by Deanna Chase
“Thank you,” he said.
“There’s no need for that.” She smiled softly at him. “I’m just doing what any friend would do after the day you’ve had.”
“You must have some really good friends.” He glanced into the back seat at his daughter and was comforted to see her sleeping peacefully.
“You know, I do. And so do you.”
He let out a sardonic laugh. “You just saw my friends. It’s possible I need new ones.”
“Well, you’ve got me.” She pulled her Mustang into his driveway and put the car in park. “And while things may be rocky with you and Brian, I think he’s probably a better friend than you’re giving him credit for.”
“Maybe,” Jacob said begrudgingly. Sienna had told him that Brian had been the one who’d insisted she come clean about Skye’s paternity. Judging by the way he’d looked at the little girl, that couldn’t have been easy for him if he’d first believed she was his child.
“I guess you’ll find out when he gets here.” Yvette climbed out of the car, and by the time she met him on the passenger side, he’d already freed Skye from the back seat.
Yvette led the way into his house, and while he was busy putting the baby down in the portable crib, she disappeared into the kitchen. After he was done changing and soothing his daughter, he met her in the kitchen and felt an overwhelming rush of gratitude as he watched her fix them dinner.
“I didn’t know if you were hungry, but I figured either way you’re going to need fuel.” She set a plate with a sandwich and a pile of chips in front of him and another one next to it.
Jacob sat on the stool and pulled her down to sit in his lap. “Thank you again.”
She pressed her hand to his cheek. “I’m just doing what friends do.”
“No, Yvette. This isn’t what my friends do. They’ve never done this. I’m grateful and overwhelmed, and I want to kiss you so bad right now it hurts.”
Her lips curved into a small smile. “Then kiss me.”
He cupped her cheek, caressing her cheekbone with his thumb. Then he leaned in and tenderly pressed his lips to hers. Emotion flooded him, and he poured every bit of himself into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Her hands tightened on his shoulders as she matched his intensity, giving herself over to him. They caressed and kissed and held each other. Jacob would’ve gladly stayed locked in her embrace for as long as she’d have him, but all too soon there was a knock on his door.
“Damn. I wasn’t finished here,” he whispered as he broke away. They were both a little winded and a lot worked up.
“It has to be Brian,” she said. And just like that, the spell that had fallen over them was broken.
“Right.” He gently nudged her off his lap and got up to answer the door.
Brian stood on the porch with his shoulders hunched and his back to Jacob as he stared out over the forest. Jacob stepped outside and joined him.
“Where’s Sienna?” Jacob asked.
“She’s with the healer in town. I’ll pick her up later and take her back to L.A. where her mother is,” Brian said, still staring out at the view.
“Not Aspen?”
“No. She’ll need to wait until there’s another opening at the clinic.”
Jacob frowned. “What clinic? Don’t you two live there?”
Brian turned to Jacob, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What gave you that idea?”
“She told me you two were opening an Enchanted Bliss flagship location and that you were moving there permanently.”
“Oh, man.” Brian ran a hand through his black hair and sighed. “She’s really off the rails this time.”
“So there’s no store in Aspen, and you definitely don’t live there?” Jacob asked.
“No store. And we don’t live there, or at least I don’t.”
“Okay, I think you’d better just start at the beginning, because clearly I have no idea what’s going on,” Jacob said. “Were you and Sienna together?”
Brian glanced at him, his face pinched. “Yes. Once after a drunken night when you were out of town.”
Jacob’s stomach turned. This was the first time he’d heard the truth straight from his best friend’s lips. “Just once?”
He swallowed. “Just once while you were still together.”
“I see. Maybe we better go inside,” Jacob said. “I’ll put a pot of coffee on and we can go from there.”
Brian nodded, and Jacob led the way into his house. Jacob started a pot of coffee and when Yvette appeared, he introduced her to his friend and made it clear that anything Brian had to say, he could say in front of her.
“All right,” Brian said.
After a few awkward minutes, the coffee was done and the three of them sat at Jacob’s table.
Brian cleared his throat and pierced Jacob with his steady gaze. “I just have to know one thing—did you know she’s sick?”
“Who? Sienna?” Jacob frowned. “What do you mean exactly?”
“Her mental state, Jacob. Did you know?” he asked.
“Did I know she’s unstable? No, I never guessed until today when she came in ranting about you and insisting I run out the back door. I never saw her behave that way while we were together. How long has this been going on?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know exactly. She can be good at hiding it as long as no one questions the lies she tells.”
Jacob felt the guilt crawl up the back of his throat. He’d never questioned Sienna on much of anything. It wasn’t what he wanted in a partner. She’d been free to go anywhere, see anyone, or buy anything she wanted without input from him. He’d never cared. But maybe that was the problem. He just hadn’t cared enough to realize there was one.
Brian wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, and while staring at the dark liquid, he said, “I owe you an apology, Jacob.” He glanced up, anguish lining his features. “That night with Sienna was a huge mistake. I knew it as soon as it was over and honestly, I wanted to pretend it had never happened.”
“But?” Jacob prompted.
