“It’ll be fine.” My father tried to soothe her. “It’ll all be okay.”

“I’m sorry.” Those were the only words I could actually say.

A week later, my dad found me in the barn and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. He put one glass down and then another and then filled it. He looked at me, and I grabbed the glass and swallowed the amber liquid. It burned all the way down, but I only felt a sliver of pain. “That isn’t your child.” He wasn’t asking me; he was telling me. “There is no way that is your child.”

“How?” I asked him, but I wasn’t surprised he knew the truth. It was why he was so good at his job. “You can’t say anything.”

“Not my story to tell,” my father said, pouring another shot. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I know that I have to protect that child.” I took another shot, hissing, “My child.”

I turn off the water and shake my head. These flashbacks are not going to change or help anything.

I slip on my boxers and the pants that I wear when Ethan is here. He walked in one morning and my cock was at full salute, and we had to have an in-depth conversation about how it gets so big and what to do with it.

I’m just slipping into bed when I hear a soft knock on the door, and I stand here, not sure if it’s in my head or not. But then I hear it again, and my heart starts to beat faster. It starts to beat frantically when I walk closer and closer. I open the door, and my heart drops or maybe it crushes. I don’t know why I expected it to be Kallie. I don’t know why I even care.

“Sorry for coming over without calling first,” Savannah says, walking into my house, and I close the door behind her. “I just …” She takes a deep breath and walks into the living room. I look at her, and see she’s wearing her blue jeans and a tight top. Don’t get me wrong, she’s beautiful, but I can’t look past everything we’ve been through. We even had a talk when she gave birth about moving in together and trying to be a family, but I just couldn’t take that step. “This is crazy.”

“I’m sorry. I’m past the point of tired,” I say. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that Kallie just showed up in town.” She speaks quietly so as not to wake Ethan up. “I’m talking about the fact that the last time you saw her was prom.”

“I know exactly when the last time I saw her, Savannah. I was there,” I remind her.

“You promised me,” she says, and I hold up my hand.