To that, I laughed right out loud. “So, you made the perfect couple then.”
“That’s not fair, and you know it. I was going to tell you. I didn’t want to worry you unless there was something to worry about.”
I had one last, burning question that I knew I was going to regret. “Let me see the pictures she showed you.”
He narrowed his eyes on me as he swallowed audibly.
“The pictures, Beau. Show me the pictures of the boys!” I shouted, unable to deal with this situation any longer.
Beau pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen a few times. Then he slid the phone across the island countertop. I picked it up and gazed down into two very familiar looking faces.
When I was at Beau’s parents’ house for Thanksgiving, his mother had brought out the old photo albums.
These boys were definitely Beau’s.
Any idiot with half a brain could see that.
Any idiot, including Beau.
“They look exactly like you,” I said, peering down at the dark headed, wide grinned, boys. Gosh, they really had his smile.
Their father’s smile.
A stabbing sensation dug directly through my heart.
He kept this from me.
He kept knowledge of his children from me. Of course, he’d want DNA confirmation, I understood that part. But there was no way Beau could look at this picture and not be ninety-nine percent sure these boys were his.
And he still didn’t tell me.
“They’re beautiful,” I said, shoving the phone back to him. “I have to pack. We leave early in the morning.” I grabbed the bottle and drank the final drops in it before I set it back down. “When I get back, you’ll be gone. All of your stuff will be out of here by the time I step foot inside this apartment again.”
“Would you listen to me? We need to talk about this,” he pleaded as he moved around the island to me. Again, I stepped away.
“You’ve had four days to talk, Beau. You didn’t seem to think it was necessary then. So, obviously, it’s not necessary now. What’s done is done. You have kids. You need to see to them, now. Leave my puppy here when I come back. Take yours,” I said, and again a pain went through my body that weakened my knees.
He shook his head vehemently, and marched toward me. “No fucking way. Nobody’s leaving. We’re talking this out like adults, Geneviève!”
“You had time to do that. And you didn’t. You made choices for me, and now I’m making choices for you. When I get home, you’re gone. I don’t care where you go, but your crap better be out of here by the time I get back.”
I hustled into the bedroom and gathered a few things together for him. After I chucked everything into his backpack, I stormed to the front door and opened it. Then I tossed the bag and watched it sail over the side of the balcony, landing with a thump on the cement.
“Listen to me for one minute. Please?”
I glared into his handsome face. The same face his sons had. “Bye, Beau. Have a nice life.”
Jillian was sitting on the chair, exactly where she said she’d be. She gazed up at me from her phone like she was surprised to see me. The volume wasn’t high, but it was loud enough for me to hear what was being said.
“Earlier today, Beau Moreau met his twin boys for the first time. And Deeana, let me tell you, are they the spitting image of their father, or what?” a reporter said before Jillian quickly turned her phone off.
My head swung to Beau. “You met them?” I whispered, my voice raspy, barely making a sound. The knowledge that he’d already seen his kids—and I had not one clue about any of this—made me feel physically sick.
“If you’d let me say more than two words, I’ll explain everything,” he said, his arms flinging out to the side in exasperation.
“You’re unbelievable. Get out of my apartment before I call security,” I said with more confidence now. Even though I felt the exact opposite. I was bound and determined not to barf or cry—or both—until he was long gone.
Jillian stood up, arms crossed, looking ready for whatever was going to happen next.
Which was great, because I had not one clue.