3. Bailey
CHAPTER THREE
Bailey
PAST
I shouldn’t be here. Mom and Dad would be pissed if they knew I was meeting some guy from the internet claiming to be Dad’s son. He promised if I met up with him, he’d explain everything.
I was going to ignore it, but I couldn’t forget the message once I saw it.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I ask, tilting my head to scan his features, but if anything, seeing him in person makes it more believable he could be Dad’s kid.
For all I know, this guy could be a fan of Sebastian Walker, desperate for his money or something. I don’t know why people do the things they do, but I know they can be crazy.
I should have at least told one of my siblings I was coming here tonight, but I’ve been avoiding them.
It seems stupid to be mad at Mirabelle for staying in Charlotte since we’re at the beach house full time now that Dad’s retired, but I miss her, even if she annoys me most of the time.
Then there’s JJ, who chose to go to school out in California, and everything is changing faster than I can wrap my head around .
I’m not ready for the four of us to drop to just Hunter and me at home.
We’ve always been a team, but it’s starting to feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know what I want to do with my life, and it’s terrifying.
Why did I have to be different? Why couldn’t I have just picked football like my brothers?
“What reason do I have to lie?” Carter counters, and he looks as nervous as I feel, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. “You’re not the only one shocked to find out you have another brother.”
“You found me—not the other way around,” I point out, tapping the sides of the hot chocolate I have yet to take a drink from.
“I know, but you didn’t have to meet me,” he points out.
I came because I want to know why he still chose to message me. My social media account is mainly action shots of me playing soccer or pictures I took while messing around with one of Mom’s old cameras. If you subtract my last name, there’s nothing exciting about me.
“Why me? If you’re looking for a cool sibling, you might want to give Mirabelle or JJ a call. Hell, Hunter is nicer than I am. I’m by far the least interesting one,” I say, hating the flash of resentment coursing through me, but I’m not wrong.
Mirabelle’s an Olympic gold medalist. JJ is probably going to end up playing professionally after college, keeping with the family legacy, and Hunter’s queued up to follow right behind him.
Me? I’m good with a soccer ball, but I have a quick temper. I also like to argue because I feel like if I don’t scream and make everyone pay attention to me, I’ll be forgotten. My talents are nothing compared to those of everyone I’m related to.
He runs a hand through his dark hair, so similar to Dad’s, in addition to the matching honey eyes.
“You’re right,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, and it’s tempting to walk away now.
I don’t need to be told my faults. “I picked you because I think you’re also the black sheep who might understand what it’s like to not fit in with your family, no matter how much you might want to.
I hoped it would mean you’d hear me out. ”
A part of me is pleased this random stranger, who might be my long-lost brother, thinks I’m the most likely to listen.
It’s not what people normally think of when it comes to me.
The other part is hurt because Carter’s right.
I am the black sheep who doesn’t fit into the mold of my family, even though it’s all I’ve ever wanted.
“Okay, so tell me what you think you know.” I’ll give him a chance, but I’m skeptical.
Carter’s smile is one of relief, and he taps his phone, pulling up a picture to show me.
“This is my mom, Kiera, and up until a couple of weeks ago, I thought this was my dad, Darren. I was home grabbing some things I’d left in my old room, and they walked in arguing.
They didn’t know I was home, but it was over how his mom—my grandma—had given my dad a heads up since I’m not biologically his kid, and they wouldn’t be including me in the wills they were having drawn together. ”
“Oh shit,” I say, and Carter grimaces.
“Yeah. My mom was upset because she wanted my dad to say it shouldn’t matter whether I was biologically his or not, I was still family.
He wanted to let things cool off before making any decisions.
I slipped out without them hearing me, and I started digging into who my father might be,” he explains.
While I feel bad for him, I’m not sure where my dad comes into play.
He’s been with Mom since they were in college.
I’ve seen the pictures from Dad’s graduation, and Mom’s.
My skepticism must be clear on my face because he swipes the screen, pulling up an old headline. “I know how it sounds, but I found these articles from twenty-three years ago about Sebastian Walker and my mom’s engagement.”
