I nodded.

“That was Jason.”

Then I remembered Hunter freaking out when he pulled the truck around. That slime ball was that close to me and my baby and I’d had no idea. I remember my instincts were to reach out for Hunter but I’d thought that was just me being paranoid of something happening to Ryder.

A lone tear slipped from my eye, and I reached up to wipe it away. I was hurting because something could have happened and I’d have had no idea. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” I asked.

He pressed the palms of his hands to his eyeballs, “Because I didn’t know what was going on. He just appeared out of nowhere and no one knew what he was up to.”

“But you could’ve told me, Hunter.”

He sighed, “I know, but I wanted to find out what was going on first. I didn’t want to concern you with something that you didn’t need to worry about.”

I snapped my head over to look at him, was he being serious? “Concern me, Hunter? If it involves you or Ryder, hell any of our families, it concerns me.”

He didn’t respond for a while. Eventually Mason and Hailey appeared in the doorway, making their way towards us.

I knew none of this was easy for him but his lack of communication with me about this felt like betrayal. We fought for so long to be together but now it felt like it was still impossible and out of reach. How could you have a relationship with someone you really don’t know? How would I ever know if Hunter was keeping anything else from me? Could I trust him enough to always tell me everything?

I followed CC’s eyes to see Mason and Hailey walking towards us. I still needed to tell her more but I didn’t want to do it in front of them, even though they knew what had happened.

“What did Jaylinn want?” CC asked while staring at her hands in her lap.

I took a deep breath, not sure how to tell her this without making it any worse than it already was. “There’s more that she found out.”

She nodded once and then put her seatbelt on as Hailey and Mason climbed in the backseat. Hailey sat behind me and grabbed my shoulder letting me know that she was there for me. I glanced at Mason in the rearview mirror. He tipped his head in CC’s direction asking if she knew everything. I shook my head once then started the truck and pulled out of the driveway.

The ride down here had been fun. The girls had turned the stereo up full blast and sang at the top of their lungs. We’d talked about the wedding, and Hailey convinced CC to take pole-dancing lessons as part of the bachelorette party. We discussed where we were going to go on our honeymoon. The past didn’t bother anyone. It was the way it should be. This ride back was painfully quiet. No one talked unless it was necessary.

When we arrived home it was just after dinnertime and of course everyone was at the Cahill’s for Sunday dinner. Our parents were sitting at the kitchen table, sipping their coffee, and they all turned, a little surprised to see us walk in.

“Hey baby girl, I wasn’t expecting you ‘til later.” Andrew said.

“Where’s Ryder?” CC asked, not offering an explanation.

Mom and Elle looked up at me, waiting for me to explain CC’s mood. I shoved my hands in my front pockets and glanced down.

Jaylinn’s changing him in your old room, sweetie.” Elle replied.

CC took off for the stairs and my shoulders slumped. Andrew walked over and patted my back, “She’ll get through it. Hang in there.” Then he excused himself.

Mom got up and grabbed me a bottle of water. “Would you like to me talk to her?” Elle offered.

“No, she needs to hear it from me. I haven’t even told her about Brittany.” I grabbed the bottle of water from my mom and took a sip.

“You didn’t know he had a daughter, Mom?” This was the first time I’d asked my mom about Brittany since I’d found out. I never had the chance with CC always being around.

She exhaled, “I knew of his daughter but that was it. I found out that night when I took you kids and ran. That’s all I knew and that’s all I cared to know about. I’m sorry I never mentioned it but I never thought I would have needed to.”

“Is that all? Is there anything that could come out that I don’t know about? Jay said she found something else out.” I asked, looking back and forth between both Mom and Elle.

Jaylinn walked in, and I was surprised to see Cooper wasn’t behind her. “They don’t know. I thought I should wait and tell everyone together.”

I was mentally preparing myself for whatever shitty situation I was about to be dealt. “Coop and I were at dinner at last night, we were seated out on the patio. After our dinner was served I caught sight of Brittany out of the corner of my eye. She wasn’t alone though, she was there with Jason and that nurse from the hospital.”

I heard the swooshing in my ears; surely I hadn’t heard her right. “Lynn?”

She bobbed her head.

I was going to be sick; I quickly pushed away from the table and ran for the bathroom. I sat on the floor with my hands resting on my knees, head tilted back on the tub, and sweat pouring down my face. Lynn had taken care of the two people I would give my life for. She’d held my son, she’d taken care of CC, and she’d consoled me when I thought I was losing the love of my life. How could a woman like that be with a man like my father? She came on to me. I heaved again; losing whatever was left in my stomach.

I got up off my knees, washed my face and sat back down on the edge of the tub, not ready to face anyone. Lynn had never made a move to touch me or harm my family, but she’d controlled CC’s medicine. At any time she could’ve slipped her a higher dosage than she needed. I shook my head. I couldn’t let myself think like that.

There was tap at the door as CC walked in with Ryder. I grabbed the little man from her and hugged him close. Damn it felt good having him in my arms. I sat there rocking him for a few minutes before CC was asking for him back.

I kissed his cheek and handed him over, “You’re coming back in here right?”

“Yeah.”

Minutes later she was back and kneeling between my legs.

“I’m sorry you had such a shitty father. I’m pissed off and hurt that you felt like you couldn’t tell me though, Hunter.” She confessed.

She was about to get a lot more pissed off, “I need to finish telling you the rest.”

“Okay.” She sat back on her legs, waiting for me to finish.

“So after that day at the hospital I hadn’t heard from or seen Jason for a while, I thought he was gone again. I was wrong. You know the day you girls were at the mall and I showed up?”