CHAPTER 18
Leslie easedherself off the bed and tucked the covers around her second son. Every night since Jeremiah’s death, Conner struggled with sleeping. He usually cried, missing his dad.
She didn’t blame him. After Jeremiah returned, he changed his life around, hoping to get his boys back. Unfortunately, the state didn’t think an abandoned resort and an ex-con constituted a stable home for the three younger boys. Two of the older boys left, and the third one didn’t want anything to do with him.
A tear ran down her cheek as she recalled the day Jeremiah entered her life.
Leslie wiped her tears, tired from another night of no sleep with a newborn. The loss of her own mother when she needed her the most, sent a fresh bout of tears. How didshe ever believe raising a baby on her own sounded like a good idea? It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.
She felt the familiar jab in her chest like a knife to her heart. It happened every time she thought of Owen and how he left.
The doorbell rang, and she wiped her eyes as she rushed to answer it before it woke Tucker. She gasped when she found Jeremiah Wolfe standing on her porch. No one spoke about the man since he went to prison for the scandal which rocked the small town.
She pushed open the screen door, sending him a hesitant smile. His piercing grey eyes reminded her of Owen’s and his brothers'.
“Hello, Jeremiah,” she greeted.
He swiped his hat from his head and held it to his chest. “I’m sorry to hear about your mom, Leslie,” he said nervously. “I returned recently and heard the news.”
“Thanks,” she said, as she wiped her eyes with her sweatshirt sleeve.
“I heard a few other things,” he said slowly. “It’s my fault Owen’s not here, or my Holly.”
“Owen has a mind of his own, Jeremiah. If he wanted to contact me, he knows my number. I didn’t change mine,” bitterness crept into her voice.
The baby’s cries drifted to the porch, and she turned around to tend to him. Jeremiah followed her inside as she picked Tucker up and held him to her chest.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” she crooned. “I don’tknow what else to do. I’ve changed your diaper, fed you, and burped you.”
Jeremiah scanned the messy living room, where burp clothes lay thrown in every direction. Dirty dishes filled the sink, and the garbage overflowed.
“Sorry, it’s such a mess. I didn’t plan on company. The baby has his nights and days mixed up, and he won’t stop crying. I’ve tried everything,” she sobbed. “Maybe I’m not meant to raise him.”
Jeremiah took the baby from her arms and grinned as he held his first grandchild. “What’s his name?”
“Tucker Owen,” she sniffed.
“There’s no doubt he’s a Wolfe. I already see the specks of grey in his eyes,” he gushed.
“No, he’s a Wilkins. Owen doesn’t care about the baby or me. I’m doing this alone, and Tucker’s mine,” she said vehemently.
Jeremiah gazed at her sadly and then back at her son. “There’s nothing wrong with Tucker. He’s trying to figure out his new world. His mama, on the other hand, needs a good rest. What do you say we become acquainted while she takes a hot shower? We’ll fix her something hot to eat, and then she can take a nap.”
Leslie gazed at him wearily. Jeremiah drank, and she didn’t want him near her son after what happened to Holly.
“I’ve attended rehab and remained sober for the last eight months,” he said, guessing her thoughts. “You havemy word, I’ll never drink again. I’ve lost my family and driven my sons away. You’re not doing this alone.”
“I can’t leave him. He starts crying,” she said, the temptation of an uninterrupted sleep pulling at her.
“He feels your anxiety and exhaustion. Go take a shower while I make you something to eat,” he encouraged.
“I…I don’t have much left in the fridge. My paycheck doesn’t arrive until Friday,” she confessed.
“No wonder, he’s fussing,” Jeremiah said, rocking Tucker back to sleep. “His mama doesn’t have enough nutrition. Don’t worry. We can rustle up something,” he assured her.
She showered and ate a bologna sandwich before Jeremiah sent her to her bedroom. She fell asleep within minutes. When she woke up, she found Jeremiah reading a book. Her house appeared spotless, and something cooked in the slow cooker. Feeling much better, she peeked in the bassinet to find Tucker waking up from his nap.
“He’s a keeper. If you don’t mind, I’ll stop by tomorrow for a visit,” he whispered before walking out the door.
