Page 55 of Small Town Frenzy
“Come again?”
Leaning toward the beautiful brunette, I angle my head to place my ear in direct hearing distance. Squeezing my eyes shut to clear the haze that’s come over them, I take a deep breath. I heard Cricket perfectly fine, but my body wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready.Now I am.
As if she’s been holding her breath, she exhales. “Jacob is your son.” Throwing her hands in front of her, she adds, “So to answer your question, his father is now in his life.”
“As the naked man sneaking from his mom’s window? Great first impression.” I walk into the living room, needing room to think. Her steps sound against the floor before promptly stopping at the threshold. Is she worried about me? I don’t know how to comfort her and process this information at the same time.
With my back to her, I stare out the front window, watching a truck with a bed full of white chairs drive by.Thewedding . . .I really fucking wish this didn’t come out when we are being torn for her attention.
Locking my fingers on top of my head, I turn back, and say, “I would have preferred meeting him at birth instead of in the yard at three years old.”
“I would have preferred that, too, but it’s not how it’s happening. We’re here now. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
I can see the way she’s lodged behind the far side of the island as if she needs the protection, or maybe she needs some distance of her own. “I don’t know what to think.” I drop my arms to my sides and glance toward the front door like Jacob might return any minute. “Where is he?”
“The park is an area of the property that only the family has access to, behind a metal gate with a keypad. He’s safe.”
“I’m not worried about his safety. I’m worried when I’ll get to meet my son.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen right now.” She moves around, running her fingers over the stone counter and stopping just before reaching the edge. “No.” She shakes her head like I’ve crossed some invisible line she’s drawn. Staring at me, she snaps, “I need to talk tohimfirst. He’s three. He won’t understand some guy just walking in and claiming to be his father.” Her irritation grows before my eyes as she finally leaves the border of the kitchen and comes to stand a few feet in front of me. Waving her hand between us, she tries to level me with a glare. “We’re not just hard launching you as his father to a three-year-old and all of Dover Creek. You and I need to figure out a few things first.”
“Dover Creek isn’t a concern of mine. I’m not from around here. Remember?” The question seems to strike, causing her head to jut back. Pointing at where I assume isthe park buried somewhere on this property, I say, “Jacob is.”
“If Jacob’s your concern, then we need to work together to make this a smooth transition for him.”
“He’s not changing schools his senior year. He’s meeting the father that he should have had all along.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she says, “I don’t like your tone.”
“I don’t like this whole fucking situation, but I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances.” I close my eyes to gather my scattered thoughts, so I can get better control of my reaction. “I know you better than the thoughts that are trying to seize the opportunity. You wouldn’t have told me if you didn’t want me to be in his life.” Her mouth drops open.
“Is that being used against me?”
There’s no way I’m telling a woman to calm down when I wasn’t calm myself. “No. Not at all.” I take a breath and even my tone. “We both agree that this is not ideal, but this is the hand we’ve been dealt. I want to meet him. That doesn’t mean I’m going to blurt out that I’m his dad. I want what’s best for him, Cricket. Considering his age, this might be a slow process?—”
“That sounds like you plan to be in his life. Does that mean you’re sticking around? Because if you’re not?—”
“I’ll stick around.”
“You didn’t have an answer for me the other day.”
We’re standing here like two strangers arguing over the last bagel at the coffee shop. “Now I do.” I move closer, take each step with caution, not because I fear her reactions. I don’t want her to fear mine. “We’re on the same side just like we were an hour ago. I promise that I don’t want to hurt Jacob, but I won’t hurt you either.” When I get close enough to reach out and touch her, I say, “I didn’t get a chance to tellyou how much I enjoyed last night. How much it meant to me.”
Her arms fall to her sides, and the wall that was hiding the electric green of her eyes from me slowly lowers. She shifts, glancing down at the floor and exhales sharply. When she looks at me, I get a semblance of a grin, but I’m not going to argue about it. I’ll take anything she’s willing to give. “It meant a lot to me, too, Griffin. I’m sorry that this has spiraled out of control.”
“Life came at us fast, huh?”
“That’s what I get for taking my eye off the ball.”
I smirk but keep it restrained out of respect. “Using baseball analogies now?”
“Tennis,” she snarks, twisting her lips to try to hide the smile that bounds forth right after.
With a shrug, I reply, “I’ll give it to ya.”
Her stance relaxes through her shoulders and hips, and the smile doesn’t wash away, but it does soften. “All this trouble because I thought a wild and nameless night was a good idea.” A laugh follows, but it’s filled with the sound of regret more than humor.
“Hey,” I say, reaching over to tap her hand before pulling back. “It was a good idea if it meant I got to meet you not only once but twice because of it.” I raise my left arm just off my side. “And we have a son.” The words hit harder this time, like they’re finally sinking in. I exhale slowly, but that doesn’t alleviate the emotions wanting to consume the rest of me, just as they have my heart. “A son.” I drop my head into my hand, feeling the weight of the words. The responsibility. The connection I have to him by blood. My blood. My mom’s grandson.Fuck . . .
