She made a face, poking at his beard and shaking her head. “You need to shave,” she reminded him, and before he could say anything else, she walked away, leaving him with Karl, who was grumbling about not acting like he liked Liam. Jordie found it quite comical but held it in that he felt the same. He was sure that would bring attention to his feelings for Kacey.
“I swear, Karl King, I will hurt you,” she warned once more before disappearing into the living room. But instead of following her, Karl rolled his eyes.
He said, “Let’s go outside. I don’t like that dork and refuse to act like I do.”
Jordie chuckled as they started for the porch. When he saw the cooler he knew had drinks in it, he opened it. To his surprise, there was no beer, not that he was looking for it. He grabbed a pop before shutting the screen door and sitting across from his pseudofather.
Taking a cup off the table and pouring the drink into it, he took a swig and leaned back in his chair. Jordie grinned, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Where’s your beer?”
Karl shrugged. “Not drinking when one of mine doesn’t drink anymore.”
Jordie looked down, his heartstrings tightening as he nodded. “Didn’t know you cared that much.”
Karl laughed. “Oh, shut up. How ya feeling?”
Jordie nodded, meeting his gaze. “Alive.”
“Good, sobriety treating you good? I haven’t heard from you in a while.”
“It is,” Jordie admitted. “And I’m sorry, I’ve been training hard, trying to get ready.”
“You’ll be ready.”
“I damn well hope so.”
Karl nodded. “You will be.”
They shared a grin, toasting their drinks before both taking swigs. “Heard from your mom lately?”
Jordie swallowed hard. Karl knew his mother—they had gone to the same high school—but that didn’t stop him from thinking she was an idiot ninety percent of the time. “Nope.”
“Hear she’s getting married again?”
“Yeah, surprised she hasn’t invited me to another wedding.”
“Don’t go,” Karl said and Jordie nodded.
“I won’t.”
“Good.” He leaned down on his knees, looking across the fire at Jordie. “She’ll drive you to drinking again for sure.”
“Damn right,” Jordie agreed. “She doesn’t know about rehab.”
“’Cause she’s selfish, and even though it isn’t my place to apologize for her, I am sorry.”
“Thanks,” Jordie said, running his finger along the rim of the cup. “I don’t want it to bother me.”
“But it does because she’s your mom.”
“Yeah.” He nodded, his chest tightening as he looked up. “Sucks.”
“I know,” Karl said sadly. “But ya got me and Regina.”
“Thank God,” Jordie said, shooting him a grin.
Karl grinned back, but it dropped as he leaned his elbows against his knees again. “Now, explain to me what the hell this dweeb is doing with my daughter? I thought something was going on with you two.”
He wasn’t surprised by Karl’s question. Karl had always suspected that something was happening between Jordie and Kacey, especially when he learned of her staying with Jordie in Colorado. Letting out a long breath, Jordie shrugged before looking over his shoulder, his eyes falling on Kacey as she sat on the edge of Liam’s chair inside the house, forcing a smile. She was wearing jeans and a tee, looking undeniably sexy. Her hair brushed her shoulders, her lips were glossed, but her eyes didn’t hold the spark they used to.
The spark that meant she loved him.
He hadn’t seen it since she left his cabin almost nine months ago, and he yearned for it more than his next breath.
“I love her,” he said more to himself than to the father of the girl he was in love with. It was the first time he had said that out loud. Even when he spoke of Kacey to Natasha or even in group, he never admitted to loving her. He just said he cared a lot about her and that she was meant to be his. He was only slightly worried that Karl might jump over the fire and tear his throat out when he admitted the next part. Karl may think of Jordie as his, but he was ten times worse that Karson when it came to Kacey. She was his baby, but Jordie wouldn’t lie.
“But I messed up. Big-time. Broke her heart.”