“Of course I’d see you. Have a seat. Would you like a cup of coffee? It isn’t as good as your mom’s, but it’s not terrible.”
“Thank you, but I’m probably overcaffeinated as it is.” Maybe that accounted for the way her heart jittered in her chest.
When he gestured her toward a chair, she took the one across the table from him and studied his face. Perhaps it was just the direct sunlight, but he seemed a little older. Perhaps a bit tired. But his eyes were kind and curiosity shimmered in the green depths.
This wouldn’t be easy, but it had to be done. She took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “You must be wondering why I’m here. The gist of it is... I came to apologize.”
His brows shot up again. “Whatever for?”
He seemed genuinely stymied. While she’d always been cordial toward him, she’d never exactly laid out the welcome mat. Shame pricked her skin. “I haven’t been fair to you, Gordon. From the start I was... suspicious of you, I suppose is the best way of saying it. Your relationship with my mom happened so suddenly, and then you were moving in with her, and I started to wonder what you were up to.”
His countenance fell, tugging on his skin as if earth’s gravity had increased a hundredfold. “Oh. I didn’t realize.”
“I was worried about my mom. Afraid you were, perhaps, up to no good. I tried to share my concerns with Mom, but she wasn’t very receptive.” Jenna swallowed. “I was afraid you were rushing things along for some—some nefarious purpose. I didn’t give you a chance, Gordon. I can see that now.”
His brows furrowed. “Well. You didn’t know me at all, and your mom and I did fall for each other rather quickly. Of course you’d want her to be careful with her heart.”
Very gracious of him. Especially when she could see the hurt in his down-turned eyes. Jenna cleared her throat. “A while back I found out Mom was footing the bill for your outings, then I overheard you on the phone talking to someone, telling her you loved her.”
“Probably my daughter.”
“I realize that now. But at the time it just fed my distrust. I—I was so suspicious of your motives that I looked into your background.”
He blinked. “Oh. I can’t imagine there was much to find. I’m a pretty boring individual.”
“That’s not true. I mean, yes, there wasn’t anything to find. But I’ve since come to believe you’re a kind, decent man. I don’t think there’s anything boring about that.”
“Well, thank you, Jenna.” He scratched his head. “I guess.”
“I’m afraid that’s not all.” She swallowed hard. This was where she’d gone way over the line. She dreaded telling him, but it had to be done. “Remember when I went to Alexandria for a couple days?”
“Yes, for your interview, with Tyson.”
“Right. But Ty and I didn’t just go to Alexandria.” She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I also dragged him up here—to check out your story.”
An excruciating beat of silence passed. “Well. My goodness. I don’t know what to say.”
She wished he’d get angry—she deserved it. But instead he just seemed befuddled. Saddened. She launched into the whole story. Arriving here, finding mail addressed to Rosalind. Seeing her leave the house the next morning. Jenna’s suspicions about him having a wife. By the time she was finished, the temperature seemed to have shot up fifty degrees.
“I guess...” He gave his head a shake. “I guess I can see how that might’ve looked...”
“I’m sorry to say I went home and confronted Mom about my concerns. But she was quick to point out that Rosalind was your sister. She was very defensive of you and upset with me for interfering in her love life.”
“She never mentioned any of this to me.”
“I’m sure she didn’t want to throw me under the bus—though I definitely deserved it. I’d learned my lesson by then. And that probably would’ve been the end of it, except—”
“The credit card statement.” His tone was heavy.
“Right. She was upset when she found it. Confused. And I don’t think I helped matters much. I remembered overhearing you tell someone on the phone that you were in Maine, and I told Mom about it.”
“That was my niece.”
“I realize that now. But it put doubt in her mind when she was already wavering.Iput doubt in her mind. And when she confronted you, she was carrying the weight ofmyskepticism. Not her own.”
Gordon sat back in his seat as his attention drifted over his small yard. “I see.”
He didn’t seem relieved. He seemed burdened and despondent, as if the memory of her mother’s confrontation brought him great despair.
