Straight Up Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbor #2)(81)

“It was definitely Jake. I can tell the difference between my wife’s best friend and his brothers.”

“That was almost five years ago.” And Molly has a child who’s four years old. A child she’s kept a secret from everyone in Jackson Harbor. My throat is thick and tears prick the back of my eyes. “Why are you saying this? Do you want me to be unhappy?”

“I didn’t think it mattered. I wasn’t trying to cause trouble.” Harrison’s expression has changed to one of pity, and I hate it.

“You know it matters, Harrison.” It matters more than anything. It would matter even if it was one night without consequences. But throw in the fact that Jake never told me, and Molly’s secret child?

Is Noah Jake’s baby?

Harrison lowers his voice when he adds, “I’m not lying. And I’m sorry he wasn’t honest with you. I thought you two told each other everything.”

I can hardly breathe through the awful weight on my chest, but I lift my chin and force myself to shrug and wave away the matter like it’s nothing. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I feel like shit. Is there anything I can do?”

I shake my head. “Go to work. Have a good day. Everything’s fine.”

Harrison’s brow furrows, but he nods. “Have a good day, then.” He heads out and holds the door for Ellie when she comes back in.

She’s smiling as she takes her spot across from me. “Back to what we were saying. I know you’re anxious to start a family, but enjoy each other for a while first. Date, flirt, screw in public places. The family will come later.”

The weight of what Harrison said is too much, too heavy, and I’m starting to feel numb, but I blink at her when she says this. “We didn’t use condoms.” And I’m such an idiot.

Ellie’s eyes go wide. “Why not?”

Jake might be a father to Molly’s child, and I had a weekend of unprotected sex with him.

“Ava, are you okay?”

“I haven’t used any sort of birth control since before I was married.” But that doesn’t change that it was a conscious decision. I had sex with Jake without protection because we love each other, and in that moment, a pregnancy seemed like a wonderful possibility, not a risk. I slide out of the booth and stand. “I need to go, Ellie.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s not that.” I press my hand to my stomach. “I need to talk to Jake.”





Jake


“Jake! I’m so sorry I couldn’t talk this weekend. How are you?”

I drag a hand through my hair and pace my apartment, not sure if I can honestly answer that question. On the one hand, I spent the weekend with Ava and have never been better. On the other hand, I’m on the phone with Ava’s stepsister so I can ask her if she had my child four years ago. The idea is so insane that I laugh. “I’m good, I think.”

“You think? You’re helping the love of your life get pregnant. You should be grand.” Molly grunts, obviously unamused by the idea. “So, what’s up?”

“Listen . . .” I clear my throat, unsure where to start. “We were going over your health insurance enrollment and saw that you claimed a dependent.”

“What?” I hear the shock in her voice and know immediately that she understands the reason for my call. “I filled that out on the insurance company’s website. I thought that was confidential.”

“No. It doesn’t work like that.” Fuck. I pace across my living room and back, letting the silence grow between us and waiting for her to explain. “Molly?”

“Is there a problem with me being a mother? Does this mean I can’t work for Jackson Brews?”

I close my eyes and sink into my chair. “You know that’s not why I’m calling.” Another beat. She’s silent. “Ava was there when Brayden asked me about your kid. Even your stepsister didn’t know about him. What the hell is going on?”

“You told Ava? Jesus, is it unreasonable for me to expect that the information I put on confidential forms remains confidential?” She blows out a hard breath. “What a disaster.”

“You could have told me you ended up pregnant. You don’t keep that from—”

“It’s not your business. This is private.”

“Isn’t it? We were together in August.” I shake my head and tug on a fistful of hair. I’ve been telling myself all weekend that it’s ridiculous to assume that a child born four years ago to a woman I slept with once is mine, but it was easy to tell myself that when I was sure she’d jump right in to name the father. “His birthday is May second.” She is quiet too long. “What am I supposed to do with this information?” I sound as desperate and panicked as I feel.

“Ignore it? Forget it? Never bring it up again?”

“Is he mine?”

She sighs heavily. “He’s my child, Jake. Not yours, and not anyone else’s.”

“How can I believe he’s not mine?” Please give me a fucking reason to believe.

“Noah is mine. I’m his parent, so please don’t ask me any more questions and please don’t talk about it.” She’s silent for a few beats, sighing as if the fight’s gone out of her. When she speaks again, her tone softens. “Can you tell Ava it was a mistake? That I screwed up the form or something?”