Chapter Two
Ira couldn’t stop himself from turning to look at the duo of waitresses when laughter rang out. The sound trickled down his spine like warm honey, heating parts of his body better left alone in public. He almost chuckled aloud at the thought when he realized it was Honey laughing. Reluctantly, he turned his attention back to Robert. To the man who had sired him.
He scanned the restaurant; except for a couple of teenagers in the opposite corner, the place was empty. Two elderly ladies had left when he and Robert came in, the teens entering right behind them. There was no fear of being overheard.
“Tell me why?” Ira said.
“Why what?” Robert’s brows creased.
Even in his head, Ira couldn’t bring himself to refer to the man before him as father. Or Dad, or by any other familial title. “Why did you leave Mom to raise me alone? Was it just that you didn’t give a shit you had another son? Did you have enough sons already?” Anger rocketed through him. How could a man just walk away from his responsibilities?
“Relax, son. It wasn’t like that.”
The man had his nerve, calling Ira, son. As if he’d ever stepped up.
“How was it, exactly?” Ira demanded, unable to bank his irritation.
“This isn’t the best place for this discussion.” Robert glanced around the café. “But if you’re going to push it. I’ll explain.” He paused and swallowed hard. “I had a serious relationship with your mother for over two years. We didn’t see each other often. It was hard for me to get away from the ranch and harder for her to get away from work. Her career as a lawyer required a lot of time and effort. Back then, a woman had to work twice as hard to keep up with a man.” He fixed Ira with a serious stare. “Don’t get me wrong. I cared deeply for your mother. But when she broke it off with me, I couldn’t disagree with her logic.”
Robert sipped his coffee and looked around again before continuing. “There was no way I was moving to the city. The rancher in me would have withered and died. I would never ask her to give up her dream career to move here. Our life plans simply didn’t mesh. We broke off our relationship amicably.”
“And when did you find out about me?” Ira asked, wishing his voice wasn’t shaking.
“Catalina, your mom, called me when she was four months pregnant. She said the child she carried was mine. I believed her. I had no reason to doubt her.”
“Why didn’t you step up?” Ira demanded, keeping his voice low.How could his mother have respected a man who let a woman go through pregnancy alone?
“I swear to you, on my ranch and my children, including you, I offered to be a real father. We fought for months. That’s how long it took her to agree to let me support you financially. She didn’t want me in your life beyond that. Said it would ruin your life and would destroy my family. She was wrong. I’d have given anything to be a proper father to you. I’d have taken you in, brought you here to live with me and my other sons.”
“Why didn’t you?” This whole story sounded like a load of hogwash. Ira was determined to get to the bottom of it and to figure out how and why his mother had anything to do with this man.
“Your mother would not move here. I’m a damned rancher. I’m not fit for any other kind of work. It’s all I know. I’m country, Catalina was all city. We’d only have made each other miserable. We settled. I bowed to her opinion that you would suffer without a mother. I was an idiot. In hindsight, it was a stupid damned decision. But I don’t have a time machine to go back and change it. We did what we thought best. I bowed to Catalina’s wishes and stayed away. In return, she accepted my monthly support payments and sent me pictures and videos of you.”
“And that was enough for you?” Ira couldn’t keep the derision from his voice.
“Not by a long shot. Every time I went to the city, I parked outside your school and waited for a chance to see you, just a glimpse. I was a damned fool to agree with your mother but I can’t change it now. Nor could I talk her into changing things once we had an agreement. Believe me, I tried. Now, all I can ask is for you to forgive me and join the family. Be part of our lives.” Robert’s voice wobbled. He snatched up his coffee and downed what was left in his mug.
Ira didn’t know what to say. Forgiveness wasn’t easy, even if his mother’s dying wish was for Ira to find his father and get to know him. For his entire life, she’d told him his father was dead. Ira believed her. Until her deathbed confession. She’d told him cancer was an ugly way to go and made you re-evaluate your entire life. She’d left him copies of every letter she’d sent Robert, and all of his replies. There was a bank account containing every penny Robert had sent them, plus interest. He’d contributed until the month Ira left home to join the military. His mother hadn’t spent any of it. Not one dollar.
“Does your family know about me?”
“Sue, my second wife, does. The rest are still in the dark. They’ll accept you. I’ll guarantee it.”
Ira faked a laugh. “Right. Just like that.” A thought hit him. “Were you married when you were with my mother?” He asked, even though he was certain his mother would never date a married man. But at this point, he wasn’t certain Robert wouldn’t have lied to her.
“No!” Robert slammed his fist on the table for emphasis. “What kind of man do you think I am?” His face turned red.
“I have no freaking idea, to be honest. I know nothing about you. Nothing but notes written by a woman who never got over you. Did you know she never dated? Not once that I was aware of.”
“I had no idea,” Robert murmured. “I promise you; I was not in a relationship of any sort while I dated Catalina. My first wife, Eileen, had already passed and I hadn’t started seeing Sue. I was true to your mother the entire time we dated.” His words rang with honesty.
“Here’s your lunch,” Honey called out from three tables away as she walked toward them. “A burger for you and fruit for you.” She set the plates in front of them. “I’ll be right back with more coffee.”
The diversion gave Ira time to think, to consider Robert’s words and reputation. In the months Ira had been in town, he’d learned Robert’s word was above reproach, and the man certainly seemed upfront. He was well respected. He and his entire family were pillars of society here and helped out with all the community events. Maybe he wasn’t totally dishonorable.
Honey returned with coffee and Ira watched her walk away after pouring. She was a pretty woman. Happy smile, bright green eyes, slender but with enough curves to turn a man’s head. She was a distraction he didn’t need. He needed to settle with Robert, and start a new life outside the military. He didn’t need the money, but he wanted, needed, to be useful. To contribute to society.
“You should date her.” Robert said. “None of my other boys are interested, but Honey’s a great gal. You’ll like her. Everyone does.”