“Sienna, she kept coming around, telling me how your relationship was falling apart and that she needed me to help her get out of it before you two got married. I kept telling her to just talk to you. She said she had but things were just getting worse. She had me believing you two were sleeping in separate bedrooms.” He took a sip of the coffee and set the cup back down on the table. “Then she came to me and said she was pregnant and there was no way it wasn’t mine.”
Yvette, who’d been as quiet as a church mouse since she’d taken a seat at the table, let out a tiny gasp.
Brian glanced at her. “Exactly. Up until six weeks ago, I was convinced Skye was my daughter.”
“Son of a…” Jacob closed his eyes and felt the other man’s pain slice through him. “Sienna said you were the one who urged her to get in contact with me. Is that true?”
He nodded, keeping his eyes averted. “She’s your daughter. You had to know.”
Jacob felt his eyes burn with emotion, but he didn’t let the tears fall. His voice was hoarse and barely audible when he forced out, “Thank you for that.”
Brian was silent for a long moment. Then he cleared his throat again and continued to explain everything that had happened. After Sienna had told Brian she was pregnant with his baby, he’d promised to be there for her; that he’d get her anything she needed; and that he’d be by her side through the entire process. At first, she’d seemed completely normal. But then as the pregnancy wore on, her behavior became more and more bizarre.
“I told her she had to start seeing a professional,” Brian said. “So she started seeing someone in Los Angeles. She was doing okay for a while, but after Skye was born, she was in bad shape. Postpartum combined with her other issues landed her in a facility in Aspen. That’s probably why she said we were opening a store there.”
“Goodness, the poor thing,” Yvette said. “That sounds rough.”
<
br /> Brian nodded. “She came back to L.A. about a month ago. She was better, but not ‘cured.’ She’s still in therapy and supposed to be taking mood stabilizers.”
“I assume she’s not taking her meds then,” Jacob said.
“Apparently not. At least that’s what she told the healer. Anyway, by the time Sienna returned home, I’d already realized that Skye wasn’t mine. And I swear, I really did consider contacting you, but I needed to talk to Sienna first. She admitted that she’d lied to me about you and a host of other things. When the smoke cleared, she wanted to be the one to tell you about Skye. And because she had been making good progress, the therapist thought it was a good idea. She knows she isn’t well, Jacob. It’s important that you know she only wants what’s best for Skye.”
“Is that why she was trying to get me to sell my house and move to a city where you two don’t live?” he asked, unable to control his frustration.
“I’m going to assume she did that because she loves her daughter and doesn’t want to lose her,” he said, sounding irritated and protective at the same time.
“Because she’s afraid I’m going to sue for custody,” Jacob said, filling in the blanks.
“No, brother. That’s not it at all. Sienna has her faults, but when it comes to the love of her daughter, it’s one hundred percent pure. She wants you to be in Skye’s life.”
“Okay, maybe you believe that, but she didn’t even tell me Skye might be mine. You had to be the one to figure it out. That’s just—”
“Jacob,” Brian said, cutting him off. “Sienna was here to offer you full custody of your daughter.”
“What?” Jacob stood, suddenly no longer able to sit at the table. He paced the length of the kitchen. “You can’t really be telling me that she was going to give up her daughter.”
Brian stayed seated as he watched Jacob move back and forth in the dining room. “She’s not well, Jacob. She wants what’s best for Skye.”
Jacob didn’t know how to process that information. He already knew he needed his daughter more than air. But he couldn’t imagine Sienna just signing away her rights to her child. That was truly insane. He paused and eyed Brian. And even as the words killed him, he forced out. “What about you? Is there a reason you’re not what’s best for her? Can’t you take care of Skye while Sienna is getting treatment?”
“Are you saying you don’t want full custody?” Brian asked, his eyes narrowed.
“No, that isn’t what I’m saying at all. I want my daughter here with me always. I just want to understand the rationale and Sienna’s mindset that would make her take such a drastic step.”
“You want the cards on the table?” Brian asked.
“Yes,” Jacob said. “All of them.”
“Fine.” Brian stood and started pacing just as Jacob had a few moments before. “Here’s the truth. Sienna and I aren’t a couple, and we never really were. We were sharing a house because of Skye, the little girl I thought was my daughter. I’ve been trying my damnedest to get Sienna help, but despite my best efforts, she seems to keep slipping. She knows it, too, so earlier this month, she went and got papers drafted that give you full custody.” Brian pulled a folded contract out of his jacket pocket. “She had the papers drawn up in front of her therapist, who testified that she was of sound mind. All you have to do is sign, and you’ll get full custody. The only thing she asks is that after she’s well again, she’d like to be a part of Skye’s life.”
Jacob’s hand shook as he took the papers from Brian and scanned them. The language was fairly standard. They were notarized and there was a letter attached from her therapist indicating that at the time that the papers were produced, Sienna wanted Jacob to have full custody. Jacob couldn’t sign fast enough.
But as he pulled out his pen, he once again caught the pain in Brian’s face and he set it back down. “Listen, man. I know how hard this must be for you.”
“It’s fine,” Brian said, though his expression betrayed him.
“No, it isn’t, brother.”
