Chapter Forty-Four

Andy

Over the course of the next few weeks, things began to settle back into something normal. I started seeing Harrison a couple times of week, Leo and I enjoyed living our domesticated life together, and a little bit of happiness filled my heart again. When Leo wasn't racing, doing things for his sponsor, or spending time with me or his friends, he was helping Noel with wedding plans. That didn't mean we didn't spend quality time together, but it made me realize that I almost lost this. Because I was stupid and listened to my brother, thinking he knew best.

He didn't.

It was during one of those times when Leo was off with Seth and Ezra, doing God only knew what, that I decided to have a conversation with Ford. To find out if he really had wanted me for himself. And why he didn't just tell me the truth instead of lying to me.

I knocked lightly on the twins' bedroom door, and when Ford called out, "it's open," I pushed it open and stepped inside. He looked surprised to see me. His hazel eyes growing wide as he took a shaky breath.

"We need to talk."

He grimaced, then gave a quick nod. "About?"

"Why you told me to break up with Leo..." I folded my arms over my chest. "And don't lie."

Ford opened his mouth, closed it, and then dropped his gaze to his feet. "Because I thought it would be best if we were all single. That it would be more fun that way. We were kids, Andy. Who wants to be tied down at eighteen years old to their high school boyfriend when there are so many other opportunities out there?"

"More opportunities, or the opportunity to be with you?" I narrowed my eyes.

Ford glanced back up at me, his cheeks crimson. "What?"

"Don't try to lie. Leo told me. Are you in love with me?"

"I wasn't... I wouldn't... No, I'm not in love with you."

I raised my brows. "So, why? Why did you do it? If you're not in into me or whatever, why ruin the best thing that ever happened to me?"

When Ford didn't answer, I sighed. "Jesus, I thought you were my friend. I thought we were brothers, and if you can't—"

"I thought I was in love with you!" Ford exclaimed, then dragged both his hands through his dirty-blond hair. "Fuck, are you happy now? I thought I was in love with you, but I know now that I'm not. It was just, I don't know, infatuation or whatever. Wanting what Leo had."

I stared at him, my best friend, my brother, and watched the emotions that rushed through his eyes, but it was the guilt that shone brightly at me that made me let out a long sigh. "You should have been honest with me."

"I should have been a lot of things, Andy. A better friend to both you and Leo. It's going to haunt me for the rest of my life." Ford chewed on his bottom lip. "Not that it makes it better, but I am incredibly sorry for what I did. You were so miserable, and I couldn't bring myself to make a move." He flushed as the words slipped off his tongue.

I chuckled. "That would have been more than awkward. Don't get me wrong, you're hot, but I never thought of you like that."

"You think I'm hot?" Ford gasped, then shook his head.

I took a couple of steps closer to him. "You're hot, like really hot, and maybe, if things had been different, we might have had a shot at something. I care for you, Ford, and I love you, but as family. I'm sorry if I ever made you think there was something more between us."

"Do you hate me now? Because I don't blame you. I'm a shitty person. A shitty friend, and I just... What are you doing?" Ford struggled as I wrapped my arms around him.

I snorted. "Hugging you, dumbass. It's what brothers and brothers do when they want to comfort one another. You should try it sometime."

"I hug people." Ford awkwardly returned the embrace. "Sometimes."

I pulled back and looked down at him. "You hug Felix, your twin, and I totally get that. You're close. But it's okay to let other people in, too. It doesn't mean you're weak."

"That's not true. I let Dad hug me."

"Dad forces himself on you."

Ford grinned. "Yeah, he does, but I don't hate it. He's pretty great."

"And to answer your question, I don't hate you. I'm a little upset with you. Okay, more like pissed off, and that might last for a while. But maybe, over time, I'll trust you again. Leo forgave you," I told him.

He nodded. "I don't know why. I was an asshole. I'll be making that up to him for the rest of my life."

The sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs had us both turning toward the sound. Dad appeared in the doorway, his face flushed, and his lips pressed into a firm line.

"I've been looking for you everywhere, Andrew." His brows dipped. "Everything good between the two of you?"

"Perfect," Ford answered as he gave a weak smile.

Dad looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead he turned his attention back to me. "Can I talk to you, kiddo?"

"Is everything all right?" My stomach dropped. "Is it Leo?"

Dad smiled. "I..." He stopped. "Maybe we can do this alone."

"Dad?" My voice cracked. Had something happened to my boyfriend? Was he hurt and in the hospital?

"Leo's fine, baby, don't worry. He's still out doing wedding stuff." Dad's gaze bounced between Leo and me. "Come on. Let's go sit downstairs with your father."

