many points with our daughter, did it?”
Sliding his hands into his pockets, Mr. Standish gave her a look I recognized. Archie wore that look when he was about to argue his points, but he didn’t want you to know just how prepared he was.
“I did what I felt was necessary,” he said patiently. “Much like you have been.” Easy. Even. Not an ounce of harshness. Then his mouth compressed. “Or so you claimed.”
“Don’t you dare accuse me of being the problem here, I wasn’t the one who went and knocked some slut up—” She practically vibrated, she was so angry. Wow. Here I thought I was the only one who infuriated her that much. “Then went and married her. I didn’t leave you. I didn’t abandon you.”
All of sudden, Maddy cut all that venom toward me.
“And as for you…”
“I wouldn’t,” Archie said, ice slicking each syllable. “Because as entertaining as you may find your melodrama, we don’t. We’re not only not interested, we’re sick of it. Not to mention the only slut present in this room would be you with your penchant for going after married men.”
“Let’s walk this back,” Mr. Standish tried. I’d give him that. He tried. He actually looked like he wanted to have this conversation, but Maddy just wanted a fight. “We came here to sort this out.” Suddenly, he focused on me. “As much as I know Archie didn’t have to come here, I’m aware you didn’t either. The fact you’re both willing to talk to us—to me—it means something.”
“It really shouldn’t,” I told him, and maybe I should have let him defuse things with Maddy, but honestly, I didn’t care if she was comfortable. “I only came here to close the last door on Maddy.”
“Frankie,” he began, paused, seemed to collect himself, and then continued, “I know we got off on the wrong foot, and you weren’t wrong about your accusations where Archie is concerned. But I really do want to get to know you. I should have been a part of your life.” He grimaced and then looked at Archie. “I should have been a part of yours, as well.”
“Too little too late, old man. As for Frankie, you don’t need to have anything to do with her life. You’re not her sperm donor.”
Maddy pivoted. “Don’t speak to your father that way.”
“Shut up, Maddy.” Those three words landed in the silence and yanked her furious attention back to me. “Every word that comes out of your mouth is a lie. Every story you’ve ever told me. Every piece of garbage you try to sell about the life you lead or the life we lead has been a lie. I’m tired of it.”
Grabbing my backpack, I pulled open the front pocket and pulled out the four DNA tests. I slapped them onto the table one at a time.
“Four tests. So I’m assuming four candidates. Must have been a hell of a party if you weren’t sure which it was.” Yeah yeah, I had four boyfriends. She could still fuck off. I was on birth control, and even if there was an oops, I wouldn’t wait eighteen years to try and figure it out.
That thought gave me pause for a moment, but I put it away. It was very much a discussion for another day. One that would take place nowhere near these two. Mr. Standish—you know what, fuck it. Edward moved to the table.
“Those aren’t important,” Maddy said. “I have the test that mattered.”
“Really?” Archie said slowly, then pulled a form from inside his jacket and unfolded it. “Because unless you want to try and sell that he and I aren’t related, what you gave him is a pile of crap.” He slid the results across, and Edward snagged it before Maddy could. “Frankie and I went to the lab there and they drew blood and did swabs. They did full panels on both of us. We’re not related. At all.”
Maddy sucked in a breath. I could almost see the thoughts racing through her mind as her aggravated expression smoothed and she put a hand on Edward’s arm. “She was supposed to be yours.”
And there it was.
“You fucking cunt,” Archie muttered, and I glanced up at him, even as I put my hand over his on my shoulder.
“Archie,” Edward said, but there was no reprimand in his voice, “I’ll handle this.”
“Will you now? Like you’ve been handling everything else so well. She played you. She has been playing you, and she used her daughter