“Brother,” Brian repeated, almost to himself. Then he raised his gaze and met Jacob’s. “Brother’s forever, man.”
Jacob got up and indicated for Brian to follow him. They made their way into Skye’s bedroom where she lay sleeping peacefully in the crib.
Brian stood there watching her for a moment. Then he leaned down, kissed her on the head, and whispered, “I love you, baby girl. Be good for your dad. You’re lucky to have him.”
“She’s lucky she had you, Brian,” Jacob said. When his friend turned to look at him, he added, “Thank you for watching over her and Sienna. I can’t imagine where they’d be if you hadn’t been there.”
Brian shuffled his feet uncomfortably and then shrugged. “You’d have done the same for me.”
Jacob pulled his friend into a hug and felt all of his resentment melt away. Whatever had happened in the past, it didn’t matter now. Even though he hadn’t seen it, his friend had never left him in spirit, and Jacob wouldn’t ever leave him again.
When they broke the embrace, Jacob said, “I’m going to sign those papers today.”
“I figured you would. Will you stay here?”
“Yes.” Jacob glanced at his daughter. “It’s a good place to grow up.”
Brian nodded. “I know you always loved this place. Does the pretty brunette in the other room have anything to do with that decision?”
“Yes… and no,” Jacob said with a smile. Just this morning he’d thought he had to leave her and the town he’d grown to love. But now… he was on the verge of getting everything he ever wanted. “Listen, Brian, how do you feel about being Skye’s godfather?”
Brian, who’d been watching Skye sleep, jerked his head in Jacob’s direction. “Are you serious?”
“It’s obvious you love her. I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like to believe she was yours and then find out she wasn’t.”
“I think I always kinda knew but didn’t want to believe it.” Brian brushed her curls out of her face. “But then when I knew… I couldn’t do that to you or her.”
Jacob smiled. “So, how about it?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Yvette sat with Skye across from her in one of the client rooms at Faith’s soft opening for A Touch of Magic Day Spa. It was summer in Keating Hollow and the little girl had been in Jacob’s life for a little over six months now. That entire time, she’d been nothing but a happy bundle of joy. Even now as they played, she was waving a stuffed turtle in the air and making giggling noises as if Yvette was the most entertaining person in the world.
“There you are,” Jacob said from the doorway. “I was wondering what happened to my two best girls.”
“Your only girls, I hope,” Yvette said, smiling up at him.
“Well, there’s the pair of you and Ms. Betty.”
“Of course. You can’t forget Ms. Betty. Is she still downstairs trying to get Hunter to give her a pelvic message?”
Jacob shuddered. “Last I heard, yes. But better him than me. At least she hasn’t felt him up yet.”
“Yet being the operative word,” Yvette said.
Jacob got down on the floor and pulled Skye into his lap. The baby let out a loud cry of excitement. She turned in her father’s arms to wrap her little hands around his neck and plant a watery kiss on his mouth.
Yvette’s heart melted just like it did a million times a day when she saw them together. Jacob was the best dad, and the love between them was undeniable.
“I can’t believe you three left me down there,” Brian said as he strode into the room. “But I have to admit, hiding out while Ms. Betty is on a rampage is genius.” About a month after Jacob had taken custody of Skye, Brian had rented a place and moved to Keating Hollow. He now spent at least half his time at Jacob’s house and the two were as close as ever. Sienna was still working on herself, but she had been up to visit for two long weekends, an
d she and Jacob were making it work.
Skye heard Brian’s voice and squirmed, trying to reach for him. He bent down and pulled her out of Jacob’s arms. “I think my date is ready to make the rounds.” He glanced down at her. “What do you say, Miss Skye? Ready to go make all the women fawn all over you?”
“Do not try to use my daughter to pick up women again,” Jacob scolded, though the laugh lines around his eyes gave him away.
“I don’t use her for anything. Is it my fault the ladies in the town find us irresistible?” He winked and strolled out of the room with Skye on his hip, the two of them making googly eyes at each other.
“He’s a complete goner,” Yvette said and grinned at Jacob. “Just like you. She has both of you wrapped around her little finger.”
He snorted. “And what about you?” He glanced at the impressive pile of toys scattered around them. “I know at least a half-dozen of these are brand new. What do you do? Stock up on stuffed animals just to keep her entertained?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact I do,” she said with a laugh. “Skye is a sucker for stuffed animals.”
“And I’m a sucker for you.” Jacob stood and held out his hand, and when she grabbed it, he helped her to her feet. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“Okay, shoot. Is it something about the store?” Not long after Skye arrived, Jacob had stepped away from the bookstore, preferring to instead focus on being a stay-at-home dad. He was still a partner, and he and Yvette had regular meetings about what their plans were. But the day to day was all on her, which suited her just fine.
“Nope. Not the store.” He lifted his hand and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “I was thinking that I’d really like to have you in my bed every night and every morning.”
She laughed. “So, seventy-five percent of the time isn’t good enough for you?”
He shook his head. “No, love. And Skye feels the same way.”
Yvette narrowed her eyes at him. “Come on. She’s one. Besides, I doubt she cares one bit if I’m in your bed.”
