Part 14 (2/2)

”Oh, there was some red-haired lady looking for you earlier, but since you said you couldn't be disturbed, I told her that you weren't here.”

”Great, thanks.” That's all I would have needed. Blake realized, as he pondered Red, that more than needing Danica's advice, he missed talking to her. He could have s.e.x with any woman. He wanted more than that with Danica.

”She told me to give you this.” She handed him a business card. ”It smells like perfume. I think she likes you.” She smiled.

Blake took the card and set it on the desk. ”Good night, Alyssa,” he said.

”See you tomorrow afternoon.” Blake was thankful she'd taken on extra hours until he could hire another employee. She closed the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts, a stack of bills, and Red's phone number.

He picked up the card and brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply. He brought his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. He reached for the phone.

Sally opened the door with a curious look in her eyes. ”Blake?”

”Thanks for letting me come over. I really needed to talk to you.”

She motioned for him to come in. He followed her to the living room, noting that she didn't look quite as tired as she had the last time they'd spoken. ”Can I get you something? You sounded so serious on the phone.”

”No, I'm fine.” He sat down in an upholstered armchair. He looked toward the stairs. ”Is Rusty here?”

Sally shook her head, her ponytail swinging from side to side. ”He's out with friends. Listen, if this is about me asking you to spend time with him, I'll understand if you've decided not to.”

”That's not it at all. I just...I went to Dave's grave the other day.”

Sally c.o.c.ked her head and drew her nearly transparent eyebrows together.

”I ran into that other woman there. I don't even know her name.”

”Trisha,” she said, crossing her arms.

You know her name? ”Trisha. Okay. I don't know what to say, Sally. I mean, my loyalty is to Dave, but it's also to you and Rusty. I just thought you should know what she told me.”

”Blake, listen, you can stop right there.”

”But I want you to know. You need to know.”

”I already do. She just left a few hours ago. She told me about Chase and about Dave trying to get to know him.” Tears filled her eyes. ”She said they weren't sleeping together.”

”Oh, thank G.o.d. That's what she told me, too.” Blake felt like his body had been released from invisible shackles. ”I was so afraid to tell you.”

”She called me and asked if we could talk. I figured it was time to face her, you know? Let her know how I felt about her barging into our lives like she had. But when she came over...She's just this little thing, and she was so scared.” She let out a nervous laugh. ”I think she was more scared than I was. Anyway, she told me everything, and she said that Dave had been planning to tell me, and I believed her.” She let out a relieved sigh. ”He did. Actually, he tried once, but I didn't want to hear it. I never let him get far enough to tell me about Chase. I just thought he was spending time with her.”

”So, you're okay with it all?” Blake knew then that he would never really understand women.

”No. Dave should have told me from the moment he knew, or I should have listened, but I can't change that. The Dave I knew would have done the right thing with regard to the child. I'm glad he did, but I was honest with her. I told her how hurt I was that he'd lied to me and that he'd given her the time that we, as a family, deserved.”

Blake ran his hand through his hair as car headlights shone through the front window. Outside, a car skidded to a stop and a car door slammed. ”Are you expecting someone?”

She shook her head. ”Rusty shouldn't be home for hours yet.”

”How'd she take it?”

”She cried. We cried. It's not easy for anyo-”

Rusty came flying through the front door, slamming it behind him. ”Mom!” He blew into the living room, red-faced and full of rage. ”There you are. And you! Thank G.o.d you're f.u.c.king here, too.”

Blake stood. ”Whoa, Rusty.” He held his palms up. ”Calm down, bud.”

”Don't tell me to calm down.”

”Rusty Michael, what is wrong with you?” Sally came to her feet, speaking in her sternest, motherly voice. ”You don't speak to adults like that.”

”No, well, when you hear what I'm about to tell you, you'll be p.i.s.sed, too. This mother f.u.c.ker,” he said, pointing at Blake, ”knew about Dad and that other woman.” He turned back toward his mother, nostrils flaring, tears of rage filling his eyes. ”That's right. Dad was f.u.c.king some other woman, Mom, and that's not all. He has a kid. A f.u.c.king kid. Older than me!”

”How did you find out?” Sally's voice trembled.

”My friend Kevin knows a kid who met him.”

”Rusty.” Blake moved toward him, and Rusty swung at him. Blake grabbed his fist midair. ”Whoa! Holy s.h.i.+t, Rusty. Cut it out.” He pushed Rusty into a chair, still grasping his fist within his own large hand. ”Calm down.” He didn't mean to raise his voice, but he couldn't stop himself. He looked at Sally, whose face was streaked with tears; her body trembled as she watched her son fall apart.

”Mom!” Rusty yelled.

Sally came to his side and knelt by the chair. ”I know,” she said in a soothing voice. ”Your father didn't have a mistress, but he did have a child, and the woman you're talking about is the child's mother.”

”You knew?” Rusty looked from Blake to Sally and then back again. ”What lies did you tell her?” He pushed himself up from the chair, but Blake held him in his seat so he would be forced to listen.

”No. I just found out, and I didn't tell your mother anything. The boy's mother did.”

”Jesus f.u.c.king Christ, Mom. What the f.u.c.k? This is a f.u.c.king nightmare.” He slumped into the chair, and Blake let go of him, then paced the small room.

Sally shook as she spoke through her tears. ”I know, Rusty. I thought he was having an affair, too, but he wasn't. This is a lot to take in.”

”A lot to take in? How about this is rewriting f.u.c.king history and it sucks!” Rusty yelled.

”Yes, okay, it sucks,” she admitted. ”But he was your father and he loved you.”

”Loved me? The f.u.c.k he did. He never spent time with me. He was going to her house when I went to practice.”

Sally sprang to her feet, her eyes wide with anger. ”While you were at practice, Rusty? Really? Do you think I buy that?”

Rusty shot a look at Blake.

”Don't blame him. I knew it when Dad was alive. Your coach called me ages ago. Rusty, your dad let you have your time with your friends-who, I might remind you, you had decided were more important than your family. It was your choice to drop from the team. It was your choice to hang out with your friends and not with us, and I get it, okay? But don't villainize your father any more than he deserves.” She wiped her eyes and continued. ”Yes, he was spending time at her house with that kid. Yes, he was lying to us about it, but she said that-”

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