All the muscles in my core pull tight again. He’s right. I am greedy when it comes to him.
He raises his head and pulls the fabric off my body. “Stay.”
I meet his gaze. “Okay,” I say, knowing it’s a stupid decision. But if I don’t leave, then this counts as only doing this once, right?
Orgasms like the one Jed gave me have a tendency to blur reality.
Leaving Molly in my bed the next morning, I shut my bedroom door and head downstairs to make coffee.
Fisher’s in his sheriff uniform, bent over, head in the fridge. I spot the discarded picture from last night on the kitchen table and turn away. That’s a reality I’m not ready for just yet.
“Who’s your visitor?” he asks, taking three eggs over to the stove where a pan with butter sizzles.
“What?” I grab my coffee mug and pour myself a cup. The one good thing about living with Fisher is that the coffee is always prepared as long as he’s up and at home.
“The moans, the banging. I thought you two were going to end up in my bedroom.”
I sip my coffee, giving myself a minute to think. Molly and I did get a little crazy last night. I knew she’d be great in bed, but damn, she’s any guy’s dream girl. The thought of her learning any of those moves from other guys sours the taste in my mouth. But I quickly shake off the feeling of jealousy.
“Sorry about that.”
He chuckles.
Fisher and I have secrets. There are things we’re willing to keep between us, so I could tell him it’s Molly and he wouldn’t say a word, but she was adamant that no one in the family knows.
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m just curious who you got over here so fast. I was gone two hours tops.” He cracks the eggs and drops them in the pan.
“Are you questioning my game?” I laugh, hoping to keep veering this conversation away from who the girl might be. Fisher should be leaving once he eats, then Molly can leave and no one will be the wiser. The problem is that I wouldn’t mind one for the road before she goes, especially since the picture sitting on the table is causing the same tightening feeling in my chest as it did last night.
“Nah, I know you got game. Although you’re not as good as me.” He places the eggs on a plate and grabs the toast waiting in the toaster before sitting at the table. Picking up the picture, he looks at it while forking his eggs. “What are you going to do?”
I sit next to him and sigh. “Book a flight to Minnesota. I have to find out if she’s mine.”
“You still don’t remember the mom?” He buries his head in his plate.
I’m glad he can’t see my face. I’m fully aware I’m handling this like a douche, but I can’t get a handle on it. “No.”
“Maybe there’s a letter or something with the will.”
I nod. “I hope so.”
The noise of a car engine revving up our driveway rings through the house and we both lock eyes.
“Mom,” I say.
“Marla,” he says at the same time.
I blow out a breath. “She’s not gonna let this go.”
His forehead crinkles. “And she should? You have a daughter whether you like it or not.” Fisher quickly finishes off his eggs and takes his plate to the sink. He drops it in, turns on the tap for a moment to rinse his dish, then shuts it off. “I’m out. See you tonight.”
“I’ll be at the brewery late,” I say, refilling my cup of coffee.
“You better hope your girl stays upstairs.” He laughs and grabs his keys as my mom opens the back door. “Good morning, Marla.” He kisses her on the cheek and walks out.
“’Morning, Fisher. There’s an accident on Whitespring Road, by the bridge.”
He smiles and tips his head. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
“What would Fisher do without you?” I joke, but my mom doesn’t smile. She actually scowls. For a moment, I wonder if she knows who’s upstairs in my bed.
“What would you do without me?” She goes to the sink and rinses off Fisher’s plate again before putting it in the dishwasher.
“That’s not mine.”
She rolls her eyes. The back door opens again and Rylan walks in.
“We’re gonna be late for school,” he says.
“You have plenty of time.” Mom continues to load the dishwasher with the other dishes in the sink and Rylan flops down at a seat at the table.
“It’s fine really, I got this,” I say, trying to take the sponge out of her hands, but she doesn’t budge.
“Ry, wait for me outside.”
His head falls back and he groans. I’m with him. We both know she’s about to tell me how it is.
Once the door shuts behind him, she turns off the water and tosses the sponge in the sink. “I understand it’s a shock, but buck up, Jed, and deal with your responsibilities.”
“Buck up?” I bite down my laugh.
She crosses her arms and juts out her hip, her eyes laser focused on mine. “You find this funny? That there’s a little girl who might be yours out in the world? Whose mother has died and now she’s all alone? You should’ve been on a flight this morning.”
Her words sober my mood. I still can’t wrap my head around it. Less than twenty-four hours ago, my life was how it’d always been, and now everything has changed. Everything. It’s gonna take me a hot minute to get used to the idea of being a father, let alone start acting like one.
“I just found out last night.” I sit at the table, spotting Molly lingering in the doorway with wide eyes. I shake for her to make herself scarce.
“Exactly, and you should’ve booked a flight last night so you could be on that plane this morning. What are you doing right now?” She waves her hand down my body.
Since I’m in track pants and nothing else, I shrug. “I—”
“What? You’re sitting around here, drinking.” She walks over to the table and swings the bottom of the whiskey bottle like a pendulum in front of me. “Alcohol solves this how?”
“I’m not sure what you expect from me? This is a complete shock. I don’t remember the mom and I feel bad for the little girl, but she’s probably not mine.”
“Not yours?” Her voice would scare away the moose from last night if it were still there. “Have you seen the picture? She’s practically a carbon copy of you!”
“I gotta clear up some stuff at the bar.” The excuse sounds lame even to my ears.
“No, you don’t.” She shakes her head. “You need to get your ass down to Minnesota and take that test. Meet the little girl.” She digs into her purse and slams a piece of paper on the table. It takes me a second to realize it’s a print-out for a plane ticket. “You leave this evening. I was gracious enough to give you time to talk with Cade.”
Again, I spot Molly from the corner of my eye, this time with her shoes in her hand.
“But you better make that flight, and you better get your head out of your ass. Man up, Jed.” She swings her purse over her shoulder and stalks toward the door. “And go through your mail. Seriously, you two.” She shakes her head and leaves.