The boy licked his lips, squared his shoulders, then stared directly at him.“I think you’re my father.”The words came out in a rush, and the boy looked at him with an expression of defiance mixed with undeniable hope.
Jesse’s breath caught, and he searched the boy’s face, looking for…something. Some sign of himself in the boy. Okay, so he had blue eyes that had turned the same shade of steel blue that his did when he was angry or stressed. Coincidence. He had thick blonde hair like his own. But seriously, how many people in the world had blue eyes and blonde hair?
And…well…hedidn’t have a son.
The boy stood there, a wary look on his face, watching his every move.
“I don’t have a son,”he stated the obvious.
“I’m pretty sure you’re the right Jesse Brown,”he insisted, his voice quavering just a bit.
“What makes you think I’m your father?”Was he really even having this conversation? The absurdity of the situation left him flabbergasted. If anyone used that word anymore. But it sure fitthissituation.
“Because I found a letter that said you were my father and you lived in Moonbeam. I found it in my mother’s things after—”The boy paused and pain flashed through his eyes before he quickly hid it and the mask of exaggerated nonchalance settled on his face again.“After my mother died.”
“I’m sorry.”His answer was automatic. That’s what you said when someone told them their mom died.
The boy nodded.
Jesse asked the obvious question.“And who was your mother?”
“Christina Lee.”
Ah ha. He’d never met a Christina Lee in his life. Nor a Chris Lee or Tina Lee or any other variation he could come up with. Relief swept through him. Kind of. The boy was obviously upset.
“I don’t know a Christina Lee,”he explained patiently, halfway sorry for bursting the boy’s bubble and crushing his hopes.
The boy looked at him for a long moment.“Christina Lee was my adopted mom. I mean, I was adopted.”
“Oh.”He stared at him, still trying to sort all this out.“And where’s your father? I mean the one who adopted you.”
“I never knew him. He died before I was one year old.”
“I’m sorry.”There it was again. Automatic.
“But I found all this information hidden in a box in my mother’s things.”He leaned down and pulled out a wad of documents.“The box had the paperwork for the adoption and my original birth certificate.”
He cocked his head to one side and took a deep breath.“And who is listed as your mother? Yourbirthmother?”
The boy looked right into his eyes.“Heather Carlson. But I can’t find her.”
He slumped against the doorframe.“Heather Carlson?”HisHeather? Heather Parker, formerly known as Heather Carlson…
“You know her, right? I’ve found the right Jesse Brown?”His eyes filled with hope.
“I know her…”A whirlwind of surprise and anger and incredulity churned inside him. He sucked in a deep breath and stared at the boy. Then he stood up straight, stepped aside, and motioned to him.“You should probably come inside.”
The boy picked up his backpack and walked into his home. This boy that might be…thatprobablywas his son?
He clenched his teeth. Heather had a lot of explaining to do. Awhole lotof explaining.
Chapter 15
Jesse followed the boy into the cottage and stopped. The boy. He couldn’t keep thinking of him asthe boy. And they needed to talk.“Ah, would you like a soda or something?”
“Yeah, sure.”He set the backpack on the floor but still clutched the papers in his hand.
Jesse went into the kitchen, poured them sodas, and came back to find him standing and staring out the window.“Here.”
