A Daddy for Jacoby

Chapter Fifteen

Jacoby hoped his dad wasn’t mad.

He didn’t look mad. He looked worried.

Just like Gina said.

Jacoby nodded and watched his dad climb inside, hitting his head on the ceiling as he sat, bow-legged, the tree house too short for his long legs.

“Are you okay?” his dad asked. “You’re not hurt?”

Jacoby looked down at his bear and shook his head.

“You know, you’ve got a lot of people worried about you.”

He nodded.

“Your uncle Gage, aunt Racy and Landon, Anna’s step-daddy, and I have been looking all over town for you.”

Jacoby nodded again. Gina had already told him all this, but he figured his dad was going to say it, too. He knew it was wrong to run away, but he didn’t know what else to do.

He hadn’t planned to go that far, just hide until he left town. If his dad still didn’t want him after that, and Jacoby figured he didn’t, he’d find someplace else to live.

“I was worried about you.”

The soft way his dad spoke made him look up.

Did he mean it? If he did, why did he want him to go live with his grandparents?

“When I realized you’d left Aunt Racy’s house I…I got really scared. Scared I’d never see you again.”

“It’s not fun to be scared.”

Justin shook his head. “No, not fun at all.”

“Is that why you want me to go live with them? Grandpa Richard and Grandma Liz? So you won’t have to be scared about me anymore?”

Justin shifted closer. “I think I’ll always be a little scared when you’re out of my sight, even when you’re all grown up.”

Wow. “Why?”

“Because you’re my son.” Justin ruffled Jacoby’s hair. “I love you and I want you to stay.”

“You do?”

“Very much, but I also need to do what’s best for you. I know it’s been a little rough for you being here with me. Those nightmares you’ve been having must be scary, too.”

Jacoby nodded. “I don’t like ’em.”

“Maybe they’d go away if you talked to someone about them.”

“Like you?”

Justin nodded. “Sure, or maybe we could ask your doctor if he knows anyone who might help you feel better.”

“Okay, but I don’t want to live with Grandpa Richard and Grandma Liz. Their house is cool, but please don’t make me leave,” Jacoby pleaded. “I mean, I like ’em, but I love my school. I’ll do better, I swear. And I love my baseball team. I even caught a fly ball for the first time this week and I love my room now. It’s not scary at all. And Daddy, I love you. Most of all.”

His dad scrubbed a hand across his mouth, then spread his arms wide. “Come here, son.”

Jacoby launched himself at his father. His dad squeezed him tight and it felt good. Felt safe. Like nothing and no one would ever hurt him again.

He always thought crying was for sissies, but his dad had said it was okay to cry if he wanted to. He’d thought he’d used all his tears when he learned about his mom, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from getting wet.

He buried his face in his father’s shirt. “I know my mom didn’t want me and then I thought you didn’t want me anymore either. Please say I can stay. I’ll be good, I promise. I think Gina is super and I’ll even play nice with the new baby.”

Justin stilled.

His unhinged panic at finding Jacoby safe had abated, but with one single word the emotion was back, pounding at his temple as he tried to absorb what Jacoby said.

Baby? Did he hear correctly? Had Jacoby said Gina was pregnant?

He leaned back to look at his son. “A baby?”

Jacoby nodded. “And I don’t care if it’s a baby brother or sister. I’ll share all my toys. Except Clem.” He hugged his bear tight. “He’s mine.”

Justin still couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea.

Gina pregnant? It was impossible.

Okay, it wasn’t impossible. It’d only been a little over two weeks since their night together. Justin’s mind flew back to the first time they’d made love and twice more when they’d reached for each other during the night. He was sure he’d take the time—each time—to protect them both.

Pregnant?

“You still want me, don’tcha, Dad?”

The uncertainty in his son’s voice pulled Justin from the memory. “Of course I want you. I love you, Jacoby.” He hugged him close, rubbing his back until the boy relaxed against him. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you with me.”

Whatever it takes.

Justin realized he needed a lot of help, most of it legal. He had no idea what it took to maintain physical custody of his son, but he was going to find out first thing in the morning.

But right now, he had to talk to Gina. Had to find out why she didn’t tell him—

He placed one finger beneath Jacoby’s chin and gently pressed so the boy would look at him. “Hey, how did you find out the bab—about Gina?”

Justin’s eyes had adjusted to the dark so it was easy to read the guilty expression on the boy’s face.

“I heard her tell Aunt Racy today. They were talking in Gina’s bedroom.”

“Maybe they were just talking about babies in general.”

Jacoby shook his head and crawled off Justin’s lap. He rooted around inside his pillowcase for a moment. Then he pulled something out.

Justin took the item from Jacoby’s outstretched hand, turning the plastic piece over in his hands. “What’s this?”

Jacoby grabbed the flashlight. Before he could shine it on the object, an outside light, probably from the back deck, lit the inside of the tree house, allowing Justin to see what he was holding.

A home pregnancy test. With a positive result.