Mirabelle will be twenty-one in February, but this doesn’t make sense? Dad couldn’t have been engaged to someone else.
I brush my long blond hair back and out of my eyes, scanning over the tiny print.
“How do I know they’re real? You could have made these with Photoshop or something,” I argue, not wanting to believe it could be true.
There’s no way my father, who has always preached to us about the value of honesty with those you love, would do this.
Carter’s face has softened when I glance up at him. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t. You can look it up on your phone. Type in ‘Kiera Davis and Sebastian Walker engagement.’ They’re old, but they’re there, I promise,” he says, and I swallow the lump in my throat as I type the names into the search bar.
There’s a series of articles that load a few moments later, and I skim through them, my heart stopping when I read the one about my dad leaving his pregnant fiancée for my mom. At the bottom of the article, I see the words stating my dad and his press team had “no comment.”
Not a denial, but no comment .
Those two words are damning all on their own.
An old video is suggested, and I hesitate before tapping on it, turning the volume up to listen.
An image of my dad sitting at a table, looking twenty years younger and so much like JJ, appears on the screen.
The quality is fuzzy, but it’s him. He clears his throat, leaning in to speak into the microphones in front of him.
“Hi, everyone, thank you for coming today. Before taking any questions, I’d like to start by offering an apology to the Blue Panthers organization and my teammates, as my personal life has been overshadowing what is supposed to be an exciting time before a new season.
Playing football is everything to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to clear the air regarding the controversy surrounding my engagement to Kiera Davis that ended last month. ”
Dad points to a reporter at the front, ignoring the clamor of questions in the background. “Why did the engagement end?”
“The engagement ended because, ultimately, we weren’t right for each other. I believe we will be happier without being in each other’s lives romantically, and I wish Kiera all the best.”
The next question rolls in fast. “Are the rumors that you left her for a different woman true?”
“I left Kiera because I was unhappy. I did it for myself, not anyone else,” he says, and I feel like I’ve been swept up by a wave over the side of a sinking ship. Why didn’t Dad just answer the question?
“What about Thalia Lewis? Isn’t she your teammate’s sister who you dated a few years ago?”
My fingers tighten around the phone, clutching it as if I can hold together the crumbling pieces of the pedestal I’ve placed my dad on.
“Yes. Thalia and I were in a relationship that ended four years ago. Her brother, Owen, is my best friend and teammate. We all grew up together,” Dad says, using the same tone I recognize from when he’s trying to keep his temper in check.
It’s not a lie. Dad really was engaged to someone else, and he and Mom have lied to all of us for years. Unless . . . does Mirabelle know? JJ or Hunter?
In my head, all I can hear is the echo of my father telling me promises are meant to be kept.
He said it himself. They were in a relationship that ended four years before the interview took place. Why the hell would they lie to us if Carter wasn’t Dad’s kid he abandoned?
My vision blurs for a moment, an acidic taste forming in my mouth. How am I supposed to go back to a home built on a foundation of lies?
“—don’t know how many different creative ways you can ask why my engagement ended.
The answer doesn’t change.” I suck in a sharp breath, hearing Dad’s voice grow more irritated, and a sense of wrongness settles in my gut.
“The truth is that I am in love with Thalia. We are not together because I want to focus on my career, as does she. Not at any point during my relationship with Kiera did I cheat on her with someone else, nor did I leave her because of another woman. Kiera and I are no longer together due to personal reasons that will remain personal. Who I am with romantically has no impact on my ability to play football and should not distract from the hard work everyone in this organization has put in to get ready for the upcoming season. Now, I hope that you can respect this is my life and offer me and my loved ones some privacy. Thank you for your time.” Dad stands abruptly from the table and exits the camera frame, a new video beginning to load a second later.
I shut the phone off, blinking rapidly to pull myself together.
“I was born six months after that interview,” Carter adds, his deep voice gentle, and I want to wake up from this nightmare.