I can see myself in him sometimes. That mix of curiosity and quiet determination.
This is it, Dakota. Time to tell him.
I clear my throat and rub the back of my neck. “Hey, buddy?”
Charlie looks up from his book, his big blue eyes wide and trusting. “Yeah, Mom?”
I swallow. My pulse is beating in my throat, a quiet thrum of nerves. “I need to tell you something. Something important.”
Charlie tilts his head, a curious smile tugging at his lips. “About Grandpa’s house?”
“No, not about the house, sweetheart,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s about you. And about Clint.”
He blinks, clearly trying to make sense of that. “Clint? Is he coming to visit?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter in my chest.
“Clint’s not just coming to visit, Charlie,” I say softly. “He’s… he’s your daddy.”
There’s silence. I watch him process the words, those little gears turning behind his eyes. And then, slowly, he grins, his whole face lighting up.
“Clint’s my daddy?” he asks, bouncing on the bed because he can’t sit still. “For real?”
“Yeah, buddy. Clint’s your daddy.” My heart swells, watching the way his face transforms with excitement. I hadn’t expected it to be this easy. I hadn’t expected him to just… get it.
His grin stretches wider. “That’s so cool! I have a daddy! I always wanted a daddy! And I get to see him all the time?”
I can’t stop the laugh that escapes me. “Yes, sweetie. You’ll see him a lot. And… well, there’s more to it.”
“More?” His curiosity is a spark, lighting up everything around him.
I nod, my heart doing funny things as I watch him. “You’re going to have more than just Clint. You’ll have Reid and Sawyer, too. They’re like… uncles, I guess.”
Charlie’s eyes go wide. “Like real uncles?”
“Yep,” I say thickly. “Real uncles. They’re all going to be part of our family now.”
“This is awesome!” He hops off the bed, nearly bouncing out of his skin. “I can’t wait to see Clint and Reid and Sawyer! When are we going to the ranch again?”
I can’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “We can go this afternoon if you like.”
“Yes! Yes! I wanna go right now!” Charlie practically shouts, grabbing his jacket and running for the door.
I laugh, my nerves easing just a little. “Okay, okay, calm down. We’ll go soon. Just give me a minute to get ready.”
Charlie’s already halfway out the door by the time I finish speaking. He’s running toward the car.
It’s amazing how quickly he’s accepted them, how quickly he’s embraced everything I’ve been so terrified of.
As I walk toward the car, I take one last glance back at the house, at my grandfather’s house, and realize it doesn’t feel so heavy anymore.
Maybe I can stop holding onto the past so tightly. Maybe, with this new life, with these new people, I can finally start to breathe.
The ranch feels like home in a way I didn’t expect.
As I pull into the gravel driveway, Clint’s already walking toward us, a grin spreading across his face when he sees Charlie climbing out of the car. I’ve barely stopped the engine before Charlie’s off and running toward him, calling his name.
“Clint! Clint!” Charlie’s shouting, full of excitement. “Guess what! You’re my daddy!”
