“I’m good. How are you?”
“Good, busy,” she added with a laugh as the child moved on to a cabinet and began pulling out plastic bowls. “I’m married.”
“That’s great. I’m happy for you.”
She nodded, smiled again, and they were both silent.
“I’m glad you came by,” she finally said. “I’ve been wanting to say something to you and I just…I don’t know why I never did. Or I guess I do know. I was embarrassed, ashamed.”
“Rachel, you don’t need to—”
“No. I’m sorry, for what I said to you in your hospital room.” She glanced at his leg again. “It was a terrible thing to say and…I’ve regretted it.”
Her words were genuine and although he’d finally forgiven himself, he appreciated it. “I came to tell you the same thing.” His eyes met hers. “That I’m sorry.”
She nodded, accepting his words as well. “We were young. My reaction wasn’t exactly rational.” She looked down, then back up. “I wasn’t thinking of you, or about the baby. I was young and in love and thinking about getting my boyfriend back.” She paused and handed her son a wooden spoon from a drawer, getting a toothy grin. “You know, people thought I wasn’t with you because of your leg.”
“I never said that,” he said, meeting her eyes. “I told people we broke up.”
“We always broke up. No one believed we wouldn’t have gotten back together. I hated it. Hated that all of our friends believed that. It wouldn’t have made any difference to me. I hope you know that.”
He wasn’t a hundred percent sure he believed that, not of the girl she’d been back then, but maybe now. It didn’t matter anyway. “I’m fine. It took awhile, but I’m all good.”
She nodded slowly. “We both paid a price. I’ll never say it was for the best, but I am grateful for the life I have now, my son and my husband. If things hadn’t happened the way they did, I don’t know where I’d be, but I know I wouldn’t be here.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“I’d like to know you’re happy too.”
“I am.” He smiled, thinking of Paige, how she’d be in his arms in just a few short hours. “I spent a lot of time thinking I was happy, but…I guess it took me falling in love to know what real happiness felt like.”
“She’s a lucky girl.” Rachel covered his hand with her own. “You’ll be a great father. I always thought so, regardless of what I said.”
“I wasn’t sure but…she has a daughter. I love her too.” And he knew he wanted to have another child with Paige. More than one. Several.
There wasn’t much else to say. He didn’t plan on striking up a friendship, imagined he’d most likely never see her again.
Rachel gave him a quick hug. “Don’t let her get away.”
“I won’t.” He took one last look, then walked out and got in his truck.
With his pulse racing at the thought of seeing Paige, he drove toward his future. He thanked God for every second of his life. All these years he’d questioned his actions, spun around the never-ending wheel of what-ifs. Not anymore. It was this exact road that had brought him to Paige, and he was thankful for every twist and turn, every painful bump and barrier. He always would be.
Chapter 33
Fifteen minutes later, JT walked into his mother’s kitchen and was immediately assaulted with hugs and kisses. “Look at you,” his mother said, pulling back. “Two visits in two weeks? Why do I think you didn’t come to see me?”
He winked at his mother in answer. “It smells good in here.”
“We’re having a little get-together for your father’s birthday.”
“Oh. I forgot.” The date had never occurred to him.
“Don’t worry,” his mother said, patting his cheek. “You do what you came for.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He kissed her cheek and dashed upstairs. The next step in his plan was to take a shower. When that was done and he was dressed and freshly shaven, he returned to the kitchen.
“Hey, Liz.”
“Hey! Didn’t expect to see you here.” She wrapped him in a hug, then pulled back. “And not just here, but all dressed up and smelling like a flower.” She grinned, then studied him. “Does Paige know you’re in town?”
“No. I’m heading out there now. I decided to surprise her.” Because he wasn’t sure what her reaction would be and he didn’t want to give her too much time to think. To analyze. To worry.
A car door slammed outside. “She’s definitely going to be surprised.”
He didn’t even have time to question his sister before the side door leading into the kitchen opened again. He knelt just in time to catch Casey against his chest, her little arms wrapping around his neck.
“Jake! You came for dinner! I was just missing you.”
He held her tight, with his heart lodged securely in his throat. “I was just missing you too.”