Livy sank into a chair, a stunned look on her face. Austin moved to stand beside her, resting his hand on her arm. He shot Jesse a questioning look, and Jesse just shrugged.
“A lot of people didn’t know about you, Blake,”Jesse explained, his voice gentle and kind in quite the contrast to the tone he was using with her.“I’m so sorry about that.”
“I didn’t mean to cause…trouble.”
“No, son. None of this is your fault,”Jesse assured the boy.“I’m glad you came to find me. And I’ll do anything to help you. I promise.”
Jesse turned to Livy.“So, I’m clueless about all this and I guess you are too, Livy. I’ll explain everything later, but he’s found us. He has the birth certificate. And…let’s say I did some math, and it’s quite possible what he’s saying is the truth.”
Livy looked from Jesse and back to her. Then she looked over at the table beside Blake and gasped.“Is that…Is that Grace’s sand dollar necklace? Heather, you said you lost it.”
Heather looked from Livy, to Blake, to Jesse, and the world whirled out of focus again before becoming all too crystal clear. She nodded.“Yes, it’s Grace’s necklace. I left it with his mother to give to him. I wanted him to havesomethingof our family’s.”
Livy rose and walked over to her.“You had a child, and you never told me?”
She wasn’t sure if there was more hurt in Livy’s eyes or her voice.“I…yes.”What else was there to say? And one look at Blake and anyone could see he was Jesse’s son. Those eyes.
Livy turned her face and looked out at the ocean before looking back at her, but she didn’t ask any more questions.
Jesse stood and walked over to lean against the railing, his white-knuckled grip as he clutched the wood betraying his barely contained anger.“But now we need to sort things out. I told Blake I’d talk to a lawyer. His parents—the ones who adopted him—are gone. They’ve passed away. He lives with his aunt, and it seems his aunt isn’t pleased with the arrangement. Blake came here to see if I’d help him get emancipated. He’s not too keen on being shipped to the state group home for foster kids.”
“Does she know Blake is here?”Livy asked.
“No…she thinks he’s at a friend’s house in Nashville.”
Livy turned to Blake.“You need to call your aunt and tell her where you are.”
“She’s out of the country. On a cruise.”
“You still should try to get a message to her.”
Austin stepped forward.“Jesse, you could talk to Delbert. He knows everyone. He might have a recommendation of a lawyer for you.”
Jesse nodded.“Good idea. I’ll do that first thing in the morning.”
Heather watched them all talking around her. Taking in the words, but not fully comprehending. Jesse was going to get a lawyer to what?
“Blake, you look like you’ve had a long day. How about I get you set up in my guest room? We’ll try to get a message to your aunt. Then I’ll cook us a nice big dinner.”
“I can stay here?”Blake’s eyes widened, flooding with hope.“You sure? I won’t be any trouble.”
Heather’s heart clutched again. He was so grateful for a place to stay. A kindness offered to him.
What had she done?
She thought she’d been doing the right thing by giving him up for adoption. She’d been nineteen, alone, and knew nothing about being a mother. She sure hadn’t had a role model in the parenting department.
But what kind of life had Blake had? He had no one now.
Butshe’dwanted him. She had wanted him so badly. Loved him so deeply. Deeply enough to give him to someone who could give him a better life. Thinking of what heneededmore than what shewanted. Only…now…
Jesse interrupted her thoughts.“You should go now, Heather.”
“But—”
“No. You should go.”Jesse pushed away from the railing and stared at her with a don’t-you-dare-argue look on his face.
“Come on, Heather. We’ll walk you home.”Livy took her arm. She stared down at Livy’s hand on her arm.
