Page 14 of Rex's Honor
“Elle, why don’t you go start prepping the boat? I’ll be right along.” Kent jumped aboard while Elle skipped down the dock, swinging her arms back and forth.
“Out of the mouths of babes,” Rex said.
“Yeah, but now I’m going to be fielding a million questions about what happened to the lady with the pink shoes.” Kent shook his head. “Not to mention Elle just tried to fix me up with the school nurse.”
“Oh my God. That’s classic,” Rex said. While it always proved difficult for Rex to be around small kids, he always enjoyed Elle and her spitfire personality. He respected Kent for his ability to raise a child alone since Elle’s mother had died shortly after Elle had been born. Kent could have made other choices, but instead, he manned up and was the best father.
“So, care to tell me more about your visitor who opted to spend the night?” Kent asked. “I mean the whole stepsister thing needs some explaining.”
“Technically, she is. But she was my girlfriend before my mom married her dad.”
“That’s just weird, so please don’t ever tell Elle that. I would have no idea how to explain that one, and Elle has been asking so many questions lately about boys and girls and shit I’m not ready to discuss.”
“That little girl is going to grow up on you.” Rex slapped his buddy on the shoulder. “But not to worry. She won’t cross Tilly’s path. I’m flying home with her today to see my mom. She doesn’t have much time left.” Rex’s throat was thick with emotion. The realization he would be coming face-to-face with his family under such intense circumstances sent his mind in a million directions.
“Wait. Tilly as in the one who created the tattoo on your shoulder? The girlfriend that?—”
“Yep. That one.” Rex didn’t need to hear his buddy rattle off what little he’d shared about his life one night when he’d had too much to drink.
“And she spent the night?” Kent pointed to the cabin. “In there. With you?”
Rex wasn’t the type to kiss and tell, but when he kept his mouth closed, he figured that spoke volumes.
Kent took a seat on the back bench. “You okay?”
Rex nodded, leaning against the console. “But I’ll be honest, going home is freaking me right the fuck out. I’ve seen my father maybe five times in the last ten years. My brother about the same. My sister only twice, and my mom, well, not at all.”
“I can’t imagine going longer than a month without seeing my mom.” Kent waved his hand toward Arthur’s boat, where Elle was taking out all the fishing gear. “But all Elle has are a few pictures. She had only hours with her mother and obviously doesn’t remember a thing. Only what I tell her and since I barely knew her mother, that’s not much.” Kent wiped his hand over his face. “I wish I had more stories to give her about her mom. And this phase she’s going through about fixing me up with every woman she meets isn’t really about me. It’s about her wanting a mother.”
“She’s turning out just fine and you’re an excellent father. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Kent let out a long breath. “That’s not the point. You’ve seen how she is with Maren and even my nanny Jackie. She’s starved for female affection. I could be the best dad in all the land, but nothing can ever replace one’s mother.” Kent arched a brow. “Even in a boy’s life.”
“You are the best dad, and my situation is very different. My mother had a choice, and she chose to break up the family for her own selfish reasons.”
“So, you chose to continue the madness and punish her. That, my friend, is damned selfish.”
“Oh, what do you know,” Rex said, waving his hand. “And it doesn’t matter. I’m going to fulfill my mother’s dying wish and go see her.”
“Have you thought about what you’ll say and how open you’ll be to hearing your mom?”
“Not really.” Was it too early to start drinking? Rex cracked his knuckles. To him, this wasn’t about anything other than a quick visit. He’d see his family. He’d go through the motions. And then he’d leave.
Check.
Done.
“Do you know what you want from the visit?” Kent asked.
“Absolutely nothing.” God, Rex loved Kent like a brother. He really did. But the man could be one big fucking pain in the ass when it came tofeelings. “Except to fulfill an obligation.”
“You’re making a big mistake. This is an opportunity,” Kent said. “How long have we known each other?”
“Since right after Elle was born.” Rex waved to the precious little girl.
She smiled and waved right back.
“I know you don’t like to talk about this shit, and other than a few drunken nights, you’ve kept it to yourself. But it’s eating you alive, man.” Kent leaned forward, resting his forearms on hisknees. “Make peace with her. If you don’t, you’re going to regret it.”
