Once I got myself together enough to continue on, we left the building and returned to the back seat of the town car. Lucky gave our driver the address of the doctor’s office, and then he put his arm around my shoulders and whispered, “It’s okay, mi amor. I’ve got you.”
“Thank god you’re here,” I said, as I curled into him. “This would be unbearable without you.”
We both fell silent for a while, but then I muttered, “Why didn’t I do a paternity test right away? Then I wouldn’t be suffering like this.”
“You didn’t do one because it didn’t really matter. You loved that baby right from the start, and you dedicated your life to raising him because he needed you. That has to count for something! On the one percent chance the results don’t come back as expected, we’ll turn around and sue the Wilsons for custody, and then we’ll adopt him. You’re the best thing for that child, and you’re also the person his mother chose to raise him. We’ll make sure the judge knows that.”
He was trying so hard to say the right things, and calling it a one percent chance was extremely optimistic. At that point though, worry had pretty much swallowed me whole.
Of course, I tried not to let it show when we arrived at the medical center, since JoJo was waiting out front with Owen. I absently noticed she’d changed into a yellow sundress and had dressed the toddler in a color-coordinated shorts set. Even though she smiled at us, I could see the worry in her eyes as she handed me my son and we all went into the building together.
Meanwhile, Owen’s face was lit up with excitement, and he took in his new surroundings with his usual sense of wonder. As we crossed the lobby, I asked my companions, “Can we please take Owen somewhere fun after this? He thinks he’s out on a grand adventure. He doesn’t realize—” I couldn’t finish that sentence.
“Yes, absolutely,” JoJo said. “I’m coming with you, and I know just the place. He’ll love it.”
Probably because our lawyers sent a lot of business their way, we were treated like VIPs by the staff when we reached the office. A cheerful nurse ushered us straight back into an exam room, and the doctor came in just a few minutes later. He took a quick swab of the inside of my cheek, then another of Owen’s, and that was it. While his nurse packed up everything to send it to the lab, the doctor told us we’d have the results in twenty-four hours or less. We didn’t even have to deal with payment, since it would be billed directly to the law firm—who no doubt would tack it onto our bill.
After that, we transferred the shopping bags to my car, and Lucky thanked the driver and told him we were done with the town car for the day. Then JoJo directed me to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
It was definitely the right call, because Owen absolutely loved it. He ran all around and took in everything as he babbled excitedly. There were animals, and different habitats, and even though a lot of the science exhibits were too advanced for a toddler, he still reveled in it. Meanwhile, the three of us followed along and got to experience his pure joy.
We spent hours there, and shortly before the museum was set to close, we sat in the cafeteria with iced coffees and a snack for Owen. “This place is almost perfect,” JoJo said. “The only thing I’d change is that I’d sell cocktails in the cafeteria.”
Lucky raised his cup and muttered, “Cheers to that.”
“We’re definitely making some drinks when we get home,” I said.
JoJo nodded. “Damn right we are. I vote for giant pitchers of margaritas.”
We all agreed that was an excellent plan, which prompted Lucky to place delivery orders with both a liquor store and a market. Then he pronounced us, “All set.”
Just then, the announcement came over the PA system that the museum was closing in fifteen minutes. I picked up Owen, who was starting to nod off, and Lucky grabbed the diaper bag before we all headed out.
Owen fell asleep before we reached the car and was still out when we got home. As we stepped through the front door, I told my friends, “Be right back, I’m going to put him in his crib and grab the baby monitor.”
But before I could go anywhere, Yolanda met us in the foyer and gave me a hug. “JoJo texted me earlier and told me what’s going on, but you have nothing to worry about. He’s your son, Logan. He just is.” As a nurse, she was usually all about facts and test results, so that burst of pure, unscientific optimism was sweet and unexpected. Then she turned to Lucky and told him, “We have company. He arrived about fifteen minutes ago, right around the same time as your deliveries, so he’s in the kitchen making margaritas.”
Lucky looked shocked. “You’re not talking about my dad, are you?”
A deep voice with a slight Spanish accent said, “Of course she is.”
I turned to look at a tall, handsome older gentleman with thick white hair, a mustache, and a three-piece suit as Lucky exclaimed, “Dad! What a surprise. Your assistant told me you were on your way, but I assumed you’d go to the house.”
“Why would I do that when you’re never there? I spoke to Nina, and she told me where to find you. Now are you going to introduce me to your companions?”
“Federico Suarez, please meet my good friend Josephine Deveraux, and this is my boyfriend, Logan Genardi. We took his son Owen to a science museum this afternoon and wore him out. JoJo and Logan, this is my dad.”
We took turns shaking his hand, and Mr. Suarez said hello to JoJo before telling me, “I recognize you and your son from the photo on my son’s nightstand, and of course Elie has mentioned you many times.” It took me a moment to remember that was what his dad called him, instead of Lucky or Elian.
Lucky said, “I didn’t think you ever went into my room.”
“Not usually, but I went in there this morning to grab a few things for you. Since you left so quickly, I knew you didn’t have a chance to pack a bag.” Lucky thanked him, and then his father turned back to me and said, “It looks like the little one is down for the count. May I accompany you as you put him to bed?”
I said, “Yes, sir, of course,” and opened the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs for him.
Lucky started to come along, but his dad said, “Not you. I need the opportunity to talk about you behind your back, so go finish the margaritas. Good thing you bought our brand of tequila by the way, or you’d be hearing about it, chico.” Lucky grinned at that, but he also caught my eye and shrugged subtly, as if to say he had no idea what his father wanted.
On the way to my room, the man said, “I was having a lovely chat with Ms. Gutierrez before you got home. How wonderful that you live with a pediatric nurse. It must give you a lot of peace of mind with the baby.”