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Every Kiss(107)



That still doesn’t explain why Sarah is in the picture and why he has a daughter he’s lied about, but I don’t think Casey is the right person to ask. “Well, that clears up a lot of questions I’ve had. It seems to make a little more sense.”

“Callie, I know I don’t need to tell you how lucky you are to have him. He’s opened up to you about his mother, his ex-wife, and now this? There are very few people that he lets in, so I know he must really love you. Now, whether or not he admits it is another story. He’s still a man, after all.”

I smile at her. “Yes, he is. A stubborn, bull-headed man.”

She gives me her card in case I have any more questions, and I head back out to the jeep, trying to decide what I’m going to say to him. Needless to say, it all makes a little more sense, but he’s not forgiven by any means.

When I get inside and close the door, he’s sitting there silently, staring into space. I think he’s prepared for me to tell him how stupid this whole scheme is, but when I’m honest with myself, I think I love him a little more. He’s been doing everything he can to help women that he doesn’t even know, giving them a chance to keep their child and get on their feet. He’s probably prevented several children from being aborted or given up at birth. Wes is giving these children a chance that his own child didn’t have, that he didn’t really have. Eve has been a wonderful mother to him, but he’s always known that his biological mother was out there somewhere. I can’t imagine what a head trip that must’ve been.

“First of all, I understand what Sarah meant about the other women now, and I think you’re an amazing man for what you’ve been doing for them. But what I don’t understand is the fact that she’s there, and she has a child by you. You told me that your child died, that she aborted it.”

His mouth forms into a grim line. “My child did, Callie. I was eighteen years old when that happened. Don’t you think Macy looks a little young to be 8 years old?”

Oh. Yeah, I didn’t think of that. “The very first time you took me to your house, I saw the little pink elephant in your jeep, and I’ve known all this time that there was a child that you just weren’t telling me about. But I cared enough about you that it didn’t really matter to me. I thought you’d eventually open up to me about it. She calls you ‘Dad,’ Wes. She even saw a picture of Shane and called him ‘Uncle Shane.’ Can’t you understand why this doesn’t add up for me?”

“I do understand. And it’s really a lot more innocent than it all appears; although, my stupidity in the situation is what got me into this mess. You see, Sarah calls me every now and then, trying everything she can to get me to give her another chance. I’ve never given her any indication that I want anything to do with her, but she gets desperate enough—financially, I think—to try anything she can to have someone support her. So when she called me several weeks ago, telling me that she needed a place to stay because her mom kicked her out, I told her that I couldn’t help her. That’s when she told me about Macy, her child with her third husband. I told her I’d let her stay in an apartment I had free, not explaining what I used them for. Hell, I even helped her move that day, just to make sure the kid had a roof over her head that night. That’s why the elephant was in my jeep. I kept it strictly professional with her, though, saying I’d give her a few months to get herself together, and then she had to be on her way.”

I look at his downcast eyes, knowing he’s ashamed of what he’s done, even though he shouldn’t be ashamed for trying to help someone. “So she’s convinced now that she has a shot with you, just because you finally gave in.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he sighs, dragging a hand through the dark waves on top of his head. “And Macy hasn’t ever met Shane; she’s only seen pictures of him that Sarah has from years ago. I know this because I stopped by one day while she wasn’t home and did a routine inspection, like I do on a regular basis with all the tenants. She had out all sorts of old pictures of the two of us when we were dating, some of my family, our old friends . . . photos of my old life. I guess since Sarah thought she actually had a chance to get me back, she taught Macy everyone’s names. But as far as her calling me her dad, she’s had so many men in her life that she calls nearly every man that. Sarah might’ve pushed it a little, too.”

“She’s psychotic. You know that, right?”

“I do.”