Tyler quickly responds, “Well you can bring him over now. I have a few things to check before I do the test run.”
“Of course! I’m just having a late lunch with the girls, but I can grab Colt from preschool and be there in an hour? I’m sure my boss will let me leave the office early after all the hard work I’ve put in for the auction.”
Rylee rolls her eyes in my direction as she signals for the check. I blow her an air kiss before saying goodbye and ending the call.
“You’re lucky I love you so much.”
“That I am, but I really have been putting in extra hours to make sure the benefit and bachelor auction went off without a hitch,” I whine, tugging on her arm to get even more sympathy and Haddie laughs at our antics.
“Yeah, yeah. Get out of here.” She pulls her arm from my grasp and waves me off. “I’ll talk to you later and expect all the details about your amazing family date.”
I stiffen at her words. “Lucy Duke! You still haven’t told him, have you?” Haddie growls at me, pinning me in place with her eyes.
“I haven’t found the right time. First, we were a little preoccupied to stop and talk about Colt, but then life just got in the way. I plan to tell him tonight, if we can get some time alone together.”
“I’ll meet you at the track and take Colt for a sleepover at our house. You can tell him over dinner or whatever it is you two had planned for tonight,” Rylee commands, leaving no room for argument.”
I sigh, resigned to my fate, I just hope Tyler is receptive to the news. Any other reaction will lead to disaster.
“You know we are doing this because we love you, right?” Haddie reaches across the table and gives my hand a squeeze.
“I know but telling him isn’t as easy as you would think.”
“We never said it was easy, but it needs to be done, Lucy. The longer you keep the information from him, the harder it will be. Not to mention his feelings can be entirely different.” Rylee signs the check and then pushes back from the table. “Imagine how betrayed he will feel knowing he told you his secret and you still kept things from him, especially something this life altering.”
I push back from the table and silently follow my friends out of the restaurant. I know they are right, but Tyler’s reaction is what I’m most afraid of. If he is less than ecstatic to find out he’s Colt’s father, it will break my heart, not to mention ruin everything that we could be.
“Just tell him. The sooner it is out in the open the better, after that we can figure out what to do.” Rylee wraps her arm around my shoulder, bringing me in for a one-armed hug. “Now go, grab your little boy and go see your man. We can worry about the rest later.”
I return her hug before giving Haddie one and heading toward my car. It takes no time at all for me to grab Colt and head for the track. Colt is beyond excited to spend time with Tyler, telling me all his plans for the three of us tonight.
“After we watch Tyler test the car, you’re going to go have a sleepover with Rylee at her and Colton’s house. How does that sound?” Judging by his squeal of excitement, the change of plans won’t sour his mood.
As we walk closer to the track, I notice Tyler and a few of the guys walking around a compact car. “‘Ats not a race car,” Colt states loudly causing everyone to laugh.
“It’s just not the kind of race car Colton uses,” Tyler says as he picks Colt up and places a kiss on my cheek. “This is a car we used to test the things we will put into his car. We need to make sure it all works before we give it to him. It’s my job to make sure Colton stays safe.”
“Colton needs that,” Colt says matter of factly, reminding all of us of the accident that almost took him from us. That was a hard time for all of us, but Rylee most of all.
“Who wants to see me race this car?” Tyler asks, sensing the solemn turn our conversation went.
“ME!” Colt shouts as he claps his hand together. Tyler places him on the ground before sneaking a quick kiss and heading back toward the car. He takes a helmet from one of the guys before sliding his arms through the driving suit I didn’t notice him wearing.
With one final wink, he’s all strapped in and on his way onto the track. I grab Colt’s hand and walk over to the track, stopping a few feet short of the wall. A tall chain-link fence protects us from anything flying toward us, but I won’t take that chance with Colt here.
I watch as Tyler takes a few slow laps around the track, warming up the engine so he can put it through his paces. Colt pulls on my arm, dragging me closer to the fence. “We have to stay back, sweetie.”
“I an’t see.” He pouts crossing his arms over his chest.
“How about up here?” Colton asks him before lifting him high onto his shoulders and giving me a bright smile.
“Colton! I’m aving a sleepover at your house.” Colt launches into all of the things he wants to do tonight, Tyler’s laps around the track all but forgotten.
“I know, buddy. Rylee told me. How about we head back to the garage? Your momma and Tyler will meet us there when he is done?”
I mouth my thanks to Colton as he turns and heads back toward the garage. Without having Colt here as a distraction, my chest tightens with anxiety with every pass Tyler makes.
I close
