His Unexpected Return--A Fresh-Start Family Romance

by Jessica Keller

  “Are you hurt?” She found her voice. “What’s going on?” She couldn’t think of an illness that required bandaging like he had.

  Rhett’s nostrils flared. “And I’d go with the truth this time, if I were you.”

  Shannon stumbled in behind Rhett and Cassidy. She eased her way to the center of the room so she could position herself between them and Wade, her hands out toward both parties. “I can tell, if that would be easier.”

  Wade braced his arms on the sides of his chair and he scooted forward so he was on the edge. He winced and his body shuddered as he moved. It took all of Cassidy’s self-control not to rush over to him and help. Whatever had happened, he was clearly in a lot of pain.

  They had just texted. Why hadn’t he said how serious it was? This wasn’t some passing sickness. Something was clearly wrong.

  “I had surgery.” He gestured toward his throat.

  Cassidy let go of Rhett and stumbled forward a few steps. “When? Why?”

  Wade closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to get in to all of this.”

  Rhett crossed his arms. “Well, looks like you don’t have a choice.”

  “Cancer.” Wade whispered the word.

  “Cancer?” Cassidy’s voice shook along with her legs. The word rammed through her. It made her chest ache. She stumbled her way to stand in front of Wade and then she dropped to her knees on the floor. Shaking all over, she didn’t trust herself to stay standing. A wave of nausea rolled through her.

  Cancer.

  What if... What if...

  She couldn’t think it. She wouldn’t.

  In an attempt to focus, she placed a hand on Wade’s knee. “I don’t understand. You have cancer?”

  Why hadn’t he told them? That wasn’t something people kept to themselves. Didn’t he trust them? Trust her? Anger roiled inside of her chest. Hot and demanding justice. But fear had always been anger’s favorite companion and the word cancer caused a lot of fear.

  He started to nod but grimaced. “Thyroid cancer. But I had surgery last Friday.” His fingertips dug into the armrest. “It could be all gone. I could be fine. There’s no reason to worry and—”

  Rhett cleared his throat. “You had cancer and you didn’t tell us? What on earth were you thinking, Wade?” His voice got louder. “That’s something you tell people. That’s something you tell family. You need people around you when you’re going through something like that. You deprived us of even the ability to pray for you right now.”

  Wade kept his eyes on Cassidy. “I figured I caused everyone enough hurt five years ago. I didn’t want to do it again. They say this type has the highest survival rate, so I didn’t see the point of worrying anyone if a surgery was going to take care of it.”

  Rhett pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is the only reason you came home.” He dropped his hand to spear Wade with a glare. “You didn’t come home to try to make things right, you came home because you had cancer.”

  Cassidy was going to be sick. “You came here to get better and leave. Didn’t you?” She jerked her hand from Wade’s knee and cupped it over her mouth.

  He reached toward her but she leaned away from him. “Cass, please.” His green eyes swam with moisture. “Please don’t pull away, not over this.”

  Cassidy met his gaze and swallowed the burn of tears in her own throat. “Why else wouldn’t you have told me?”

  “You had so much on your shoulders.” He winced. It clearly hurt to talk but he pressed on. “And you said that having me around was hard enough and I didn’t want to complicate things more. I almost told you at the falls, but you told me you were afraid of something happening to me and—”

  Cassidy rose to her feet and took an unsteady step back. “So you took it upon yourself to keep something from me. Thinking you were protecting me—from what? The truth?”

  “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “Well, you failed because I’m definitely hurt.” She slammed her hand against her breastbone. “The only thing I need protection from is you and your endless belief that you know what’s best for everyone. You don’t, Wade. You’re clueless.”

  “Cassidy, I honestly thought it was for the best. You have to believe me.”

  “Right, just like you thought it was a nice thing to fake your death.”

  His eyes flashed with hurt. “That’s not fair.” His voice was strained.

  “Were you ever going to tell me? If we had kept going how we were, if we had gotten married—Wade, you would have married me and never told me you had cancer? That’s so messed up.”

  “Cassidy, please.” A tear slipped down his face.

  “You don’t love me.” She shook her head. How could she have been so blind? She had to look away from him. “You don’t do stuff like this to people you love. And you keep doing stuff like this.”

  “I do love you. I—”

  “I—I can’t do this.” She held up a hand, blocking his tears and his face. “I can’t be with you, Wade. I can’t be with someone I can’t trust.” She started to back away. Shannon looked between them as if she were watching a tennis match.

  Cassidy stilled her steps. There was one thing she needed to make sure he understood before she walked away. “For the record, this has nothing to do with you having cancer. If you had told me, I would have been there for you for the long haul. I would have held your hand the second you were out of surgery. They would have had to tear me from your side. The fact that you have cancer doesn’t change how I feel about you. The fact that you lied and continue to lie does.”

  Wade got to his feet. “It wasn’t like that.” Tears freely fell down his cheeks. “Please don’t do this. I need you.”

  “Clearly, you don’t.” Her voice shook as she asked, “Did you know you had cancer when you got here?”

  His gaze dipped away. “It was suspected.”

