Page 88 of The Spare

I sit across from Gavin in a booth at the local diner, my hands sweating against my glass of iced tea. He’s staring down at his phone, unbothered, while my heart feels like it’s being run through a meat grinder.

He didn’t ask any questions when I asked if we could meet. I thought this was odd. Particularly given the fact Sebastian had informed him ahead of time that he wanted to have DNA testing performed. You’d think there would’ve been some alarm bells when I called out of the blue.

“So.” I clear my throat. “It’s kind of a long, confusing story. But, as you know, Bas was looking into the possibility he could be your father. Be…because he figured out he’d dated your mother right before she had you,” I stammer nervously, pulling at my collar.

“Yeah,” he replies, never looking up from his phone.

“It turns out the lab test showed it wasn’t him.”

“I figured as much. I mean, Mom told me it was this guy she dated. And he’s dead now, so I can’t exactly ask him.”

I squirm in my seat. “Well, it appears that she was wrong.” My shoulders bunch up below my ears. Jeez, I really should’ve practiced what I was going to say to him before getting here.

“Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?”

I pull my collar from my neck, trying to get some air. I literally have flop sweat right now. “Bas has friends in high places. The doctor who ran the lab tests noted some things that were peculiar. Even though the test proved it wasn’t Sebastian, it appeared your biological father was probably a close family member of his.” Jesus. My stomach is doing the backstroke. Don’t let me throw up all over the table when I share this.

Gavin sits frozen. Blinking at me with a completely unreadable expression on his face.

“Like his brother.”

More blinking. Like a goldfish. I guess I need to spell this out for him.

“I’m your father.” Way to blurt it out, Sam. Your parenting skills need a lot of work.

Gavin blinks once more and casually sets his phone face-down on the table. “You?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

Jeez, this is awkward. Is this merely disbelief his father isn’t the dead guy? Or is this disappointment?

Of course it is, Sam. Who on earth would want you for their father?

But then again, what was I expecting? For the kid to give me a high five and ask for keys to the car?

“How’d that happen?”

I swallow hard. Hell. Is he asking for a lesson on the birds and the bees? I thought I had more time to learn how to be a father than this. “Well, when a man and a woman⁠—”

“No.” He palms himself in the face. “I know how it happens. But how did it happen that you’re my dad and not the guy who was dating my mom?”

Shit. I think the birds and the bees conversation might be easier.

I reach back, rubbing the tense muscles of my neck. “It’s a long, complicated story. But your mother and I made a bad decision when Sebastian left for school. She was upset that he was moving on without her. She needed comfort. And one thing led to another⁠—”

“Okay, okay. Don’t need to know any more than that.”

I take him in for a moment. He seems to be taking this whole thing in stride. Far better than I’d expected. Heck, better than I am. “You don’t seem phased by this.”

“Well, you have to look at this from my side. My mom told me that she briefly dated a customer who visited her diner. And later, I find out he was married. Married to one of the nicest people I know.” He’s referring to Poppy Weston. He’s right. I’ve only met her in passing. Her husband is a billionaire surgeon who hobnobs with Sebastian.

“Anyway, it appears my mom didn’t have a very high bar for the men she hooked up with.”

I nod for a beat until I realize I’m one of the men he’s referring to. “Hey, now—” I stop myself before saying something stupid like, that’s no way to talk to your father. I need to facepalm myself.

“Sorry, man. That probably came out wrong.”