Page 57 of We Thought We Knew It All
Colby opened the door in his hospital scrubs.
“Hey, Cal,” he said. “I’m running late for work. What’s up?”
“Is he here?”
Colby’s face told me everything I needed to know. “Cal -”
“He left.” I walked in and slammed the door. “Of course he did. I shouldn’t have expected anything more from Jamie Daniels.”
“I’m sorry.”
“He hasn’t changed as much as I thought.”
“He’s in Tampa.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“But you wanted to know.” He shrugged on his white jacket.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Yes, you should.” He sighed. “Look, you know how stubborn Jamie is. Right now he’s pissed and can you really say he doesn’t have a right to be?”
“Of course he has a right to be mad. But he doesn’t get to just leave me. Again.”
“Give him a few days.” He led me back to the door. “I really have to get to work.”
I followed him out and down to the parking lot, knowing my brother was right. That was usually the case. I’d give Jamie his time. In a few days we’d all know for sure.
As I drove back toward my house, I wasn’t sure what I wanted the test to say. A part of me dreamed of being a family with Jamie and my boys. But the bigger part of me knew that the best thing for all of us was for that test to come back positive - for Dylan to be Jackson’s father as we’d always assumed. That was what was best for my son.
22
Jamie
The interview opportunity came together quickly. I told Sergeant Carlson that I’d be in Tampa for the weekend and he set it up. I didn’t know how I felt about the job quite yet, but it was good to see the possibilities all laid out before me.
Since leaving base, I’d been drifting and using Callie as my only anchor. I didn’t know what happened next, only that it included her. Since finally becoming a Ranger a few years ago, the army was my present and my future. I’d assumed I’d be in until I retired.
I didn’t expect to have to find something new to do with my life when I hadn’t yet hit thirty-years-old.
As I walked through the large parking lot, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jackson, the boy who could be mine. They’d all known. They’d all lied. Except for him. He was the innocent in all of this. I already loved the kid, even before I found out the truth - him and his brothers. They were special kids.
I pictured his face, trying to find anything that could tell me he carried the Daniels genes. His hair was lighter than his mother’s. Could that be my influence? I thought his eyes looked similar to mine, but knew all of this was probably just wishful thinking.
C-corp resided in a tall building in a professional district north of Tampa. Everything was very green and well-kept. The company’s emblem hung on the side of the building for everyone to see. They were a big deal in the world of government contractors.
I pulled open the glass doors and was hit by a blast of cold air even though it was November. The white tile floor did nothing to hide the sound of my steps as I crossed the large lobby to speak with the young receptionist. She glanced up, the phone pressed to her ear. I stood there for a long moment, waiting awkwardly as she said goodbye to the person on the other end of the line and set it down.
A smile graced her lips as she looked up at me once again. Her high blond ponytail swung back and forth with every movement.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “James Daniels to see Mr. Carr.”
“Oh yes, I’ll let him know you’re here. If you’d like, you can meet him in the conference room on three. Just turn left out of the elevator.”
I nodded once and followed her directions. The conference room held a long table with computer hookups at each seat. Large screens loomed over the space.
