Page 77 of Reckless With You

“I’m really not good at this.”

“Why would he need mine, Melinda? How old is Evan?”

“He’s six,” she said, her voice breaking. She turned her phone, and I looked at a picture of a little boy with auburn hair, strong cheekbones, and my fucking eyes. My knees went weak, and I sat down on the coffee table, the glass on top rattling as I tried to catch my breath.

“What the fuck, Melinda? Are you kidding me?”

“I thought he was my boyfriend’s. I was seeing someone else at the time.”

“I don’t get it. You’re going to need to talk slower.” My heart raced, and my palms went sweaty. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. This couldn’t be happening. I was always so careful, not only with my feelings and my emotions, but also with everything else. I never wanted a child. Had never liked the idea of someone having to grow up without me because of an accident or some shit like I had with my parents. That had always been my number-one rule.

But it seemed fate was a tricky bitch and had gotten around that.

“How long have you known?”

I wasn’t sure I believed her, wasn’t sure I believed anything. Couldn’t even get my words wrangled into complete sentences at this point. My thoughts weren’t any better.

I couldn’t do this. What the fuck?

My mind shut down. I was basically running on autopilot at this point. At least, I thought I was. Was I even speaking? Was I thinking?

Why did I feel like I needed to throw up?

“I lied to you. We were on a break, like Ross and Rachel, but it really wasn’t. I just wanted some fun because my boyfriend and I were fighting. And you were fun.”

Fun. That’s what I was. Fun. Now, it looked like much more than that. But that’s what I wanted, right? That’s exactly what I wanted.

“I’m so sorry. But after you and I did our thing, Robbie and I got back together. We got married, and we’re okay. We worked through it. And we never really thought it was cheating because he was with someone else in those couple of months, as well. But that time gave me Evan. Although because of the timing, we thought he was Robbie’s. We didn’t have to second-guess it. You and I were always so careful, and Robbie and I weren’t. I thought he was Robbie’s until we got the tests back confirming that Evan wasn’t his. We haven’t been able to really think about what to do about it.”

“Does Evan know?” I asked, my voice wooden.

“He does now.” Her teeth worried her lower lip, her hands so tight on that purse I was afraid she might snap the leather in two. “He knows because we’re still waiting on bone marrow. And the best match is someone in his familial line. And, sadly, it’s not me. I can’t even save my own son. I need you to help me, Tucker. I need you to help me save my child. I don’t know what happens next. I don’t know what you want to do. If you want to be a part of this or not. But you needed to know. And I need your help. I need to save my son. And I will do anything to ensure that. He is everything to me. Everything to me and Robbie. I didn’t mean to dump all this on your shoulders and everything. But I couldn’t get ahold of you, and then I remembered where you lived. I wish you would have answered your phone. Because we’re running out of time. I need you to help me save my son. My baby boy. Please, help me.” She cracked then, her tears falling so fast and hard that I thought she might break. I stood up and then held her close, not knowing what else to do.

She cried, and I held her, my hand rubbing up and down her back.

“Help me, Tucker. Please. Help me.”

I didn’t know what to say. What was there to say? Before I could do anything, the front door opened. Apparently, I hadn’t closed it all the way. Amelia walked in. She met my gaze, looked down at the woman in my arms, and we all froze.

I didn’t know what I was thinking, let alone what she might.

Chapter 16

Amelia

Tucker stoodin his living room, holding another woman as she cried, and yet there wasn’t a single emotion on his face. I couldn’t read anything in his expression honestly. He stood there with the woman in his arms, and there was…nothing.

Nothing coming from him.

And yet, something twisted inside of me.

Who was this woman? Why did this hurt so much?

This wasn’t Tobey. Wasn’t Beth. Even though there was a weird similarity that wasn’t actually similar at all.

I’d trusted Tobey, and he had hidden something from me. I knew that now. I knew I didn’t love him, but I had thought that he was what I needed.

As I stared at Tucker with this woman in his arms, I couldn’t help but remember that he had been with many women before me. And that we were only in a fake relationship.