“She was meeting the client just outside of Macon, but she didn’t say exactly where.”
“Did the cops say anything else?”
“No. They’re still investigating. The accident happened hours ago. They sent someone to Whitney’s house, but of course, no one was there. Eventually, they found my number in her cell phone. I was the last person she called. Thank God she had me listed as a sister.”
“I’m not surprised,” Myles said. “She always thought of everything.”
Collin squirmed, and Myles rubbed the child’s back as he rocked him, hoping they hadn’t awakened him, but Collin lifted his head. His sleepy eyes blinked several times before zoning in on Myles, who couldn’t help but smile.
“Hey, little man. You’re awake.”
“Hi…Daddy.”
“Daddy? What the hell, Myles!” Geneva yelled from behind him.
Myles closed his eyes and braced himself for his human tornado.
“You have a kid and a baby mama and didn’t think to tell me?” she screeched, the sound sending goosebumps over his skin the way it would if fingernails were clawing down a blackboard.
“Geneva,” Myles said with impatience as he turned.
The rest of his words died on his tongue. She was wearing one of his white dress shirts and making it look way better on her than it did on him. It stopped mid-thigh and showed off her long shapely legs that he’d been between only moments ago.
She jammed her hands on her hips, causing the hem of the shirt to rise. Myles was pretty sure she was naked underneath and hoped the hem didn’t rise any higher.
His gaze went back to her face. The way she was glaring, he’d be a pile of dust if her eyes were weapons.
“Your ass better start talking before I raise hell up in here.”
Chapter Seven
“Geneva, meet Collin…my son.”
Geneva shook with barely contained rage and balled her fists at her sides as she glared at Myles. Gritting her teeth, she fought against herself to keep from saying anything that she might regret, especially in front of the little boy.
A son. He has a son.
How the heck had she not known that?
“Go upstairs and get dressed, then I’ll explain everything,” Myles said in a casual tone as if they were planning to discuss the merits of Kwanza.
His tone only made her angrier, and instead of arguing, Geneva stomped to the stairs, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors. Stopping suddenly, she turned to call Coco, but the four-legged traitor was too caught up in the little boy who was now on the floor petting her.
Geneva hiked up the steps, mumbling angrily under her breath. As soon as she was dressed, she was getting out of there. Myles didn’t have to explain a damn thing to her. It was too late. She didn’t want to hear it. She might’ve loved children, but dating men with kids was a deal-breaker. And she definitely didn’t tolerate baby mama drama.
Growling under her breath, her teeth were clenched so tight, it was a wonder they didn’t crumble into small pieces. She tore through her overnight bag, yanked out a sweater and yoga pants, and slammed them on the bed. Then she pulled out her pink lace underwear and hurried into them.
“What. An. Idiot! How could I have not known?”
Granted, Myles rarely talked about himself. Much of their time had been spent in her bedroom. Outside of that, for the weeks they hung out, she typically controlled the conversations while he listened and interjected periodically. Yet, he had plenty of opportunities to tell her he had a kid.
Had she missed any signs of a child being in his life?
She glanced around his bedroom. No pictures.
No surprise there.
There were no photos, paintings, or anything else hanging on the walls or sitting on any flat surfaces throughout the loft. As a minimalist, it was a wonder Myles even had furniture. He had the bare minimum on the main floor, and the king-sized bed, two nightstands, and a bench at the foot of the bed were the only pieces of furniture in the bedroom. A small chest shoved into a corner of the closet held folded clothes, and there wasn’t much hanging on the rods except for a few shirts and suits.
Furniture or no furniture, it didn’t matter. Nothing about Myles mattered anymore. Clearly, he was a man of secrets, and Geneva wanted no part of it.
She quickly dressed in the pink off-the-shoulder sweater and black leggings. And once her boots were on, she gave the bedroom one last glance and headed for the stairs, but pulled up short. Glancing down the hallway, there were two bedrooms and a bathroom. At least that’s what Myles had told her. He hadn’t actually given her a tour of the place, and she never bothered to look around either. That wasn’t her style. She didn’t snoop…normally.
Geneva marched down the hall and slowed when she reached the full bathroom, only giving it a cursory glance. The other two doors were closed, and she shoved the first one open. Except for a futon and a dresser that held a television, the rest of the room was bare. She turned on her heels to the door across the hall and shoved it open.
Her breath caught and a twinge of something sharp settled in the center of her chest. She wanted to scream. Geneva wanted to be angry. And she wanted to punch someone. But what good would any of that do? She’d been had, and the only person she could really be mad at was herself. She should have never fallen for Myles. The asshole.
Her shoulders sagged as she glanced around the brightly decorated space.
Collin’s room.
As her gaze took in the beautifully decorated room, it was hard to stay mad at Myles. It was clear the love that had gone into every detail.
Geneva strolled inside, taking in every inch. A bluish-gray feature wall was covered with twinkling stars that gave the space a warm, inviting feel. The twin-sized blue, black, and red bed was shaped like a train and an overhead roof acted as the headboard. It even had wheels. The rest of the furnishings, including a hutch and a small dresser, matched the bed frame and headboard colors.