  “So you were diagnosed while you were here at the ranch surrounded by people who care about you?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “If it had been me, you would have been the first person I told. You would have been the person I went to for support. But you didn’t want that from me. You didn’t even want me to know.” Cassidy’s tears spilled over again. Hot angry trails. “I can’t do this, Wade. I can’t be with you if this is how it’s going to be.” She swept out of the room before he could say anything else.

  Rhett’s voice boomed in her wake. Something about Wade listening to him spill his guts and apologizing for not trusting him when all along Wade had been keeping this from him.

  Cassidy fled before she heard anything else.

  Chapter Twelve

  Wade wasn’t sleeping again. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw beautiful Cassidy swiping tears from her face. Tears he had caused. Her pain had been his fault.

  I can’t be with you.

  Maybe he should leave once he was healed. Fade away in their memory as a disappointment they used to know. Leaving had never been a part of his plan, but it seemed as if Wade was still only good for one thing.

  Letting down everyone he cared about.

  His chest ached at the thought of not being around his family. Of leaving the people he loved again.

  Leaving Piper.

  He felt sick.

  Even if it was for the best, he couldn’t walk away from his daughter. He never would.

  After the blowup, Rhett had insisted on moving Wade back into the Jarretts’ ranch house so they could take better care of him and keep an eye on his healing. Then Rhett had made a point of making himself scarce. Rhett was busy with the campers, but it was impossible not to feel as if Wade was being avoided intentionally.

  By Thursday, Wade could raise his arms to shoulder height with minimal pain and walk around without the muscles around his neck protesting too much. He had removed the ba
ndage on his neck, which had revealed a long thin line that ran across his throat. The incision was edged in red and the surrounding area was a wash of three different blues.

  They had set Wade’s recliner next to their mom’s and she, at least, had been excited to have Wade nearby. At different points during the day, she would reach over and take his hand and hold on to him. He stayed there beside her even though his legs were restless. Sometimes she would hum some of the songs she used to sing to the Jarrett children at bedtime. Wade tried to let her presence and love comfort him.

  Tried and failed.

  He had texted Cassidy seventeen times, called her twice and had Shannon deliver a note to her house. Nothing had been answered and the note came back unread. She wasn’t allowing Piper to come see him either.

  Wade had lost her for good. Maybe both of them.

  Cassidy would never want him back. Not after this.

  Shannon padded down the steps in her pajamas. “I have someone on the phone who wants to talk to you.”

  Hope flooded Wade’s veins. He reached for the phone and turned it toward him to be met with Boone’s face. Wade schooled his features. He didn’t want his brother to think he wasn’t happy to talk to him, but it was impossible not to be disappointed. For a second, he had thought it could be Cassidy.

  In the image, Boone hovered closer to the screen. “Shannon said to prepare myself for your Frankenstein scar but it really doesn’t look that bad. I kind of dig it. You can tell people a shark tried to take your head but you won. Do the whole you-think-this-is-bad-you-should-see-the-shark bit.” Boone scrubbed his hand over his grin. “Sorry. I probably should have started with something more along the lines of ‘How are you feeling?’”

  “Health-wise? A lot better. I have an appointment in Houston tomorrow to find out more.” Wade forced a smile. “I like the shark story though. I may use it.”

  Boone nodded. “Send me a text or email afterward. We’re praying for you here. Last night, even Hailey prayed for you at bedtime.”

  Wade cleared his throat. “It’s good to talk to you. I thought you might still have been mad at me.”

  Boone focused on something outside of the phone’s camera reach. “We’ve, ah—we’ve been dealing with some hard stuff here and I’m sorry I didn’t call. It wasn’t you.” He gazed back at the phone. His brow scrunched. “You got my email though, didn’t you?”

  “I did.” Wade shrugged. “But this is better.”

  Boone smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It is, isn’t it?”

  Shannon dropped down onto Wade’s armrest and pulled the phone so she was in the picture too. “Something’s going on. What are you not telling us?”

  Boone pressed his hand over his eyes. “In light of Wade getting in trouble for not sharing big things going on in his life, I’m going to go ahead and share something with you guys. June and I have been trying to have another baby. She’s always wanted a big family and if we wait until I’m out of divinity school, too much time will pass between Hailey and a sibling.”

  Shannon found Wade’s hand and squeezed it.

  On the other end of the line, Boone let out a loud breath. “We’ve had two miscarriages. The last one was two weeks ago and it’s been really difficult for us. It’s hard not to feel let down and forgotten by God, which I know is a horrible thing to say.”

  “Not horrible,” Shannon said. “Just honest. God values honesty.”

  Wade sat up straighter in his chair, the muscles along his shoulders pulling taut. He had to bite down on a hiss of pain. “Boone, I don’t know what to say. Let us know if there’s any way we can support you.”

  Shannon took the phone from Wade. “What this one means is we love the three of you so much. Thank you for telling us what’s going on. Our hearts are breaking with you guys. I know how much you loved those two sweet babies you never got to hold.”

  “Thank you. Both of you.” Boone ran his hand over his short-cropped hair. “That’s why you didn’t hear from us. We had turned inward while we were mourning but after I heard what happened with Wade, I knew I needed to tell everyone what we were dealing with too.”

