I believed him because he supported his current family. He was steady, holding the same job for decades. I wondered if Tessa preferred the story that she'd been abandoned by this man.
"I was with Tess. As far as I remember, we were exclusive. But who knows? That was a long time ago."
"I don't know what Ivy's going to want to do with this information. If she'll want to reach out or not."
"I'll leave it to her then. But tell her I'd love to meet her, and that she has two younger brothers."
Clint pulled out his phone to show me pictures of his sons. They looked like they were taken at a holiday gathering.
All I knew was that Ivy deserved a father who was present in her life. Her mother should have told her the truth. I couldn't imagine hiding this information from my daughter, letting her believe that her father didn't want her.
"I have to get back to work, but let me give you my number. Let me know how she is."
"I'll do that."
We exchanged information, and then I got into my truck and drove to a nearby coffee shop. I needed caffeine after that encounter. I couldn't believe her father was right here all this time. How was I going to tell Ivy that her mother had lied to her?
I couldn't imagine why Tessa had lied about Ivy's father, unless she was so hurt by the breakup, she didn't think he needed to know he had a daughter. But to push that feeling of rejection onto Ivy was unacceptable. I wanted to confront her mother, but it was something that Ivy could do when she was ready.
I had to tell Ivy about what I'd learned, but I didn't want to upset her. Would this be bad for her pregnancy? Or would it bring closure and maybe relief? Her father hadn't known she existed.
Clint was genuinely surprised, and his track record spoke for itself. He was involved with his sons and likely would have been with Ivy too. The positive was that she was gaining a father. That could only be a good thing, right? I hoped she saw it that way.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ivy
When I woke up, Cooper was gone. I had a few showings this morning for a young couple looking for their first home on the island. I tried to keep my mind on the work and not on why Cooper had left without at least leaving a note.
I vowed not to panic or assume that he was pulling away, but it was hard not to when all the facts pointed to my worst fears.
I showed the couple three homes: a condo, a townhouse, and an older home that needed lots of work. They were disappointed with how far their money stretched on this tourist hotspot. I was used to these appointments by now. They'd have to increase their budget, save more money, or wait to buy at another time. It was possible they'd chose one of the options I'd already shown them too.
The real-estate prices and corresponding interest rates continued to rise from year to year. It complicated my job for newer homeowners. I wanted to find everyone their ideal home, but that wasn't always possible.
It was getting harder to show houses in heels too. I'd need to listen to Cooper and switch to flats soon. Everything ached: my hips, my stomach, and my feet. I headed home with the intention to take my afternoon nap.
Cooper's truck still wasn't parked outside, and I tried not to worry about what he was up to on a Saturday. But if he was at Dalton's or Shep's, wouldn't he have texted by now?
I was too exhausted to deal with it. I'd worry about it when I woke up. I fell onto the bedspread, not even bothering to pull back the comforter, and passed out. I woke up three hours later, feeling groggy.
The room was dark, and I didn't hear any noises in the house. I grabbed my phone, not seeing any messages from Cooper. I couldn't wait any longer. Panic settled into a pit in my stomach.
Ivy: Are you okay?
Cooper: Yeah, just stopped by Dalton to see him. Be back before dinner.
That was something at least. But if he was just going to see his brother, why not say something ahead of time? I shouldn't panic when he did something different from his previous pattern, but I couldn't help it. I'd been programmed to look for signs that someone didn't want to be around me so that I could make necessary adjustments to avoid getting hurt.
My mom's boyfriends came and went, whether we liked them or not. My father couldn't even bother to stick around to meet me. Why would Cooper be any different?
I'd promised to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I wasn't doing that. I was jumping to conclusions. I decided to pamper myself and take a bath in the master bath. I attempted to read a book, but the words swam on the page. Unable to concentrate, I got out, dried off, and changed into comfortable clothes that were loose fitting.
When I went to the kitchen, I finally heard the rumble of Cooper's truck in the driveway. I was hungry because I hadn't bothered to eat before I took my nap, so I pulled out some crackers and cheese.
But Cooper didn't look happy when he came inside. He didn't greet me with a kiss or an apology for being so cryptic about his plans.
"Is Dalton okay?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even.