Talk about a kick to the gut. Why hadn’t Gina said anything to him about the possibility they might’ve created a baby together? She must’ve suspected something, otherwise she wouldn’t have bought the test.

“Where did you get this?”

“From Gina’s bathroom. After she told Aunt Racy about the baby. I found it on the floor, behind the garbage can.”

She’d thrown it away? Why would she do that? Wait—

“How do you know what this is?” Justin waved the test stick in the air.

“My mom used to take them all the time.”

“Why did you keep it instead of throwing it away?”

“My mom said it was proof that she was telling the truth.” Jacoby shrugged. “Not that Gina lies.”

She hadn’t told the truth yet, either.

Justin tucked the stick in his jacket pocket. Then he sucked in a shallow breath, the best he could do at the moment, and let it out with a loud whoosh.

“So, what do you say we head home? It’s past your bedtime and you’ve got school tomorrow.”

“Are you going to tell Gina I told you?”

If she doesn’t come to me first. “When I get the chance to talk to her, she’ll probably want to know where I heard…” His voice faded as a thought sprang to his mind. “Did she—Was Gina upset? About the baby?”

“No, she sounded really excited.”

Excited?

Justin wanted desperately to look out one of the small windows of the tree house to see if Gina was still standing in the yard. It was quiet, so he guessed she’d gone back inside to give him and Jacoby some privacy.

How was he going to look at her and not ask her the truth?

“Dad? Are we going now?”

“Sure, come on.”

Justin left first because he was right in front of the doorway. Reaching the ground, he helped Jacoby, taking the pillowcase but allowing him to hold on to his stuffed bear. Once Jacoby was safely off the ladder, Justin noticed they weren’t alone.

Racy and Gage stood silently on the deck with Gage’s mother. Giselle was sitting at a nearby picnic table with Garrett perched on the top, his feet braced on the bench next to his twin.

And Gina was there, standing on the far side of the yard in the shadows.

His shock must’ve shown on his face as Racy hurried down the steps and came to him. “When you called Gage, we rushed right here,” she said as if she had to explain their presence. “Landon went back to our place to tell Maggie the news. Is everything okay?”

“Ah, yeah, everything is fine.” Justin forced his gaze away from Gina to look at his sister. “Everything is great, actually. Jacoby wants to stay with me, and I want that, too.”

Cheers and clapping filled the air. Racy bent down and wrapped Jacoby in a big hug. Gage joined them and with everyone chatting at once, Justin slipped away to cross the yard.

“I want to talk to you,” he said to Gina, his voice low.

She avoided looking at him as she took a half step back. “I think we’re all talked out, but that’s wonderful news about you and Jacoby.”

He moved closer, invading her personal space. Keeping his back to everyone, he bent his head close to hers, his lips in the crown of her hair. “You know we need to talk.”

“You made it quite clear you’re not interested in anything I have to say.” Gina’s whispered reply blew hot on his neck. “We don’t have anything more to say to each other.”

She took another step and pushed at her hair, long and sleek this evening, moving it past one shoulder. That damn streak of pink caught and held his attention.

His insides twisted at the thought she was deliberately keeping the news of their child from him. Common sense told him this was the wrong place, the wrong time. Hell, she just took the test this afternoon, but he couldn’t leave it alone. Not until she told him the truth.

“Gina, it’s important—”

“So what’s the next step? Where do you go from here?”

Racy’s questions caused Justin to turn around. He faced everyone but stood angled next to Gina. If she tried to back away again she’d do it right into him.

“Aren’t you going to have to talk to…?” His sister continued, inclining her head toward Jacoby, who was now sitting next to Garrett on the top of the picnic table.

Justin nodded, his mind zooming in twenty different directions. She was referring to the Ellsworths. Yes, he needed to talk to them, but first things first. “Yeah, but I need to get myself a lawyer first. Tomorrow if possible.”

“We can help with that,” Gage said with a grin. “Our cousin Jennifer is a lawyer in Laramie. Her specialty is family law. If her schedule is full I’m sure she can recommend someone in her firm you can meet with right away.”

“And if you need someone to watch Jacoby, I’m available,” Giselle offered. “And I’ll even give up my usual hourly rate.”

“Nah, the squirt is going to want to hang with me,” Garrett said, reaching out to tickle Jacoby. “He needs to work on his skills at Space Blaster, huh?”

Jacoby laughed and wiggled from Garrett’s grasp. “No, the first thing we gotta do is get married! My dad and Gina are gonna have a baby!”

Silence fell over the yard.

A dull buzzing zoned in Gina’s ears. Her vision tunneled until everything around her was a hazy blur. All she saw was the little boy beaming at her with a goofy grin on his face and joy in his eyes.

Eyes so much like his father’s.

She whirled to find Justin staring at her, too, only his eyes were somber and serious.

