Page 56 of Our Sweet Destiny
She pursed her lips. “Rex, come now. Jade doesn’t stay out all night with girlfriends. She doesn’t come home at two a.m. after swimming in the creek alone, and she sure as heck doesn’t make those kind of noises behind the barn without a man involved.”
He kept his voice calm despite his thundering heart. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Johnson. Our intent was never to hurt anyone, and we surely didn’t know…Well…to answer your question, I love her. I love your daughter.” He felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He turned to face her then, and the pain he saw in her eyes tore at his heart.
She nodded, rolling her lips into her mouth. He could see she was holding back tears.
“I’m really not a bad guy. I would never treat Jade badly or hurt her in any way.” His explanation did nothing to ease her pain. A tear dripped from the corner of her eye.
“I’m not sure what else you want to know. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you right away, but given the situation between our families, we just didn’t see how we could. We’re trying to figure out the best approach, but I guess that doesn’t matter now.”
She put her delicate hand on top of his, and with a trembling voice, she said, “My husband doesn’t know, and I don’t advise you to tell him right now.”
“Ma’am?”
“Jade doesn’t know that I know either.”
“I don’t understand. Why did you come to me instead of Jade?”
A half smile graced her lips. “I’m her mother. I had to know if you loved her, or if you were just, you know, having fun.”
“Ma’am, I’m not a having-fun type of guy.”
She nodded. “I know, Rex. I’ve known you since you were an infant, and I’ve watched you grow into a fine, strong gentleman. All of you Braden boys have kept your noses clean. And Savannah, what a doll she’s grown up to be.”
“I thought—”
“The feud has always been between your father and my husband. Your mother and I never let on that we remained friends. Rex, your mother and I had always hoped our families would remain close. When that fight first started between them, we thought it would just blow over. But when you put two stubborn, competitive men in a cage, someone has to win.” She drew in a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. “It might not be good timing, but I couldn’t have asked for a nicer man for Jade.”
He took her hand in his. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” He released her hand and thought about what she’d said. “How did you and my mother remain connected? I’m not sure what your husband is like, but my father wouldn’t allow the Johnson name in our home. No offense, of course, and if it helps to know, my siblings are very accepting of Jade.”
“I had no doubt they would be. Your parents raised you right, even Hal. He’s a good man. Earl’s a good man, too. They just got a little lost and they’ve never found their way out of the woods.” She folded her hands in her lap and let out a slow breath. “Your mom and I used to meet for picnics on the property between yours and ours, sometimes down at the ravine, when the men were out, of course. Oh, we were master schedule manipulators. Somehow Earl would have a dental appointment when Hal was picking up feed, or your mom would conveniently be too tired to run an errand at the same time that my kids needed to go to an event somewhere. We found ways.” She wiped her eyes. “As you kids got older, it became more difficult, of course, so mainly we talked on the phone and occasionally met while you kids were at school. Even that became difficult. There were so many of you, and babies eventually learned to talk.” She smiled. “I miss her, more than you can know.”
“And you’ve had to mourn her in silence.” Now he understood where Jade got her strength and courage. The woman before him risked everything for a friendship with his mother, and today she risked it all for her daughter.
“Mrs. Johnson, can you tell me anything that might help us bring this feud to an end? I want nothing more than to be with Jade out in the open. I want to build a life with her, and I want to make her proud. And I’m very sorry about being close to your daughter behind the barn. We got a little carried away.”
“I’d say,” she said with a grin. “You’ll have to speak with your father about what went on between him and Earl. I believe your father was fighting for your mother’s honor, but that’s all I can say about that. Just know, Rex, when all this comes out, I’ll be standing behind you and Jade, and so will your mother.”
