Come Back for Me (Arrowood Brothers #1)(52)

My heart pounds against my chest. “It won’t matter if she is or isn’t.”

“It matters to me.”

Which is what I fear too. If she finds out that Kevin is Hadley’s father, will she walk away from me? Will she fear that he’ll want Hadley and run? Will she go off and not tell anyone to protect them both? I won’t be able to handle it if she does. I want her to be ours. I want that night to have created something so perfect that it lives between us now. However, if it matters to her, then I’ll give her the answers she wants, damn the consequences.

“Is this what you need?” I ask.

“I think it is.”

“Then . . . I’ll take the test tomorrow if that’s what will make you happy and feel secure.”

“It is. I want to know one way or the other.”

“I’ll do anything for you, Ellie.”

Ellie launches herself at me, her arms wrap around my neck, and I steady us and hold her in my arms. Her lips are on mine an instant later, and all the worries I have disappear.

Maybe she’s right, we can’t move on if we don’t face what’s behind us. God, if that’s true, I’m going to have a lot of baggage to unpack.





Chapter Twenty-Three


Ellie





I’m so damn tired. Today was a crazy day at work. I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone and meet the other teachers, but I have horrible social skills. If they don’t have kids, I have nothing to contribute to the conversation.

They were talking about shopping today, and I tried. I really did. I also failed and ended up faking a stomach ache and hiding in my classroom to eat.

“Connor?” I call out as I enter the house. “Hadley?”

No one answers.

Maybe they’re both working on the tractor again. Connor finished with the barn last night and said he needed to get the equipment going next. There are so many repairs to be made that I don’t know how his brothers expect him to get even half of it done before his six-month sentence is up.

Not even six months now.

It’s been almost two months since my assault. Time is dwindling without even knowing it. What happens when it’s up? Will he stay or leave? Will I stay or leave is another question. I don’t have the answers to either question.

I release a sigh because I’m not ready to face any of this right now. I grab the mail off the counter and toss the bills, my bank statement for the account I never changed the address to, and then stop cold before tossing the last envelope.

The DNA test results.

I take the envelope and rush into my room. I can’t open it without him. I can’t sit here and not look, though. Hadley is my daughter and this is her entire life, but what if the results aren’t what I hope for?

I knew that would be a possibility, but it would still suck. Now it’s here, and while I thought that I could handle whatever the results were . . . maybe I was wrong. Am I ready for Connor to be her father? Am I okay with knowing that . . . Kevin . . . could be a part of her and we’ll never be rid of him? There’s so much at stake here.

Instead of allowing myself to go down the rabbit hole, I force myself to get a grip. Connor is a good man and won’t push, that much I’m sure of. He may want to, but he will never do anything to hurt Hadley or me. I have to trust that regardless of what this test says, I know my path.

I’m going to get my divorce and start living the life I deserve. Whether that means Connor is a part of it or not is irrelevant. I’m saving my money, working in a job I love, and somewhat living with my could-be baby daddy because my house is too scary for my daughter to be in for more than ten minutes. Yeah, I’ve got it all together now.

I sit on the bed, tilt my face to the ceiling, and release a heavy breath. I’ve got this. I need to take it step by step. First one is to find my daughter and Connor, lure him away from her, and make him open the results. Then I can freak out.

Instead of any of that, I put my hand down and don’t feel the comforter, but find satin. Huh?

When I get to my feet and look down, there’s my black satin dress that was hanging in the closet at my house. It is the only nice thing I own, and I’ve only worn it on very special occasions. Kevin didn’t want me to dress nicely since it might draw attention to me.

“What is this?” I ask as I pick up the note.



Ellie,

Meet me at 8 PM at the bar where we met. Hadley is with Syd for the night, all is well. We deserve some time . . . just us.

Connor



“What exactly are you up to Connor Arrowood?” I ask aloud as I clutch the note to my chest. Regardless of whatever it is, he did something that no one has ever done before.

Tried.





I’m all nerves as I get out of the black Town Car that happened to be parked outside the house once I emerged. It was pretty impressive and very thoughtful. I smooth the dress down and push my hair back. I was in a hurry to get ready since I didn’t find the note until seven thirty and knew it would take about twenty minutes to get over there.

Still, even with rushing around, I’m about fifteen minutes late. The envelope containing the results of the DNA test is in my purse, and I worry when the moment will be right to bring it up.

I step out onto the curb and am thrown back in time. It’s exactly as I remember. The bar is old with a neon sign that is still only partially illuminated, making it read AR instead of BAR. The windows have old shutters that are in desperate need of repair, and the music is a low country sound that speaks to the sadness of those who come here.