This is too frickin’ cute. The rest of the house barely looked lived in, but no expense had been spared in decorating his son’s space. Every possible toy and book were meticulously organized on the far side of the room, along with a small table with two chairs.
Geneva gave the space one last look before heading to the stairs. She wanted to be mad, but some of her anger dissipated as she went down the stairs.
“I’ll update you once I learn more and figure out the next steps. I still can’t believe she’s gone, Myles.”
“Yeah, me either.”
Not intending to eavesdrop on their conversation, Geneva couldn’t help wondering what and who they were talking about.
Myles glanced at her just as she made it to the second from the bottom step. He and the woman were still standing near the breakfast bar, their faces lined with worry. Leaving without giving him a chance to explain had been Geneva’s plan, but the weariness in his intense dark eyes rooted her in place. Whatever was going on was serious.
Myles reached for her hand. “Come and let me introduce you.”
Geneva stood in shock, staring at him, wondering what the heck was happening. She was angry at him. At least she wanted to be. But there was something about the way he looked at her that had her moving forward and reluctantly accepting his extended hand.
Myles blew her away even more when he pulled her to his side. He should’ve been pissed at the way she snapped earlier, embarrassing him in front of his guest. Instead, he held her close with an arm around her waist and his hand resting on her hip.
“Geneva, this is Yvette, Collin’s aunt. His mother’s sister. Yvette, this is my…” Myles started to speak but stopped and gave his head a slight shake. “This is Geneva.”
Interesting. What had he been about to say?
Geneva didn’t get a chance to play the question around in her mind. Collin giggled from across the room, snagging all of their attention. The open concept gave an unobstructed view into the living room where he was rubbing
Coco’s back.
The anger Geneva battled with while upstairs slowly dissipated, especially now seeing the boy with her dog. Clearly Collin wasn’t afraid of Coco, and her fur baby was eating up the attention.
“He loves dogs,” Yvette said quietly.
Short, with a reddish-black afro, light-brown complexion with blotchy skin, probably from crying, the woman appeared to be in her late twenties, possibly early thirties.
“Geneva, I’m sorry about barging in on you guys. I called Myles earlier. When I didn’t get an answer and couldn’t reach my husband right away, I just… I just had to get out of the house. I started walking and ended up here.”
“Yvette lives about a half-mile from here,” Myles said, his voice low. “Collin’s mother was killed in a car accident this morning.”
Geneva gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my God. That’s awful. I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said to Yvette, then realized Myles had lost someone, too. Her hand went to his chest. “You, too. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Yvette said. “Whitney always said that if anything ever happened to her, make sure I get Collin to Myles. I took a chance on stopping by.”
Myles explained to Geneva the little information they knew about Whitney’s accident and that Collin didn’t know yet. Geneva couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to tell that little boy his mommy was gone. He couldn’t have been more than three or four years old. Would he even understand at that age?
“I acted like a total idiot earlier,” Geneva said, feeling like the lowest form of human life. She could be mad at Myles for not being forthcoming, but had she known what she was walking in on, she would’ve handled herself differently. “I am so sorry. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Thank you,” Yvette said with a shaky smile. “I think I’m still in shock. My husband is on his way here. Then we’ll head to Macon to claim my sister’s bod…” Her voice caught, and she bit down on her bottom lip, swiping at the tears that suddenly appeared.
Myles put his hand on Yvette’s shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want me to handle everything regarding Whitney?”
“No. No, Collin needs you. Besides, DeShawn will be with me,” she said of her husband. “I’ll call if I need anything, and I’ll keep you posted on any new developments.”
A buzzing sound filled the space, and Yvette pulled her phone from her jacket pocket. Glancing at the screen, she said, “DeShawn is outside. I better go. I’ll be in touch.” She glanced at Geneva and gave a small wave. “Bye. Nice meeting you.”
“You too. Take care of yourself.”
“Hold on a sec, Yvette.” Myles dropped his arm from around Geneva. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Okay, but let me say bye to Collin.”
When she walked across the room, Myles grabbed his keys off the top of the refrigerator, then approached Geneva. She swallowed hard at the intensity in his eyes.
“Can you keep an eye on him for a minute?” Geneva wasn’t sure what Myles saw on her face, but he quickly added, “I’ll explain everything when I get back.”
She nodded, and he glanced at Collin and Coco before quietly easing out the door.
Geneva took in the scene in the living room. When she first saw Coco at the pound, it was love at first sight. Journey and her parents had insisted that the last thing she needed was the responsibility of a dog. Geneva was so glad she hadn’t listened. Coco was the calm in her life. Now, seeing how gentle she was with Myles’s son, she was even happier to have the dog. Collin’s world was about to be turned upside down, and maybe Coco could be a good distraction.
A heavy weight settled in Geneva’s chest. Not only did Myles have a son, but now he was a single parent. Everything was different now.
“Where’s Daddy?” The small voice shook Geneva out of her thoughts.