When he’d come to her after announcing he would fight for Jacoby, Gina had fought to keep her feet planted in the cool grass. With every step he took, she wanted to back away. Wanted to kick herself for the way her body reacted to the sight of him, looking impossibly sexy in faded jeans and black collared polo shirt with the Blue Creek logo over his heart. Wanted to smooth the brown locks standing on end, knowing he must’ve been tearing his hair out until Jacoby was found. Wanted to fly into his arms the moment he spoke, but proud that she’d managed to declare she wasn’t interested in anything he had to say.

“What did he just say?” Gage’s tone was hard, the kindness gone from his face as he marched from the deck, heading straight for Gina.

No, he was gunning for Justin.

She held out her hand to stop him. “I’m not pregnant.”

“Sure you are!” Jacoby crowed.

“Gina, it’s okay. I know.” A warm hand cupped her elbow. She looked back, watching Justin pull something from his pocket. “I’ve seen the proof. And I think we should get married.”

Her mouth dropped. For a second she was glad he was holding on to her as his announcement sent her reeling.

“You what?”

“I’ll admit I’m flying by the seat of my pants here,” Justin’s gaze flickered from her to her family, then came back, reflecting hesitation but also a strong sense of purpose. “But I will not miss out on one day of being a father. Not this time. Not with this baby.”

This was crazy! She yanked from his touch. “There is no baby.”

“You’ll be a wonderful stepmother for Jacoby,” Justin continued speaking over her protest. “The cabin isn’t very big, but I’m sure Gage won’t mind if I add another room. It’s plain and practical at the moment, but I know you can make it a home…for all of us, for our family.”

All the right words for all the wrong reasons.

Gina had dreamed that one day Justin would ask her to share his life, but not this way. He didn’t love her. He was running on pure adrenaline after all he’d been through and the idea that their time together had created a baby had him teetering on the edge of an imaginary cliff.

“There will be no wedding,” Gina stated firmly, tearing her gaze from him to look at her brother and then her mother. The shocked expression on her pale face caused Gina’s stomach to take a nauseous roll. Wow, losing her dinner on Justin’s boots wouldn’t help her make her case.

She pulled in a deep breath and tried again. “I. Am. Not. Pregnant.”

“She’s right. I am.”

Everyone turned to look at Racy. She walked to Justin and pulled the stick from his grip. “This pregnancy test is mine.”

Turning to her husband, she smiled. “I’m the one who’s going to have a baby.”

“You are? We are?” Gage stammered. “But how— Why would Jacoby think—”

“I took the test today at Gina’s.” Racy laid a hand on her husband’s chest, moving closer as he encircled her in his arms. “I’ve been waiting for the best time to tell you, but things have been a bit hectic tonight.”

“But…it’s us?” Gage asked.

“Yes.” Racy rose on tiptoe and gave her husband a quick kiss. “It’s us, Daddy.”

Gage’s smile was wide as he wrapped Racy in a bear hug, but he immediately released her to lay a hand over her still-flat belly. Racy covered his hand with hers and nodded.

Gina turned away, blinking back the sting of tears at the loving gesture.

“Oh, this is wonderful news!” Sandy Steele clasped her hands together. “Let’s all go inside and celebrate! I’ve got freshly baked pies cooling in the kitchen.”

Gina sent her a grateful look, silently mouthing thank you as her mother hustled everyone back into the house, including Jacoby, who seemed just as happy his title was now cousin instead of big brother.

Silence fell over the yard again, as uncomfortable as before because she wasn’t alone out there. Justin hadn’t moved a step either.

With a jolt of awareness, Gina realized she never said a word of good wishes to her brother. “I didn’t even congratulate Gage.”

“Me neither,” Justin said. “Congratulate either of them, I mean.”

“Boy, from parents to aunt and uncle in a heartbeat.”

Her words sounded pathetic, but Gina felt powerless to stop them as they tumbled from her mouth. She cast a sideways look in Justin’s direction. The stunned expression in his eyes was mixed with a hint of—

Disappointment? No, that couldn’t be right.

She turned to him. “Why did you ever think I was pregnant?”

“Jacoby found the test stick in your bathroom and he heard you and Racy talking.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at her. “He said you were excited…he thought it was you…”

“And you assumed I was keeping the possibility of a child from you.”

Justin nodded. “Gina, I’m so—”

“Don’t say it.” She cut him off, putting more space between them. “I don’t need your apology.”

She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t stand here and listen to him express regret over the sweet words he’d spoken, because deep inside, she truly wanted everything Justin offered her. Except he forgot to include one thing, the part of himself she needed the most.

His heart.

“I wish you luck with Jacoby.” She started walking backward toward the deck. “Like I said before, you two belong together. I hope his grandparents or the judge—whoever you have to convince—can see that.”

“Gina—”

Her feet hit the steps and she stumbled. Justin reached out, but she righted herself before he could touch her. She scooted up the stairs, not stopping until she grabbed the door handle. “I’m going inside for a piece of pie and to celebrate with everyone. You should come in, too.”

Justin joined her with a hollow laugh, each step slow and measured. “Yeah. A celebration. Just what I’m in the mood for.”