I nod. "She knows these little details. Minor, yet big ones of the grayed out period of my life. How she talked about how I acted. How I was dressed as Thor at a Comic Con, which not many people know besides you and Jaxson. So unless she got that information from him or you put her up to this, it makes me want to believe her. I just wish I could place her."
"Maybe it explains why you have been so doe eyed over her. Your subconscious mind remembers her."
“I'm not doe eyed."
I'm not fucking Bambi.
Sam tilts her head. "Stop fooling yourself. You know it's humanly okay to like another person for more than one day."
"Right now, the whole thing of liking her is off the table." I rub my forehead. "I don't know who she really is. She's no longer that girl I saw outside the bar."
“Wait, what were you doing outside a bar?"
"I was out running. Not what you’re thinking for fuck’s sake.”
Sam holds up her hands. “Alright. Don’t get your boxers in a bunch. Listen, I’ll be back later to get the papers.” She glances over at Matty then back at me. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yep.” She gives my desk a gentle tap and then turns around and leaves.
I lean back in my chair and stare at Matty who is dancing in his seat, as he shakes around his Sonic doll along with the alphabet song.
Why did I agree to keep watching him after she told me she thought he was my son? It was different when I wanted to know more about Red, get closer to her. When she shocked me with her news, I should’ve had her take him with her, but I couldn’t.
My gut is saying I can trust her, but there’s a nagging voice in the back of my mind saying something is wrong—to back off because her story doesn’t add up. I have no recollection of the time period.
Oxy really did fuck with my mind.
There is one person who can tell me more about who Holly is. The one who brought her to me in the first place. Jaxson. I pick up my cell and dial his number. He answers on the third ring with a grumble.
“This better be good. Like you’re building better be burning to the ground.”
“Hi to you too, dipshit, but it is important. I have a problem,” I say ignoring his irritation. “You remember that interior designer you introduced me to a couple days ago?”
“Yeah, Holly? What happened? You didn’t sleep with her, did you?” Jaxson asks, chuckling.
“I did,” I say plainly and he instantly stops laughing. I also hear a groan which I know can only belong to River.
“Liam, dude, come on," Jaxson snaps. "I told you if you want to finish your building you had to stop fucking sleeping with your employees.”
“No, Jax, I didn’t sleep with her recently. It was three years ago!" I whisper.
“Oh, so, what's the problem? I knew your slew of one nights would catch up with you."
“The thing is, there’s a big problem. I need a favor.”
"What kind of favor?"
"I need her background check. Details on her son and when he was born. Bank account information. Anything and everything."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why in the hell do you need all that?"
"She just told me her son...” I glance over at Matty to make sure he’s good before I spin around in my chair so my back is to him, “is also mine.”
"Fucccck.” Jaxson draws out with a laugh and River gasps. “That's not what I was expecting you to say. Really? She said her son is yours?"
"Yeah. I'm freakin' out. The little dude does have a lot of similarities, but it doesn't mean anything. I want to trust her, but as you know she's not the first to do this. Did you ever see her son?"
"No. River?"
"I saw one picture.” River pipes up. “That's it. I don't remember off the top of my head what he looks like though. I’m sorry."
I believe that knowing she's not the keenest with kids.
“But I got to know Holly and she didn’t come across as manipulative or money hungry. And you know I know the type well,” River tells me.
She would know. River’s father, Jeff Graham, makes my dad look like a saint wearing a tutu. Jeff embezzled millions from his clients and was an abusive monster who had blackmailed River to leave Jaxson because of his own greed. It wasn’t till River was able to take over her father’s company she was able to take him down. However, Jeff left a lot of hurt and scars in his wake and it’s why Jaxson works in Tampa; River has a hard time being in a place where her father destroyed her once
“I know you do.” I sigh and brush my fingers through my hair. “But fuck—she could have just been waiting for a good opportunity to hit some rich single guy. Learned about me from you guys.”
“I think you're overthinking and reaching now,” Jaxson mutters, trying to be objective.
“Am I?” My breathing grows heavy. “This doesn’t seem a little fishy to you guys?”
“I mean a little, but she’s from Tallahassee. She told us she only moved to Tampa because she got pregnant,” Jax tells me, verifying some of Holly's story.
“Hey, maybe this is just the universe bringing you two together finally,” River adds to Jaxson’s statement.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I cut her off, not wanting to hear some crazy psychobabble about destiny. “This isn’t what happened for you two.”
“Liam, you need to chill, dude,” Jaxson barks. “Look there's a clinic not that far from you where you can get a DNA test done and get results within two days or less."
"What the fuck do I do if the test comes back and says he's mine?" I snap.
"We say congrats, you’re a father. Dude, you'll have to think about that. Would it be so bad? Kids are cool." River coughs, sounding like she's hacking up a lung, and I hear some patting on the back. "Don't listen to her shit; before you called we were about to bang because she just agreed to having…"
"Shut up, Jaxson. He doesn't want to hear that," River yells.
"She's right. I don't want to fucking know."
How the hell did I wake up this morning single and now I might be someone’s father? “Fuck!"
"Fuck…" A little voice repeats my sentiments, and I glance over next to me. Matty stands before me holding my iPad up, his brown eyes wide in curiosity.
I cringe and push my hands through my hair. "No, little man, we don't say that. It was bad of me to say."
"No fuck?"
"No."
Shit, I've had the kid for less than an hour and he's already cursing. If he is mine, I'm already failing at his dad thing 100%.
Holly is going to kill me.
"Ah, shit, was that the kid?" Jaxson echoes through the phone, and I groan.
"Yeah."
"Ha. Priceless."
"Shut up.
"What are you doing with him already?"
"I'm watching him while Holly works. Long story. Listen, I got to go."
"Alright, keep us posted."
"Will do. And get me the background check." I hang up the phone and place it face down on the desk. "What's wrong, little man?" I pick Matty up and place him on my lap.