Secrets of Paternity Read Free Page A

eighteen. She told Kevin how she’d found the agreement in Paul’s paperwork, then about the other letter giving James’s current contact information. That was it. Bare bones information. No note sayinghe still wanted to meet Kevin. No hint at all. Name, correct address—she’d double-checked that—and phone number. Period.
    â€œI don’t have to see him,” Kevin added, his arms crossed, his tone harsh. “The agreement says so.”
    â€œThat’s right. Nothing requires you to.”
    He shoved his hands through his hair, as James had done earlier. The gesture caught her by surprise. Maybe Kevin had always done that, but it took on more significance now—heredity, not environment.
    â€œI wish you hadn’t told me,” he said, firing a look at her.
    â€œI wish I hadn’t had to.”
    His hesitation lasted several beats. “‘Never make a promise you can’t keep, and always keep your promises,’” he said, parroting a lifetime of her own words to him.
    It wasn’t only her philosophy but Paul’s, as well. She’d fulfilled her end of the bargain. Now she was free of the technical part of her responsibility. She still had to deal with the results of backing into his Harley—plus if Kevin did at some point decide to meet him, the emotional aspects of the whole business.
    She stood, smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt. Her fingertips brushed against the outline of the business card in her pocket. “He’s a private investigator, by the way,” she said, giving him the last piece of information, one she thought might interest him too much.
    Kevin lifted his head. “Yeah?”
    â€œWill you tell me if you decide to meet him?” she asked, wishing she could hug him as though he were five years old again and make everything better. He’d had a horrible time adjusting to Paul’s death.
    â€œI guess so.”
    â€œYou want to stay for dinner?” she asked.
    â€œNah. Jeremy’s coming over to study. He’s bringing pizza.”
    â€œOkay.” Caryn had bought an old duplex near Kevin’s college. They each had their own two-bedroom unit, his downstairs.
    â€œHow’d work go?” he asked.
    â€œGood tips today.”
    â€œWas Venus there?”
    â€œYes.” She grabbed a glass from the cupboard, turning away from him, keeping her frown to herself. Kevin’s crush on the young waitress who worked with Caryn worried her. He didn’t need another obsession in his life, and Venus was fast becoming one.
    â€œDid she…say anything about me?”
    â€œNo.” Caryn kept her voice upbeat and didn’t ask questions.
    â€œOkay.” He started to leave but stopped, his hand on the doorknob. “What does he—” He frowned. “Do I look like him?”
    She nodded. The similarities struck her anew. The same facial features, except eye color. And their hands—long fingers and broad palms. Close in height, too, although James had a man’s body, while Kevin was still growing into his.
    â€œWhy did Dad choose this guy?”
    â€œI don’t know. I gather they knew each other, but I don’t know what the connection was.”
    â€œOkay.” He banged his open hand against the doorjamb. “Later.”
    After the front door shut she tried to find something mindless to do. She opened the refrigerator, stared inside it, then shut the door. She’d lost weight since Paul died, poundsshe hadn’t needed to lose. She should fix herself a meal, but she doubted she could eat more than a bite, anyway.
    She walked across the slightly warped hardwood floor to where a portable phone hung on the charger base. She picked up the handset. After a minute she carefully returned it to the base. Who could she call? No one. Not until Kevin made a decision to acknowledge James. Until then she couldn’t tell her mother, her brother or even her best