I followed behind him as he left the room, down the hall and the stairs, and into the kitchen, where I found Pop sitting at the table. He looked somber as I slid into the chair across from him. Dad crawled up into Pop's lap and tried to give me a smile, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. What the hell was going on?

"What's wrong?" I whispered as tears stung my eyes.

Dad leaned forward. "Someone reached out to us and is claiming that he might be your biological father. He said that he dated your mother for a little while, and he didn't know that she got pregnant."

"He's lying!" I exclaimed. "My mother told me my father was dead. Besides, you're my father. Both of you, and I... Is this your way of getting rid of me?" My throat tightened. "Do you not want me anymore? Are you trying to push me off on someone else because I'm too much to handle?"

Dad was off Pop's lap and hugging me before I could say anything else. "Baby, no. We love you so much. You're amazing. We would never, ever not want you in our lives. It's just..." He brushed the hair back from my face as Pop climbed to his feet. "We thought you might like to meet him. He's kind, baby, and he—"

"No!" I exclaimed. "I don't... I don't want to meet someone who claims they are my father when I have you two. Two amazing men who raised me, gave me a home, and loved me no matter what. Who taught me how to skate and play hockey, made me a better drummer. Ones who accepted me, took in my best friends when they needed somewhere to live, and continue to amaze me on a daily basis. So, this guy, whoever he is, can fuck off."

Pop reached over and tugged me into his arms. "We didn't want to upset you. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do."

I gripped the front of his shirt. "I love you. Both of you, and I don't need some asshole who thinks he's my father walking into my life and fucking everything up. You two are my parents. That's it."

"Okay, baby, I'm sorry," Dad murmured, and then he was hugging me, too, both of my fathers comforting me as only they could. "We were only thinking of you."

I sniffed softly. "He's probably looking for money and publicity. That's all this is."

"Probably not." Pop dragged his hands through my hair. "He's kind of famous."

I untangled myself from their arms. "What does that mean?" I looked between the two of them. "Who is this guy? Not that I care, but..." What if this man wasn't lying? What if he really was my father, and I... "Never mind. Don't say a word. I don't care."

"It's okay to be curious." Dad touched my arm, and the coolness of his skin seeped into my bones. "We would still be your dads if you met with him, talked with him, and had a relationship with him. Nothing would change that. We're always going to love you, Andy."

Pop nodded. "We're always going to be your parents."

"Who is it?" I heard myself asking again.

What if I regretted it? What if this guy was just as bad as my mother, or worse? He might just want the attention on himself.

Pop hooked an arm around Dad. "Go on, sweetheart, tell him."

"It's Atlas Connors," Dad told me.

I felt the room shift. "Atlas... There's no way." Atlas Connors was a megastar. He had numerous gold records, Grammy awards, and even an Oscar. "He thinks he's my father?"

"We can tell you more about it if you want." Dad gestured toward the table. "Or we can just pretend this conversation never happened. We never promised him anything. Just that we would talk to you, and we all agreed that it would be your decision."

I slid into the chair I had vacated moments ago. "I would like to know more, if that's okay."

What if Atlas could give me answers about my past? About who I was and more about my mother?

"It's perfectly okay, baby," Dad assured me. He reached over to link his fingers through Pop's. "Should I start at the beginning?"

I nodded my head. "Please."

And then Dad began to tell me everything.

Atlas met my mother when they were both eighteen. He was still playing in clubs with his band, Treasury Raven, when they began dating, and it was a rocky relationship. My mother was insanely jealous of other women, of the groupies, and the lifestyle Atlas lived. When Treasury Raven was signed, Atlas tried to convince my mother to marry him. That they could have a happily ever after, but she refused and broke up with him. She apparently broke up with Atlas a lot, and he figured she would reach out to him before he left, but she didn't. And Atlas didn't know that he had a son until he saw the pictures my mother posted online.

"He didn't know, son, and Atlas really wants to meet you," Pop said softly. "There's no pressure. If you just want to talk on the phone with him, or if you don't want to have anything to do with Atlas, that's fine, too. He completely understands."

Thoughts rushed through my head like a hurricane. "I..."

"It's okay, kiddo. You don't have to make a decision about any of this now," Dad assured me. "Take the time to think about it."

I chewed on my lip as I mulled it over. It made a lot of sense, but I wasn't sure I was ready to face him yet. Maybe never. "Thank you," I whispered. "And I'm sorry I thought you were trying to get rid of me."

"It's too late for that." Dad giggled. "We love you, and you're stuck with us."

Pop grinned. "Forever."

I rushed around the table to hug them again. "I'm happy to be stuck with you," I told them. "No matter what, you're my parents. You raised me." I felt like I was going to start crying again. "And I love you."

"We love you, too, baby. So much," Dad murmured.