Arrogant Bastard - Julie Capulet Page 0,53
reads it out. “‘Luna, Here are some of the things you’ll need as we get started with the upgrades. There’s something for Josie too. I hope you’re having a good weekend. See you on Monday. ~G’” Josie searches through the packages. “I get one too?” She finds the package with her name on it and rips open the wrapping. “It’s a brand new iPad,” she gasps. “It’s the newest model.”
A card falls from the box. Josie opens it and begins to read it to me. “‘Josie. This is for you, so you and Luna can keep in close contact. The passcode is 1234 until you change it. The device has been loaded with a few extra apps you might find useful. I hope you’ll forgive me: I asked Luna and pried an answer out of her. And I hope you’ll forgive me, too, for taking the liberty, but I thought you might like to know that there were six different men with the first name of Noah who used California-based bank cards in Key West between the dates of April 1 and June 30. Their photographs and details are included in the file labeled NOAH. If you’d prefer to delete it unopened there are no other copies. Please let me know if I can be helpful. See you soon, hopefully, and all the best with your new family. Gage.’” Josie is still staring at the card. “He asked you about it?”
“Yes. I’m sorry I told him, sweetie.”
“I’m glad you told him, Luna. I can’t believe he searched.”
Carefully, I ask her, “Do you want to look at the file?”
“Of course I do!” She pulls my arm and we go together to sit on the couch by the window.
She enters the passcode and there it is. The file titled NOAH.
Josie takes a deep breath. “I’m going to look now, Luna. Are you ready?”
I laugh. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” I link my arm through hers.
She taps on the file. The first photo that pops up is of a man with dark hair, probably in his 60s. “Well, that’s not him.” Josie scrolls down to the next one. “This isn’t him either.”
“Keep going.”
She scrolls past the third. And the fourth. To the fifth. And there he is. Blond hair. Green eyes. Handsome, suntanned face. “Luna. It’s him.” Josie reads from the information listed under his driver’s license. “Noah Alexander Walker. Occupation: architect. Address: 4912 Oceanview Lane, Big Sur, California.”
I keep reading. “He’s single, he drives a Jeep Cherokee and he has a dog named Whiskey. How would Gage even find all that out?”
“God. Luna. Do you think I should contact him?”
“I think you should do whatever feels right to you, honey.”
She squeezes my hand. “At least he’s not married, according to this.”
“What are you going to do?”
“His phone number is listed here. And his email address.”
“Think about it. Let it settle. If it feels right, you can contact him when you’re ready.”
“I need to figure out what to say. I don’t want him to feel obligated or anything. It’s a pretty big deal to find out you’re about to become the father of twins, right? I don’t want him to feel like I’m asking him to do anything, or give us anything. I don’t need him.”
“No. You just want to let him know. In case he wants to …” I almost say step up, but catch myself, “… be a part of their lives, if that’s what you want. That’s what you need to think about, Josie. Do you want him to be a part of their lives?”
“I think he should have that choice. He’s their father.”
“Yes. He is.”
Josie stares at Noah’s photo for what might be a full minute. She zooms in. “He’s so beautiful,” she whispers. “I wonder if they’ll look like him.”
“Probably a little bit.”
We’re laughing and crying at the same time. “Luna, I want to call him now.”
“Now?”
“Yes. I don’t want to wonder or overthink it. I just want to let him know and then he can react however he’s going to react.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. What time is it in California right now?”
“It’s 1:28 here. So it must be 10:28 in the morning.”
“It’s Saturday. It’s a good time.”
“Okay. Wow. Josie, do you … do you want some privacy? I can wait in my room for a while.”
“No. I’m going to call him and put him on speakerphone. I need you here, Luna.”
“Okay. Of course. If that’s what you want.”
Josie picks up her phone.
“My heart’s beating so fast right now,”