I watched Tessa and Cody sort of dance as they flirted and knew this was what hell must have felt like. Then I reminded myself of the time I saw her when she was pregnant and had been beautiful and glowing and laughing with this very man. She said she had never slept with him, which would mean the boy wasn’t his, but evidentially, she was into one-night stands. Fuck. I’d give my left arm to have one of those with her.

Who the fuck put that baby inside her and left?

Maybe he hadn’t left, maybe she was the one who walked away.

Oh, God. What if she was raped? I shut that thought down. It was too inconceivable to even consider.

I shouldn’t have been pondering any of this in the first place. It was clear she was over me. Sure, she may still find me attractive. Sure, there was still that invisible line between us that seemed to vibrate whenever she was near, but none of those things mattered. Not even love seemed to matter. She’d told me she loved me, and I’d turned her away. I didn’t deserve any more than this.

“You look miserable.”

I turned to see my friend Dean beside me. “The way you walk through crowds and go unnoticed is scary.”

“Part of my charm.” His mouth tilted up slightly.

He wasn’t a huge guy. At first sight, I would’ve bet money I could take him down, but he had this glint in his eyes that instilled fear in those around him. I was sure he’d won plenty of fights with that glint alone. I’d met Dean at a bar not long after I’d seen Tessa pregnant at that convention. Needless to say, I was alone and drunk as hell. We sparked up a conversation, mostly me rambling on and on about it, and he said he’d do me a once in a lifetime favor and find out everything about the guy she was with. I’d laughed it off but had given him my phone number nonetheless. With not much to go on, he’d found Cody Maverick. That was when I figured out where we’d met. Jealousy had torn through me, but knowing they’d met because of me really kicked my ass. Dean and I became fast friends afterward, even though he wasn’t very forthcoming with his information. He was always out of town working, but I didn’t have a clue what he did for work or whether or not he had a family. I didn’t know much about him at all, except that he was loyal and kind underneath his rugged exterior. I glanced at him.

“I’m surprised you’re in town.”

“Work.”

“Hm.” I commented. “Stalking people?”

His lips twitched ever so slightly. “You could say that.”

I shook my head and turned my attention back to Tessa and Cody. I wanted nothing more than to rip his hand off the spot on her waist. She seemed comfortable around him and completely okay with his advances. She seemed so happy and free around him and so guarded around me. I hated the thought of that, but I couldn’t blame her.

“That’s your chick, isn’t it?” Dean asked. I blinked over to him.

“If she were my chick . . .” I said, chuckling around the word. I would love to see Tessa’s face if I ever referred to her as my chick. “That guy would have no fingers when I was done with him.”

This made Dean laugh wholeheartedly. “I’d actually pay to see that.”

“I guess she’s back in town for good,” I said.

“With Cody Maverick in tow.”

“I’m surprised you remember his name.” It’d been a long time ago.

“I remember everything. All the time.”

“Some would say it’s a gift.”

“Some,” he agreed, meeting my gaze again. “Would you?”

Somehow, I felt he knew the answer to that. I looked at Tessa again, thinking about all the things I remembered and would love to forget. Even if I did try to get her back, there were too many things in our way. The contracts for the company were still pending, probably sitting on the desk of my grandfather’s lawyer. My divorce was pending, still sitting on Camryn’s lap while she doodled on the pages with her stupid pink pen as if she had a choice in the matter.

It wasn’t the time to go after Tessa. It really wasn’t. She glanced up at me from across the dance floor, her eyes finding mine. I lowered my drink. She lowered the bottle of water she was sipping. Maybe I was looking for it, but I felt the invisible rope between us give a tug. I debated it. If I went to her, I’d be all-in. It was a step I wanted to make, one that was three years overdue.

When I took it, I had to make sure there would be no excuses or things standing in the way. No reason or excuse she could use to hide from me, from us. I stared a moment too long before walking away. Dean was at my side when I walked out the door.

“If it makes you feel any better, Maverick isn’t the kid’s father.”

I knew that already, but I still found myself asking, “What?”

“You said you just wanted to know who the guy was, and when I tried to give you more details, you weren’t hearing me.” He lit a cigarette and continued, “You ready to hear the rest?”

“Fine, I’ll bite. Whose name is on the birth certificate.” My throat felt dry all of a sudden. I fought the urge to walk back into that bar and grab another drink. It wouldn’t end well. Clearly, I wasn’t equipped to handle important information while under the influence of alcohol.

“The father isn’t listed and the kid’s name is Miles. Miles Frederick Monte.”

My throat closed up a bit. Miles. Why would she do that? A tiny voice of possibility whispered in my ear, but I shooed it away. When I’d seen her, she hadn’t been that far along. When I saw Freddie yesterday, he hadn’t given one hint of possibility that I might be the father. Hell, Freddie would’ve kicked my kneecaps and stabbed me if he had any inkling that I was the father and had been absent all this time. Besides, Samson would’ve told me.

“What’s his birthdate?”

“May fourth.”

I felt my jaw tense as I did the math in my head. He was three and change. “Why wouldn’t my brother tell me?”

“I thought you told him not to bring her up.”

“I did, but he never listened.”

“You’d be surprised the things people keep from you for the sake of protection.”

“Protection?” I glanced over at him as we walked. “I don’t need protection from my son, assuming he is my son, which is highly doubtful.”

“I wasn’t talking about you.” He looked like he might say something more insightful. Instead, he kept it to himself and walked beside me in silence. Why would they think the child would need protection from me? Was I that much like my father? The thought festered inside me the rest of the night.