Have My Baby (Crescent Cove 1)

“You told her. As if she isn’t an unencumbered adult capable of making her own choices.”

I stayed silent for that one. The truth hurt as much as my now aching knuckles.

“Don’t know if you know this, but Dad paid off mom.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“She didn’t just take off. They made a deal. He’d finance her lifestyle elsewhere if she didn’t try to take him for half in the divorce, thereby forcing him to expose her cheating and other misdeeds in court. Neither of them wanted messy, so she went for it. Last I knew, she was living in Cabo with her new family.”

“Cabo?” I rubbed my thumb between my eyes. “Who the hell lives in Cabo?”

“Our mother does. From what I’ve heard, we have a younger half sister too. Unsubstantiated, of course. Dad isn’t exactly forthcoming on the subject, and the internet coughs up only so much.”

I didn’t say anything. My mind was so full of Ally that I couldn’t focus on anything else.

If she missed work, she must’ve gone to New York to scope out schools. There was no other explanation. If she was truly sick, she would’ve been home with Sage. And she didn’t have any other friends in town she’d stay with. Nor did her budget extend to spur-of-the-moment vacations.

“I did drive her away. Somehow.” I braced my elbow on the desk and raked a hand through my hair. “I don’t know how to do this. Every time I think we’re getting somewhere, we lose even more ground.”

“Hamilton men are meant to be single file.”

Normally I laughed off Oliver’s certainty in that direction. For a long time, I’d been half convinced of the very same thing.

Not anymore.

“Meant to end up like Dad, you mean? Bitter and alone, with only his money to keep him company?”

Oliver adjusted his tie. “He has two rather strapping sons as well. One more so than the other.”

“Keep trying with your workout routine. Persistence is key.” I tipped back in my chair. “Fuck, Ol, how do I fix this?”

No sooner had the words left my mouth, I shook my head. “No. Never mind. I did not ask for your advice. There’s desperate and then there’s suicidal.”

“Actually, maybe I should fix this.”

“What? No. God, no.”

His laughter was rich and throaty, like any good movie villain. “Seriously, man, pull yourself together. I thought you only wanted use of her eggs. And from the way you were making out the other day at Laurie’s party,” he cleared his throat, “I’m going to guess you already achieved liftoff there.”

“We weren’t making out. It was a kiss. We just kissed.”

“Hmm, and here I thought you knew how babies were made already.” Oliver whisked his fingers over the hairline straight seam of his trousers. “That might actually explain a lot.”

In spite of everything, I laughed. “Why are you still here?”

“Because you need help, and I’m a giver.”

“You don’t even like Ally. I don’t know why, but you don’t.”

“You are as dense as a two-by-four without all the uses.” He gave a heavy sigh when I stared at him. “I was jealous. Possibly.”

“Of Ally? Why?”

“Not of Ally, per se. Of your relationship with her. The two of you have always been a unit against the world. Before Ally, it was you and me, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“It’s different with Ally.”

“No kidding. But you never fully realized just how much.”