“If that’s what you want, Jake. If that’s what will make you happy, then do it. I’m not going to stop you. But I have to ask, does this have anything to do with the sudden reappearance of Kellie Knight in your life?”
“It has everything to do with Kellie.”
“Jake, sweetheart. I love Kellie, you know I do. But do you think you should be making life-altering decisions based on one night? Before that, you hadn’t even talked to the girl in years.”
This is what I was afraid of. This is what I’d been avoiding. Mom’s common-sense opinion blurred the lines when she didn’t have the full story. I knew there was only one thing I could do, but I was terrified that it could, in the long run, make everything a million times more complicated.
“Mom, Kellie’s it for me. She always was. I was just too young and dumb to know it. I thought she’d be holding me back, forcing me into a future I didn’t want, but Kellie’s not like that.”
“No, Jake, she’s not.”
“Dad convinced me…. he pushed…”
“I know, Jake. I know.”
“You do?” I was stunned. I never thought she knew what had gone down the day I left between Dad and me. She’d never mentioned it, but I guess she really did know everything that went on around here.
“Of course I did. Your father, from the moment you got in your truck and took off, he regretted it. He regretted it until the day he died, Jake. And if you want to build your bachelor pad on the top of the hill, then go ahead.”
“I don’t want a bachelor pad, Mom. I want a family home.”
“Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself there? One night, Jake. It’s been one night.”
“With Kellie, it’s never one night, Mom. With her, it’s always forever.”
“Well, okay then. I’ll see if I can find the number, and we can call him in the morning.”
“Thanks.”
“Is this what’s had a bee in your bonnet all week?” Mom asked as she wrapped her hands around my waist and hugged me tightly.
I waited until she pulled back before I answered. “Yes. And no.”
“Continue,” she encouraged, taking a step back and digging her hands in her pockets as she kicked at a clump of dried dirt with her boot.
“I want to build a family home for me and Kellie.”
“Jake, I wasn’t born yesterday. I figured that much out.”
“I want to build a family home for me and Kellie and our daughter,” I finished, holding my breath.
“Your daughter?” Mom rasped. “Your daughter? Jake, you're a dad?” Mom choked out the words, her eyes going wide and her face pale.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m a dad. And she’s the most beautiful little girl. And you’re a grandmother,” I confirmed, barely getting the word out before she passed out, hitting the ground with a thump.
ChapterEleven
Kellie
“Kellie!” Mom shouted, causing both Cass and me to freeze halfway down the hall.
“What?” I called back at her, not having time to deal with whatever it was she wanted. Jake was going to be here, and I still had to get Cassandra changed, find her shoes, a pair that actually matched, not the interesting combination she currently had on.
“Cassie, sweetheart,” Mom cooed, squatting down and ignoring the creaks and cracks as her knees protested.
“Yes, Gran?” Cass replied, looking at my mom like she’d hung the stars. Seeing the love between them, watching as Cass mimicked Mom when she wasn’t looking, reassured me that the decision I’d made to come home was the right one.
“Can you go play in your room for a minute? I need to talk to your mom,” Mom explained, pinning me with a stare, one that I would’ve given anything to be following Cass down the hall and joining her and her dolls for a tea party.
