Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
Devyn
Rainey grabs Nathan’s hand. “Hey, buddy, can I ask you a favor?”
Nathan looks up at her. “Whatcha want?”
“Do you think it’d be okay if we went for ice cream, and then I can drive you home afterward? I’m really craving some mint chocolate chip, and I think Mommy and her friend here need to have some grown-up talk.”
Nathan tugs on my capris. “Momma, can I? Can I? I want some ice cweam!”
I ruffle his hair. “Sure, buddy. That would be fine.” I mouth thank you to Rainey.
She nods as she leads Nate out the door.
Riley waits for them to round the corner before saying, “Let’s go back to my place. I don’t think a public venue is the right place to have this conversation.”
“Do you live nearby? ”
He tilts his head toward Jackson’s condo building. “Right across the street.”
My eyes bulge. “Across the street? Like, right across the street? The red brick building?”
Riley laughs sardonically. “Yep. I believe you’re familiar with it.”
I gulp. “Yeah, I am.”
He jerks his head. “Follow me.”
My eyes wander throughout the lobby looking for any sign of Jackson. I’m not trying to hide the fact that I’m going to Riley’s…I’ll tell him. I just don’t want to run into him right now because it would exacerbate an already tense situation. I relax marginally when we step inside the elevator, and he presses the button for the third floor, two levels down from Jackson’s unit.
There’s no way he hasn’t put the pieces of Nathan’s paternity together. Nate is Riley’s little mini-me. It would only take a matter of seconds for him to see that, I’m sure. Riley doesn’t say a word as we ride the elevator to his floor and walk down the hallway. I have no idea what he’s thinking. He’s obviously angry, but is that because he feels cheated out of knowing his son? Or because he has a son and doesn’t want to be shackled down? Will he want to be a part of Nate’s life?
Riley digs into his pocket and produces a set of keys. He unlocks the door and pushes it open, stepping aside to let me in. The layout of his condo is pretty similar to Jackson’s. There’s a small kitchen with a large island to the left and a living/dining room combo immediately off the entryway. The space is tidy for the most part with the exception of several empty liquor bottles on the counter. Geez, that’s a lot of alcohol. Has Riley become a heavy drinker? I raise an eyebrow as I wonder but say nothing.
Riley
Devyn is eyeing the empty bottles of liquor in my kitchen. What gives her the right to judge me for having a rough night when she’s been hiding my son from me? For almost five years! What possible reason could she have for doing something so fucking selfish?
I still haven’t said a word at this point, and I can tell that it’s making her nervous. Good.
She nods toward the couch. “Do you mind if I take a seat for this?”
I cross my arms. “By all means, make yourself comfortable.”
She winces. Probably from the tone in my voice that says I want her to be anything but comfortable right now. Remaining completely silent, I continue staring her down.
Devyn slinks down into the cushions and sighs. “Please say something.”
“I’m pretty sure you don’t want to hear what I’m thinking right now.” I scoff. “It’s probably better if you start.”
“Ugh, I really should’ve grabbed a coffee first,” she groans.
I storm over to her and shove my cup from the coffee house into her hand. I’m towering over her right now, and I’m irritated at how badly I want to take her into my arms. I angrily step back and sit on a barstool across the room, reminding myself this woman couldn’t be bothered to tell me I have a kid.
“Talk, Devyn.”