Page 71 of My One

Parents died in car crash–check.

My father not really my father–check.

Mom left a secret will–check.

Dad killed my real father–sounds like it.

Jimmy and Jane knew all the answers–I fucking hope so.

During the day, I tried to not think about what was going to happen tonight—easier said than done because I had so many unanswered questions. At noon, I met Nic at her office, and she took my blood. She said by tonight we’d have the results. I just hoped it was nothing serious because I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle.

The moment the clock struck five, I left Halo and headed home to get Nicole. We were driving over to the Crawfords’ together.

She was already waiting outside for me as I pulled into the driveway of our townhouse. She kissed me as she slid into the car, and then I backed out of the driveway. “So, I have news.”

“Yeah?” I questioned.

“Your lab results came back just before I left.”

I took a deep breath. “And?”

She smiled as I looked over at her and instantly it felt as if some of my tension subsided. “Everything came back normal.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Her grin widened. “You’re healthy as a horse as they say.”

“Thank god.” I took a deep breath. “So, it’s safe to say it’s stress?”

“More than likely.”

“Doesn’t help that we’re about to go confront Jimmy and Jane.”

Nicole squeezed my knee lightly. “No matter what they tell you tonight, just know that I’m here. We’re family. We’ll start our own soon, and all of this will be behind us.”

“I know.” I sighed. “Just fucking sucks my life before you was a lie.”

“You can’t change the past, baby. All we can do is make better decisions aboutourfuture.”

My wife was right. We couldn’t change the past, but we could provide a loving life for our children when the time came. And I was determined to do that.

When Nic and I pulled up to the Crawfords’ house, Easton, Brooke, and C.C. were already there. Did they give Jimmy and Jane the heads up about what tonight would be about, or did they think it would be like most Crawford dinner nights this time of year when we would talk about who the Angels were playing and how they were doing? They weren’t doing that bad this year, but they weren’t headed to the World Series either.

“Ready?” Nic asked.

“Yeah,” I responded and opened my car door.

Nic slid out of the car, and we moved to walk together up the driveway. “Whatever happens, whatever you find out tonight, know that I’m always here for you.”

I wrapped an arm across her shoulder, bringing her against me. “I know. You’re my rock.”

“And you’re mine.”

“I love you.” I kissed her temple just before opening the door.

“I love you too.”

I opened the door as I always did. This was the Crawfords, the people who treated me more like a son than my own parents, and I never knocked when they knew we were coming over.