  They visited with Boone for a few more minutes until Boone said he had a sermon to finish writing for one of his classes.

  “We can’t wait to see everyone at the wedding,” Boone said.

  “Counting the days.” Shannon waved to Boone. “See you guys soon!”

  Before Shannon headed outside for the day, she squeezed Wade’s hand and told him today would be a better day.

  He wished he could believe her.

  It was strange to think that when he had first returned home, he had thought his only desire would be to reconcile with his family. Now he had, but it still wasn’t enough. He wouldn’t be okay until he and Cassidy made peace.

  Whatever it ended up looking like.

  Wade spent the day praying for Boone and his family, praying for their mom and for Cassidy and Piper. Around lunchtime, he found a list of camper names Rhett must have left on the kitchen table and he started working his way down the list praying for each of them too. There wasn’t much else he could do around the house right now.

  His mom had spent most of the morning dozing but she stirred when he set a dirty bowl in the sink and it clanked loudly.

  “Sorry,” he whispered.

  She groped for her glasses on the side table. After she put them on, she rested her hands on her stomach and watched him. “I was hoping by now you wouldn’t look so sad.”

  Wade padded over from the kitchen. “The bruise looks worse than it feels.”

  His mom batted her hand. “I’m not talking about your neck. That’ll all mend quick enough. I’m talking about here.” She tapped her heart. “This is what needs healing.”

  Wade dropped into the chair beside her and stared up at the ceiling. “Don’t know, Mom. That might be unfixable.”

  “With God, all things are possible.” She swatted his arm. “I taught you that when you were knee-high. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”

  Wade sighed. “I don’t think I have this God stuff as figured out as I thought I did. I thought God wanted me to do this alone. It sounds stupid now when I say it out loud, but I thought He wanted me to prove my faith by soldiering through this trial mostly with only His support. But I did that and it made a mess out of everything.”

  She lowered her glasses to the tip of her nose so she could gaze at him over the top of them. “Let me see if I got this right. The God of the Bible tells us we only need the faith of a mustard seed and we can accomplish much, but for some reason you believed that same God told you to face a great trial on your own strength?”

  “Not on my strength, on God’s.”

  “Oh, Wade.” She chuckled in an it’s-cute-how-wrong-you-are sort of way. “You weren’t trusting God at all.”

  “Yes, I was. I prayed about it every day. I read my Bible. I... Why are you still laughing?”

  “Answer me this.” She held up a finger. “The night Jesus was arrested, did He go to the garden to pray alone or did He bring his friends?”

  “He didn’t bring all the disciples,” Wade said. “I know that much.”

  She pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully. “So when He faced a trial, He didn’t feel the need to go and tell everyone. That’s important too. I don’t think we need to share everything we face with everyone we meet. But He did tell his closest friends, right?”

  “His inner circle.”

  “Who did you tell?”

  Wade rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “Shannon.”

  “She alone makes up your inner circle?” His mom touched his shoulder. “Is she the only person in your life you trust to support you? If so, we need to work on that.”

  “I would say you’re all in my inner circle.” He held his hands palms up, studying t
hem as he talked because that seemed easier than meeting his mom’s probing gaze. “My family and Cassidy. Especially Cassidy.”

  “But you didn’t trust her in your hardest hour?”

  Wade sat up and swiveled toward his mom. “I wanted to protect her. She told me how hurt she was last time...”

  “Last time you lied to her?” She bobbed her head. “I don’t blame her. Not one bit. And here you are, lying to her again. I can understand why she wouldn’t want to deal with the possibility of that happening another time.”

  “No, I meant...” His words trailed off. It was about the lies, wasn’t it? Not something happening to him. She had said she was worried about him getting in a car accident and things like that, but the heart of it was that she was afraid if she opened up to him, he would hurt her again. And he only hurt her when he had lied and kept important things from her.

  Wade felt like the world’s biggest idiot.

  “Mom? I think I pushed her too far this time. She’ll never trust me again.” He dropped his head into his hands. “She has zero reason to.”

  He had disappointed the two people he had promised he never would—Cassidy and Piper. By his own hand, Wade had lost everything he cared about all over again. It was as if he was frantically paddling in the middle of an ocean storm once more, but this time no one had tossed a rope out to save him.

  He was alone in the water.

  All out of second chances.

  * * *

  “Mom, stop. Sit down. I’m going dizzy watching you.” Piper grabbed the television remote and hit the Off button. Never a fan of quick movements, Cloudstorm pounced off the back of the couch and scurried toward Piper’s bedroom.

  Cassidy stopped in her tracks. She had been pacing again, hadn’t she?

  Piper tucked the remote in its spot on the coffee table. “Are we still not talking to Dad?” She crossed her little arms over her chest. “I want to talk to Dad.”

  “He’s still healing, sweetheart.” Cassidy knew that was a true statement, but she also knew that wasn’t the reason why Piper hadn’t been able to visit Wade. Cassidy’s own pride and wounded heart made her want to keep Piper closer. She hadn’t spoken to Wade since their fight. For all she knew, he was planning to pack up and head out once his throat healed.