“Real funny,” he laughed. “May I call you Honeybee?”
“Yes. I’m surprised. My dad never liked white houses. He said they need a personality. He always picked yellow because he said, ‘Who can feel gloomy in such a cheerful home?’”
“I didn’t know,” he said.
“How could you, silly. What a great day. Did you see how Garrett stared at Riley while she walked up the aisle to him? She positively glowed. Then, to end the night, you take me to see my dad, who I thought died. You sure know how to show a girl one helluva good time,” she quipped.
Jameson smiled.
Caroline took his hand and held it tightly, somehow feeling like Jameson didn’t feel as thrilled as she did. Something seemed to bother him, but he refused to talk about it.
“Will you take me back tomorrow? I’ll have to do some research, but we used to drive to a bakery and pick up a pie forSunday dinner. I don’t know if it’s still open. Rebecca gave me a computer to use for research. I’ll see if it’s still open and surprise him.”
Jameson shut off the engine and helped her out of the truck. He seemed to move slowly up the porch while she punched in the code.
The door swung open, and she invited him inside. “Can I get you something to drink? I’m thinking of putting on a pot of coffee. I don’t think I’ll ever fall asleep tonight.”
“Coffee sounds good,” he said softly.
They entered the kitchen, and he pulled the cups from the cabinet while she took out the cream and sugar.
“It took me a week to figure out I like my coffee with cream and sugar. Cain refused to let us have anything except black. He said it’ll only make us fat.”
“He’s an asshole,” Jameson growled.
“I totally agree. He’s a grade A asshole,” she said, pouring the coffee into cups. She poured cream into hers and handed him the carton. “I remember you liked it the same way. When you came to the bar in the morning, you always fixed it there.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said, seeming distracted as he picked up the beverages and brought them into the living room. He sat down on the couch, and she joined him.
Taking her hand, Jameson stared at it as he stroked it with his thumb.
“I have more to tell you,” he announced.
She turned her body toward him, expecting him to tell her the last six years of her life were all a bad dream.
“My mother named me after my father as a joke to fool everyone. You see, he was married to another woman, Victoria. Like you, he held her prisoner inside his mansion. I grew up in a sterile house where he’d visit in the evenings, and I’d get sent to my room with staff to watch over me. He spent most of histime with his eldest son, Phillip, grooming him to take over his business.”
“How awful. I can’t imagine how you must’ve felt,” she said, gazing at him.
“My mother died when I turned ten. They found her in a car months later, burned to death. A few years later, my older half-brother died, and my father turned to me to carry on the family business. I got caught up in finally receiving a small bit of attention. He convinced me a young woman named Kassie caused his financial difficulties, and he believed she killed Phillip.”
“Oh, no,” Caroline said. “I’m sorry to say this, but your dad’s an ass.”
Nodding, Jameson continued. “I joined a team in Serenity to guard the young woman with the intention of making her pay. While I lived there, Matthew and Kassie taught me the true meaning of family. They cared about me, and I lied for months, giving my father information. When he decided to make his move, I stopped him from killing Kassie, her friend Samantha, and their kids. My father shot me in the stomach and left me to die on the kitchen floor.”
“Oh, Jameson, how awful,” she sympathized, gripping his hand.
“You see,” he said slowly. “My full name is Jameson Stanton. I’m the son of James Stanton, who kidnapped you from your father.”
Caroline sat stunned for a minute before she leaped from the couch, backing up. “What?”
“I’m Jameson Stanton. My father sold you to Cain.”
She backed up farther. Fear filled her as she searched for an exit. Her stomach rolled with nausea.
Jameson rose slowly. “It’s the reason why I stayed away from you. I didn’t know until you told me your story.”
“I need you to leave,” she said, shakily. “I can’t be around you right now.”
