Trouble in Sudden Falls: A Sudden Falls Romance Read Online Free Page A

member or in the mirror.
    Why the hell had Becca kept this from him for so many years? Something in him ached at the anger in the boy’s tight features, and the defeated tilt of his head.
    He clenched his jaw, unable to assemble the information he’d been given. “I-I-” he stammered, realizing how much he’d raised his voice as he heard an odd noise coming from the direction of the car. He looked beyond Becca to stare into the rust colored eyes of the biggest dog he’d ever seen. He guessed a fair amount of Newfoundland and Rotweiller had gone in to the beast’s genetic makeup… Not to mention Clydesdale. The sound, it occurred to him, was the beast growling.
    All thoughts of arguing with Becca left in the face of the dog, whose monstrous head lowered as the short hairs on the back of its neck stood on end.
    “Fluffy.” The boy sighed. “Sit.”
    Fluffy? Oo-kay. At least the dog sat obediently on his haunches and let its huge tongue loll out.
    “Rogan, meet your father.”
    The whole moment felt surreal in the extreme. They each spent a moment sizing the other up. “Nice to meet you, Rogan.” What do you say when the son you’ve never met lands on your door step?
    The kid shrugged as the breath left him. “Right. Whatever, dude.”
    Apparently, not that.
    “I don’t know what you think gives you the right to talk to your father that way…” Becca began.
    Rogan directed his response to Eli. “If I show up at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there.”
    Eli looked over at Maddie feeling the panic creep in. “John Cusack, Grosse Point Blank ,” they said in unison.
    Maddie’s eyes took up her entire face. “No doubt about it. He’s your kid.”

    Maddie didn’t know whether she was more surprised that Eli had managed to get someone pregnant, or that it hadn’t happened a lot more often. Heaven knew, his taste in women could never be described as having anything to do with discretion. Maybe she should take it as a compliment that he’d refused to sleep with her.
    For a second, she considered turning on her heel and heading back into her house. However, one look from Eli to Rogan and back again made her realize they both might need her. There were too many similarities between them to discard Becca’s assertion. Rogan surveyed his father with an obdurate set to his jaw and a scornful look in his eyes. The bad ass attitude was evident, but no more so than the intelligent glint in his eye with a hint of wounded puppy thrown into the mix. Maddie suspected he was trying to hold back a flood of hurt and anger over his mother’s abandonment and his father’s heretofore ignorance of his existence.
    She watched Eli study his son with equal parts terror and wonder. At least, until Rogan spoke and then it was all terror.
    “I’m not staying here,” Rogan declared.
    Becca’s eyes implored Eli to do something. “Yes, you are. You don’t have any place else to go.”
    “You might have at least called,” Eli said to Becca.
    Maddie elbowed him then turned to Rogan. “Let’s carry your stuff in. We can argue the particulars in a bit.”
    “Sorry. Right. Good idea.” Eli’s words came between clenched teeth.
    That Eli didn’t deny Rogan’s paternity or even argue about letting him stay didn’t surprise Maddie. Except for his taste in women, Eli was a stand-up guy. He specialized in doing the right thing.
    She watched Eli walk to Becca’s car, giving the dog a wide berth. Rogan turned his back on Maddie to go rescue his belongings from Eli.
    Before Maddie could say anything, Becca started talking. “I know you never liked me and I’m sure you think I’m a horrible mother for leaving Rogan here, but I’ve gotten the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t pass it up. All of my friends and family have kept him at one point in time or another, and they’re not willing to do it again.”
    Maddie took a deep breath to argue, but realized she couldn’t. She’d thought Becca was