Ashley held her phone like it might bite. Her hands shook, afraid of the next word that would come out of Julian's mouth.
Was it going to be a yes or a no.
She braced for it.
"No!" The answer was fast and hard. "Absolutely not."
She stared at him, searching his face as relief washed over her. "Are you sure?" She needed to be sure.
He blinked, as he held her two arms. "Ashley, how could you even think I'd hide something like that from you?" His voice was steady, but the line of his jaw was tight. "Show me."
She unlocked her phone and passed it to him. On the screen: a photo of Julian on a park bench, leaning toward a little boy of about three. The child's smile was wide. The angle made them look alike. It was the kind of picture designed to twist a knife.
Julian went very still. Then his mouth pressed into a hard line. "Maddie sent you this? That's her son."
