Page 6 of Wrong Number, Right Lumberjack
All of a sudden, Ethan turns and spots me on the sidelines. He breaks into his big, gap-toothed grin. He waves to me, and it’s all wide-eyed enthusiasm and sticky joy. It’s like seeing me just made his whole day. I wonder how long it will last. I wave back and swallow the lump in my throat.
But then… Jace turns too, and all of a sudden, I have a whole new set of worries. His gaze follows Ethan’s line of sight and lands right on me. I’m catapulted into a full panic. Jace’s face lights up.He waves too.
I freeze. Then Jace waves again with all the subtlety of a marching band.Dammit.My heart rate spikes, thudding against my ribs like it’s trying to warn me.Oh no, I’ve really freaking done it now.I force a smile, lifting my hand in return, but my stomach’s already in freefall.
This is bad.So bad.
Standing here and watching them laugh like father and son, my mistakes are painstakingly clear. Jace doesn’t know Ethan’s mine. Ethan doesn’t know Jace exists at all… And I let my own selfishness rock the carefully crafted world I’ve manufactured.
I make the sound and legitimate decision to put my head in the sand. I’m just going to act like this isn’t happening. I’ll simply pretend it isn’t real and back out of the arena. I’m halfway to the exit. My heart thumps in my chest, and my feet feel unsteady beneath me.
But it’s too late.
Jace jogs toward me, and my breath snags. His smile is wide, and his energy radiant. “Missy! Hey, sweetheart!”
Sweetheart.
My eyes go wide. Jace is sweaty and flushed. Only on him, the effect looks something like glowing. He’s chuckling when hereaches me. He flexes his bicep with mock bravado. “Came to watch the show?”
“I um, well, you know I think I should probably…”
Before I can gather a single coherent thought, Ethan bounces up beside him. “Hi Mom!”
Shit.
Jace blinks. “Mom?”
I force a smile and swallow the boulder in my throat. “That’s right,” I say carefully, voice a little too bright. “Jace, it looks like you’ve met my son, Ethan.”
The words land heavily between us.
Jace stares at me. For a second, it’s like time skips. His eyes search mine, and there’s a quiet storm brewing beneath the surface. “Your son.” Then he looks down at Ethan and nods slowly. “Well… He’s got to be the coolest kid I know, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” Jace’s voice is soft but steady.
Ethan beams up at me, oblivious to the chaos happening in my mind. “At the end of camp, there’s a parents-versus-kids game! You’ll play in it, right, Mom? It’s going to besomuch fun.”
I nod automatically, still reeling. “Of course I will.”
But inside, I’m spiraling. The thought of squeezing myself into football pads in front of colleagues and kids isnotthe dream. But I won’t let my son be the only one without someone cheering him on the field. I won’t bethatmom.
Jace grins, that slow, easy grin that always makes my chest tighten. “I could always play in your place.”
My head snaps toward him. “What?”
Ethan lights up like a Christmas tree. “Yeah! That’s awesome!”
But I’m already shaking my head. “No. Jace, youcan’t.For starters, you’ll be back in Lumberjack Lagoon helping your brother next week, remember?”
His grin falters just slightly, but I barrel on.
“Besides, it’s supposed to be a parent or family member.I’mperfectly capable. You can’t just… insert yourself.” The last part slips out sharper than I intended. But I can’t help it; my words are stiff with panic and guilt.
Jace’s smile fades. There’s a flicker of something raw behind his eyes. It’s a flash of hurt he tries to bury.
“Well,” he says, his voice quieter now, “itistrue that I only just learned Ethan’s name this week.”
His gaze locks with mine. It’s piercing and unblinking. Message received… The weight of his words hits hard.
I want to defend myself. I want to explain that I never meant to hide Ethan, not really. That I didn’t expect their paths to cross. That I didn’t know Jace would be the kind of man who made kids laugh and moms forget every wall they’d ever built. But all of that sounds like an excuse.
