“Did you have a nice visit?”The petty part of him wanted Blake to say no, but it had been over three hours, so he doubted he’d get his wish.
“I did. We talked a bunch. She seems…nice.”
Nice. That’s one way of putting it. He forced a noncommittal look.“I’m glad you got a chance to get to know her.”Liar, liar, pants on fire.
“She said she’s going to be at the festival. I’ll probably see her again there.”He looked at Jesse with a tentative expression.“I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it is. She’s your mother. I wouldn’t do anything to get in the way of you having a relationship with her.”As opposed to, say, Heather keeping any knowledge of Blake’s existence fromhim.
Ah, his anger was eating away at him. He was going to have to find a way to deal with it. Somehow.
“Oh, and hey, we saw those twin ladies again.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, and Heather told them I was her son.”
He dropped the mop.“She what?”
“She said I was her son. And I said I was staying here with you and that you were my dad. I hope that’s okay.”He looked a little worried.
“Of course,”he quickly assured him. But he wasn’t okay with it. Heather had no right to decide when the town found out about Blake. And, of course, she’d madethatdecision without asking him either. The anger he’d just resolved to control surged through him again.
“So, can I help with tonight’s dinner cruise?”Blake asked.
“Sure. That would be great. How about going to the galley and see if the cook needs some help? His assistant called in sick tonight.”
“Okay.”Blake turned and headed toward the steps, then turned back.“You sure you’re okay with everything?”
“I’m fine.”He picked up the mop and swabbed the deck again, getting angrier with each swipe of the mop.“Just fine. Perfect even,”he lied to himself.
The next day Heather opened her door to an insistent knocking.
“Jesse.”Maybe he was finally ready to talk. They needed to. She needed to explain.
But instead, he pushed past her, stalked into the condo, and whirled around to face her.“Who do you think you are?”His words came out in a rush of fury, almost knocking her over in their force.
“What do you mean?”She frowned.
“You decided, without asking me, I’d add—oh, but you never consult me about anything concerning Blake, do you? You decided to tell the twins—of all people—that Blake is our son.”
“I—”
“What is wrong with you?”His steel-blue eyes blazed with indignation.“They spread gossip all around town. He doesn’t deserve that.”
“The town will find out soon enough. And I’m not ashamed of him or anything.”
“I’m not either,”he spit out.“But Blake doesn’t deserve to be the center of gossip.”
“The twins were actually very kind to him when they found out. Their hearts are in the right place, even if they do like their gossip.”
“And you just decided it was your decision to make for all of us. Decided when everyone finds out about Blake. I wanted to get more legal things in place before anyone found out anything about him.”
“If you would have told me that, then I would have known that’s what you wanted.”She pushed back.“If you’d talk to me. If you’d—”
“I don’t have to talk to you or discuss anything with you. If I had my way, you wouldn’t even see Blake.”
“Don’t say that.”Fear rushed through her at the thought. But if he helped Blake become emancipated, surely Blake could decide to still see her.
