He gave me a half smile that reminded me of Ace. “My wife was my first and only love. The first day I met her, I knew she was the woman I was going to marry. When Ace met you, I remember he came home from the river that day and told me,Joel, I met the girl I’m gonna marry.I knew he wasn’t shittin’ me.”
I had no idea Ace told his father that the day we met.
“It was selfish as hell of me, but to watch my boy falling in love for the first time and getting married and starting a family, while it felt like my entire world was coming apart, filled me with envy.”
He held his arms wide.
“I hate myself for it, but I was envious that your story was just beginning while mine had come to an end.”
You could’ve knocked me over with a feather. Never, in all of those years, would I have thought I’d hear those words from Joel Townsend.
“I always thought you didn’t think I was good enough for your son.”
He looked surprise. “Why?”
“Because I’m from the other side of the bridge.”
He tutted and shook his head. “I’m not like one of those uppity fuckers. Hell,I’mfrom the other side of the bridge.”
“You are?”
He nodded. “Not from Harlington, but up North. Anyway, I know what it’s like to be the black sheep. Trust me. That was never my issue with you. Truthfully, I never had an issue with you. It was my own bullshit.
“You saved Ace, Savannah. That’s what I should’ve said that day. And I’m fucking sorry I didn’t.”
Before the last word was out of his mouth, I threw my hands around his neck and pulled him in for a hug.
“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that,” I mumbled, still holding onto him.
After a few moments, I felt his arms circle around my back.
“I think I needed to say it even more than you needed to hear it.”
I continued to hold onto him simply because it felt right.
“So, you’re a hugger, huh?”
I finally released him and laughed as I wiped my tears away.
“Yeah, he said you were a crier, too.”
That made me laugh harder. “Ace is always teasing me about how much I cry.”
“Don’t let that boy of mine talk shit. You feel those emotions.” He squeezed my arm.
“He doesn’t mean it,” I said, knowing that, although Ace teased me, he wasn’t bothered by my tears.
“Hey,” Joel commented. “I hear you have a son now.”
My smile widened as I nodded. “His name’s Aiden.” Without even thinking, I pulled out my phone and brought up a photo of Aiden. It was the most recent one in my phone’s gallery and happened to be from the previous weekend when we were all at Gaines River. Ace was standing beside him, smiling down as Aiden waved at me.
“He’ll be ten in February.”
“Good-looking kid.” Joel sobered. He looked up at me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there at the hospital.”
The muscles in my throat tightened.
“That I didn’t get a chance to meet my first grandson. I don’t even know what he looked like.”
