She swipes at the corners of her eyes, then sniffs. “No. It’s my dad, Nate.”
She isn’t making any sense. She’s been crying, so maybe she’s too emotionally overwrought to speak coherently. I glance in Kim’s direction. She looks tense, not happy and relaxed like a woman who just met a friend’s parent. I turn my gaze back to Evie. “What?”
“My dad. I thought I’d never see him again, but he came looking for me.” She shoots me a teary smile.
Alarms start to go off inside my head. Keep an open mind. This might actually be Evie’s dad.
I turn to this alleged father of Evie’s. He looks at me with a small, uncertain smile. “Hello. I’m Bradley Brown. Nice to meet you.”
I’ll bet it is.
I take an inventory of the man. He’s tall, attractive under the stubble. The features aren’t classic, but nicely arranged. His nose is slightly crooked, probably broken at some point. The clothes are shabby, but not so much that they’re embarrassing. Just enough to make him appear like a friendly, normal guy, the kind of man who’s down on his luck—an underdog you might want to root for.
Except I don’t quite buy it. Maybe I’ve become skeptical over the years because of too many douche burgers trying to take advantage of me and my family. Women aren’t the only ones who approach us, and I just can’t believe this man’s motives are all that pure.
Besides, how can Evie be so certain he’s the man he claims to be?
But she’s smiling, her face glowing like her fondest wish just came true. I can’t bring myself to ruin that, especially when I have no proof that this Bradley Brown is a scammer.
> So I school my features into warmth and congeniality and put on my most charming smile. “Nate Sterling. It’s a pleasure to finally meet Evie’s dad. Sorry about that just now. I didn’t know who you were.”
Sniffing, Bradley scratches the tip of his nose. “It’s all right. If I were you, I might’ve done the same.” He turns to Evie. “Sweetheart, can I have the ring back?”
She starts. “Of course. Sorry. I forgot I was holding it.” She hands over a golden band to him.
I look at it curiously. Is that the proof he offered?
As though he senses the question, Bradley says, “It’s the part of the set I gave Mari. I had it designed myself.”
“Ah.” A DNA test is a better option and more conclusive. I wonder if he’ll agree to one.
But I don’t think he’s going to be the real problem. It’s Evie. She’s looking at the man like he single-handedly discovered the Holy Grail. Obviously she wants him to be the person she thinks he is. And she’ll be upset if she thinks I don’t believe him—not even a little.
But something about him feels off. I can’t quite place my finger on the precise issues I’m having, but there’s something about him that’s trying a little too hard.
Sighing, I remember that Kim is still standing there. “Hey, Kim.”
“Hi, Nate.” She gestures at a car parked at the gates. “I was just driving Evie home.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“She also helped me pack my things, and I wanted to ask her in for coffee or tea,” Evie says quickly, her gaze darting to Kim, then back to her dad.
Kim also looks at Bradley, but her eyes are still more polite than friendly. Interesting. Is she getting the same vibe I am?
“I can take a rain check on that,” she says, her voice sweet as she turns to Evie, although her gaze is slightly guarded. Evie doesn’t seem to notice. “I don’t want to intrude on your time with your dad, especially when you haven’t seen him in forever.”
“Thank you, Kim,” Evie says. “You’re such a good friend.”
“I know, right? Don’t you forget it.”
My car isn’t designed to haul two extra passengers, so Bradley and Evie climb into Kim’s car. I want to object, since I don’t trust the man at all, but there’s no good way to do it without looking like a jerk.
That guy isn’t going to do anything crazy. He’s looking for a bigger score, I tell myself, not that it’s much comfort as I swing in behind Kim, so I can keep an eye on the three of them.
During the drive along the long, winding road to the mansion, I assemble a list of things to do. First, I need to offer to feed Bradley dinner, since I can’t quite kick the man out, no matter how uneasy I feel. Second, I need to figure out how to get rid of him graciously. Maybe put him up at a hotel. There’s no way I’m inviting him to spend the night. Third, I need to get Pattington to do a thorough background check on this guy. If the family detective clears him—and only if—I can let my guard down some.
My mind made up, I dictate a text asking him to look into Bradley Brown, a.k.a. my wife’s father. He confirms the new assignment, and I let out a soft breath. Pattington’s good at his job, and he’s been working for my family for years. He’ll not only be quick but discreet.