Collin was no longer sitting on the floor. Instead, he stood next to the sofa with his lips trembling while trying not to cry. Coco whined, nudging him with her nose. She was almost as tall as him, and thankfully Collin wasn’t afraid of her.
Geneva walked across the room and sat on the sofa next to where Collin stood. He was such a cutie. His hair was cut close to his head, and he had smooth, tawny-brown skin and plump, kissable cheeks. His onyx eyes were definitely from Myles. Even as young as Collin was, his gaze held the same intensity as his father’s.
A fat tear slid down Collin’s cheek, followed by another.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t cry. Your daddy will be right back.” Geneva picked him up and sat him on her lap. Now that she was up close to him, he looked younger than she initially thought. “He’s coming back, okay.”
“Okay,” he murmured and stared at the door.
Sadness pierced her heart. She had grown up with two loving parents. Even when she was hard to love, they were right there every day of her life. The thought of losing either one of them, even at her age, was unthinkable. Geneva couldn’t imagine what it would be like for a small child. Collin’s mom was gone. What would his life be like growing up?
Not wanting to get melancholy, she shook the thoughts free.
“How old are you, Collin?”
He fumbled with his fingers then raised two of them on one hand and one on the other hand.
Geneva smiled. “You’re three?”
He nodded. Then his attention went back to the door.
“Do you go to school?”
He shook his head.
“What about daycare?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know your ABCs?”
“Yes.”
“Can you count to ten?”
“Yes.”
So much for holding a conversation. So far, talking to him was like trying to communicate with his dad. The one-word responses weren’t getting her anywhere, just like with his dad. But damn if he wasn’t a cutie-pie like his daddy.
“What’s your name?” Collin asked, surprising Geneva.
“My name is Geneva.”
He scrunched up his nose as if smelling something bad. “Ja-nina?”
A laugh burst free from her, and she rubbed his back. “Not quite, but that’s close. It’s Ge-nee-va. Or you can call me Gen. Can you say Gen?”
“Yes.” Instead of repeating her name, he asked, “Is that your dog?”
“Yes, her name is Coco.”
“I know. My daddy told me.” Collin released a long yawn and laid his head against Geneva’s chest. “I want my daddy.”
“I know, honey. He’ll be back soon.”
What a strange morning. At least the last half-hour had taken Geneva’s mind off of her own issues. She had so many decisions to make about the salon. The insurance adjuster wouldn’t be out until later that day. Geneva had no clue how long it would take to pull everything back together. The night before, she had contacted the staff and requested they all reach out to clients who had appointments coming up over the next week. Unfortunately, they’d have to cancel them without being able to set new appointments. It was an inconvenience to everyone involved, but none of that compared to what Myles was going through. Or what he would have to deal with going forward.
About what I said a couple of weeks ago.
His words from earlier came back to her. If only she would’ve let him finish whatever he was going to say. Of course, her impatience and need to have him buried inside of her took precedence. That was so her—interrupting someone in order to get what she wanted.
Had he planned to suggest that they keep seeing each other? The way he showed up for her at the salon the night before and his tenderness since then made her believe that they had something special. Or something that could be special if they ever got on the same page.
Everything was different now.
Myles didn’t need a lover or a girlfriend. He needed a friend. Someone he and Collin could count on until they got through this difficult time.
Could she be that person?
Could she put their needs before her own
?
Geneva glanced down, noting that Collin was drifting off to sleep. She held him close and continued rocking back and forth. Coco plopped her head onto Geneva’s knee and stared up at her with those puppy-dog eyes.
“You did good, girl,” she whispered, scratching behind the dog’s ear. Her fur baby had handled the situation well. Unlike her, who had walked in on Myles and Yvette and had been ready to pummel Myles for not telling her he had a kid.
So much for first impressions. Yvette must have thought her a nutcase.
Collin’s soft snores reached her ears, and Geneva debated whether to lay him on the sofa. He seemed kind of small for a three-year-old, but she really wasn’t sure if he was small for his age or not. Her only interaction with kids lately was with her one-year-old niece.
Instead of laying Collin down, Geneva held him close. He was going to need all the hugs and love he could get now that his mother was gone.
Poor baby.
She tightened her hold and sent up a silent prayer that he and his dad could get through this.
The door opened and Myles walked in, his expression tight with worry. Who wouldn’t be concerned? The mother of his child was dead. Geneva didn’t know what their relationship was, but still, now he was a single parent. The firm set of his jaw and the stiffness in his spine made it seem as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Sorry it took me so long. He’s asleep?” he asked, setting his keys on the dining table.
“Yeah, he zonked out a couple of minutes ago.”
“I’ll take him upstairs and lay him down.”
“He’s okay,” she said without releasing Collin.
Myles studied her for a minute before sitting on the sofa next to her.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had a son?”
He gave a slight shrug. “It didn’t come up. Besides, I’m surprised Journey didn’t mention it.”
“She never said a word, but that’s beside the point, Myles. You should’ve told me. We were dating. Well…kinda, sort-of dating. Anyway, you had more than enough opportunities to say, hey, by the way, I have a kid.”
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