Page 95 of Claiming What's Mine

“What? He is right? He's my real dad?”

The tears came rushing down my cheeks harder and faster as I shook my head to let her know she was right. Bliss leaned forward and took another half sandwich, relaxing back like the conversation was no big deal.

“I knew it,” she said, her mouth full of food.

“How did you know?” Jayden asked.

“Well,” she started to say, then held up a finger as she swallowed. “You look like me.” Using her thumb, she brushed the small bump in the center of his nose. “We match.”

Smiling, Jayden chuckled as he agreed. “Yes we do.”

Bliss kicked her feet back and forth as she finished her lunch. “So, now what?”

“Now we get to know each other,” Jayden answered. “I need to learn all about you, everything.”

“That'll take some time, I'm a complicated person.” Bliss tilted her head, raising her brows high as she opened her eyes wide. “I hope you have a lot of time.”

Jayden laughed, shaking his head as if to agree with her. “I have all the time in the world.” Holding out his arms to accept her challenge, he had this smile on his face that made my heart melt.

He looks happy, really happy.

“Why don't we go outside and let them talk for a minute,” my mother said, tapping Bliss on the shoulder and standing up.

“Oh, good, Gram, I want to show you this gross bug I found.”

Bliss ran out the door, my mother following. “Great, should be fun.” Giving us a wink, she let the screen door bounce shut.

Jayden stood up from a crouched position, his smile thickening as he stepped towards me. “I'm sorry, Blue.”

“Sorry? You don't need to be sorry for anything, you didn't do anything wrong.” My eyes opened apologetically, ready to accept full responsibility for keeping him in the dark about Bliss. “I should have told you, I'm an asshole for not.”

“No.” Reaching for my hands, he pulled me to my feet. “I shouldn't have stayed away this long, I should have come back a long long time ago.”

“Jayden, you can't put any of this on yourself.”

Wrapping a strong arm around my waist, he yanked me into his chest, his eyes burning with need. “It doesn't matter anymore, I've made peace with all of it. All that matters is that I have you now, that I have my daughter now. I don't need anything else.”

With light fingers, he brushed the loose strands of hair away from my face. Lowering his lips to mine, he kissed me gently.

Holding my chin with his thumb, he tipped my head up and looked into my eyes. “You two are all I'll ever need in this world. I hope you know that.”

Nodding, my eyes welled up with more tears, tears that came from a happier place. “I know. I feel the same way, you're what's been missing from my life, Jayden. You belong here with Bliss and I, in this shitty town, drinking shitty coffee, and shopping at the shitty market up the street.”

“You're right, I want to walk down the road and be able to tell our daughter all the crazy, stupid things we did as kids. I'm never leaving again, Blue, not ever. This town is stuck with this Henry whether they like it or not.” Laughing, Jayden, scooped my entire face into his palms, holding my cheeks firmly. “I love you, Betty-Sue Fable, I've always loved you, and I'll never stop loving you.”

Pressing my hand against the side of his face, I stood up on my toes. “I love you too, Jayden Henry.”

Crushing my lips against his, I kissed him. I kissed him like I've been kissing him for years, I kissed him as if we hadn't lost a decade together.

Jayden dipped me slightly, deepening our kiss. And as we found each other again, I knew I would never leave his side.

We could live anywhere in the world, and as long as we had each other, it would always be home.

Because home was where your heart belonged, and my heart belonged to Jayden Henry.

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