“No, that isn’t why I’m calling. I’ll absolutely be there.”
“What about Heavenly? She’s still coming, I hope. You know I’m dying to meet her.”
Yes, Mom hadn’t been shy about that. “She is. Beck, too. But…we’re hoping to bring a fourth person, if that’s okay.”
“Oh, is your doctor friend bringing a date?”
“No.” Seth took a deep breath. “Mom, you should sit down.”
Her smile faltered as she sank into her chair. “Oh, no. What’s going on?”
Here goes nothing. “I can’t think of an easy way to say this but…I found out yesterday that I have a son. His name is Hudson.” Seth blew out a breath and went for broke. “He’s…sixteen.”
His mother stared at the screen for a long moment, her mouth gaping wide.
“Mom? Did you hear?—”
“He’s sixteen?” she breathed. “That’s impossible, Seth. You would have been?—”
“Fifteen. Yeah.” Seth’s throat felt tight, and he resisted the urge to wince. “I know you’re shocked.”
“Oh, my— I knew you weren’t a baby then, but…” She scrubbed a hand down her face. “How did that happen?”
Seth grimaced. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
She scowled. “I meant, didn’t you use protection and?—”
“Mom, focus.”
“But fifteen? Seth…” She huffed. “Where is Hudson now? Who is his mother? What?—”
“He’s been living in Connecticut with his mom, who was a waitress I met when I was staying with Grandma and Grandpa that summer. Hudson tracked me down. He’s here in LA with me now, and he’s going to stay for a while.”
Again, Grace didn’t speak right away. “How did he get to LA? Did you have any idea?—”
“Until yesterday, no. I would have told you.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Seth. A grandson! But we’ve missed out on so much—his first words, his first steps, his first day at school… I can’t— Why didn’t you know about him?”
“It’s complicated. His mother never told me she was pregnant. She tried to contact me years later, but I was married to Autumn then, and she decided not to interfere.”
“And you’re sure he’s yours?”
Seth slanted a glance at Hudson. “Yeah. There’s no question.”
“Oh, that poor boy,” Grace breathed. “Sixteen years without knowing his father. Is he— How is he handling all this?”
Hudson stood frozen by the sink, looking beyond nervous. No, like he was afraid to be rejected.
“Honestly, he’s handling it better than I am. Do you…want to meet your grandson?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course! He’s a Cooper.”
Well, legally he was a Clarke. Seth intended to change that, but now wasn’t the time to get nitty-gritty with his mother. It would just upset her.
“Good. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to bring him to the wedding. That way you and the whole family can meet him.”
“Oh! That would be fantastic! Don’t think I don’t still have questions for you, young man. But I can’t wait to clap eyes on him.”
