged exhale. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” He claps a hand over my forearm. “Thanks, Sam.”
I make a dramatic show of cupping my ear and leaning in, “Can I get you to say that again? Might be the first time.”
“Yeah. Knowing you, it will probably be the last,” he adds sarcastically, before he turns and walks out of the tasting room doors.
A cold, uneasy knot twists deep in my gut. Why do I get the sense this is not going to go as smoothly as I hope it will?
Between a fake marriage, a failing vineyard, and now a potential secret Lee heir, the ground beneath my feet feels more fragile than ever.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lexi
The fluorescent lights of the doctor’s lounge hum overhead, casting a cool glare as I finish reviewing my morning lab results and progress notes at one of the available computer stations. It’s taking me longer than usual because my mind keeps drifting back to this morning.
When I woke up, I instantly worried Sam’s air conditioner unit had broken. It was so warm. Then I realized why.
