Blindsided (Indigo Love Spectrum) Read Online Free

anxious. Ben’s the same way.”
    “I hope their excitement turns into a lifetime of hap piness.” Unlike her dozen years with a lying cheat.
    “They’ll be very happy,” Reese said. “And who knows, maybe you and your guy can keep the trend going.” She smiled in the mirror at Dahlia.
    Dahlia wagged an admonishing finger, a warning she could use on herself. Because try as she might, she couldn’t help thinking about Norris and having a happy future with him.
    * * *
     
    “I . . . I don’t understand,” Norris stammered, his eyes never leaving the picture. “How did . . .”
    “I think you know.”
    “But we used protection.”
    “No birth control is infallible. Plus, I provided the condoms, making sure some of your swimmers had extra freedom.”
    Norris saw so much of himself in the young woman’s picture. He couldn’t deny she was his if he wanted to. His gaze met Gail’s. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “I didn’t want you to know.”
    “And now?”
    “And now I realize keeping Reese from you was wrong. It was unfair to you and her.”
    “Reese? That’s her name?”
    “Yes. I wanted to name her after you. I decided to use the last half of your first name and came up with Reese.”
    “You should have told me.”
    “No, I shouldn’t have, not then. What I did was wrong, but I did it for the right reasons. You were twenty years old, Norris. I didn’t want nor expect you to have a hand in raising her. I wanted Reese for me, and I didn’t want to share her.”
    Norris glanced from the photo to Gail. He’d been a father for sixteen years and never had a clue, because she’d thought it was best. He clutched the armrests, trying to settle the anger threatening to erupt in him. “How could you keep her from me?”
    “You’re upset.”
    “At a bare minimum!” Norris said in a clipped voice. He sucked in a breath. “She’s my daughter.”
    “Yes, she is, and that’s why I called you. It may be six teen years late, but I want you to know her now.”
    Norris watched her closely. Her words were sincere, he knew that, and it calmed him a degree, but there was something else. Something she wasn’t telling him. “There’s a reason you’re doing this now,” he said. “What is it?”
    Gail’s nervous chuckle broke the tense silence as he waited for her response. “You still read me well,” she said.
    “You taught me how.” It was a gift he’d been able to use with a lot of women, and not just in the bedroom. “Why are you telling me about Reese now?”
    “Like I said, I want you to know her.”
    “I get that. Why now? ” he repeated.
    “I’m getting married in a couple of weeks.”
    “And?”
    “I’ve been fortunate to have career and financial suc cess, good health, a beautiful daughter, and now a wonderful man in my life. I have a lot to be thankful for, but there are so many people in this world who don’t have basic human needs. People in Uganda. My fiancé, Ben, is a doctor, and he and I want to help those people. To pro vide them with things we take for granted.”
    “That’s very admirable, Gail, but I still—”
    “In providing this help, I need your help,” she broke in.
    “You want a donation?”
    “ Yes, but of your time. Ben and I want to leave for Uganda right after the wedding, and while I’m away I want you to get to know Reese.”
    “Get to know her?” Norris leaned closer to her desk. “What are you asking?”
    “This is your time, Norris. I want you to be Reese’s dad.”
    “You want me to take over raising an almost-adult child I have yet to even meet,” he rephrased. “You must be kidding.”
    “I think you know the answer to that. I’ve thought a lot about this, Norris, and I think it’s for the best.”
    “Whose best? Mine? Our daughter’s?”
    “Both of you, and for me, too.”
    “Does she even know about me?”
    “Not specifically.”
    Norris grunted. “I’ll take that to mean no.”
    “I wasn’t ready to talk about you