Page 18 of Rex's Honor
“She’s actually taking care of the day-to-day things, spending her days with your mom, cooking and cleaning.”
“That’s just weird.”
“So is the fact that you had sex last night with your stepsister.” She smiled, cocking her head.
“I can’t believe you said that. Out loud.”
“It’s a fact. My dad did marry your mom,” she said. “And even though their affair hurt a lot of people, in the end, they were very much in love.”
“I don’t know what you expect me to do with that statement.”
“It wasn’t easy for me either.” She held his gaze. “There were lots of tears, lots of yelling, doors slamming, and fighting. You name it, we all did it. But at the end of the day, we chose to be a family, and we all have missed you.”
5
Rex followed Tilly across the tarmac toward a stretch limo, trying to diffuse the pain that tore through his heart. He couldn’t tell if Tilly had put it there or his family.
Or both.
His heart had taken a mini beating the moment he opened his eyes this morning to see her sprawled out on top of him in his bed. Her long hair flowed across his chest, and her arms and legs were tangled up with his. Visions of leisurely walks along the beach, children frolicking in the ocean waves, maybe even a dog chasing a Frisbee teased his mind.
Those were all dreams of the past and now he was walking right into where it had all begun.
The limo's back door opened, and his father stepped out into the humid air. His hair had thinned and grayed, but his muscular frame filled out his dress slacks and shirt exactly as Rex had remembered. His father held out his hand as a woman stepped from the vehicle. She wore a stunning light-blue pantsuit. Her short brown hair was perfectly styled. From a distance, he couldn’t even fathom a guess at her age, but she wasin her early sixties from the few talks he’d had with his father and siblings.
“Judy is her name, right?” he whispered. His palms grew clammy, and his pulse jackhammered in his chest.
“That’s correct,” Tilly said, slowing her pace. She rested her hand in the crook of his elbow. Instinctively, he raised his forearm. “She was married to a banker for twenty years.”
“Do I have more stepsiblings I need to be aware of?”
Tilly let out a soft laugh. “No. She never had children.”
“Why’d she get divorced?”
“She didn’t. She was widowed.”
He swallowed. That was good information to know. Otherwise, he might go and make an ass of himself by saying something stupid.
The last ten paces, he took deep, calming breaths.
“Dad,” he said, extending his hand.
“Rex.” His father pushed his hand aside and pulled him in for a tight, slightly too long hug. “You look good, boy.”
“So do you, Dad.”
“Tilly. Dear Tilly. Thanks for talking him into coming home.” His father took Tilly into his arms, kissing her cheek.
“My pleasure,” Tilly said.
“Judy. I’d like you to meet my son, Rex.” His father beamed with pride just like the day Rex graduated from high school. His father had always been his biggest supporter, even when Rex said no to a prep school offer to play golf and even a chance to go professional. While Rex loved the sport, he didn’t want to make it his living, no matter how good at it he was, and he was still a scratch golfer. Not bad for a guy who only played on weekends, and not every weekend because that would cut into his fishing.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” Rex said.
She took the hand he extended but leaned in for an awkward hug. “Please don’t call me ma’am or Mrs. Jordan because that would be more awkward than this. Judy is just fine.”
A nervous laugh trickled out of his mouth. “I’m sorry I was unable to make the wedding. I really was deployed at the time.” There was no reason he needed to qualify that, and by the wrinkled brow on his father’s head, Rex had not only insulted him by implying they didn’t believe his response, but it also reminded everyone that Rex hadn’t been home in ten years.
