As the days turned into weeks, Jensen bonded with Christopher. It became easier for me to stop worrying who he’d love the most, and realize how important it was for him to have both his parents close. It was obvious from the very beginning how much Jensen loved his son. He was like his light at the end of a very dark never-ending tunnel. As long as he had him his light would never dim again.
As for our relationship, I’d like to say we took our time, but who am I kidding? I couldn’t resist the things I knew he could do to me. I think in our first week back together we screwed more than I had in my whole life. We were like rabbits, humping whenever we got the opportunity. Before I’d always wanted to rest when it was naptime for Christopher, but now I was hunting down the handsome man who I’d been sharing a bed with.
When the weather was clear Jensen would venture out to chop wood and cleared a pathway for Ava to maneuver around. Once the satellite came back in, Christopher found a bunch of shows and characters to keep him occupied.
I kept up with the beautiful house we were living in, frequently checking on my cabin, but never really missing it. I think in many ways it represented a dormant time in my life. I’d always known from the moment I’d given birth that I’d have to leave, and now with time slipping away from me I knew a big decision was going to have to be made.
Since we were lower on the mountain I utilized the internet service at the house, researching properties closer to town. I contacted a realtor and set up a meeting for them to come check out the cabin to see if I’d be able to get a good amount of money for it, if I decided to sell.
I had money in the bank to live comfortably, but my priorities were different than before. I wondered if investing most of it in a new forever home would be the right decision. Christopher would need room to grow. He’d be in school and make friends he would probably want to bring over. I didn’t want him missing out because of my own selfish ways.
On most nights Jensen and I talked about a future. We tiptoed around the past as much as we could without making it awkward for either of us.
The next time Eve called to check on Jensen he told her how we’d come down from the cabin and been staying with him. Of course, she wanted to speak to me right away, assuming she’d been the one to set up us.
I remember sitting on Jensen’s lap when the call came in, and him handing me the phone quickly. He stuck his lips against my ear and tickled my lobe with his tongue while I answered the call.
“Hi, Eve.”
“It’s so good to hear your voice, love. I’m guessing things are going good for you. You don’t know how happy I am you two were able to connect. I knew from the first time I saw him on that computer screen you’d be smitten over each other.”
I smiled, while still being teased by Jensen. “Yeah, he’s pretty great.”
“How’s the baby? I suppose he’s growing up quick. I can’t wait to see him, but I’m not sure we’re going to make it to the house this year. Bob needs to have a double hip replacement and it’s just going to be too much. How is the house holding up? Jensen says it’s still good as new.”
“It is. Everything is going well.”
“So, are you excited about this new relationship, hun? Does Christopher like him?”
I don’t know what made me say it. Maybe it was the fact that I was so head over heels for him, or maybe it was because he was kissing on my neck, but the truth slipped out before I could catch myself. “Well, he is the child’s father, so yeah, he’s crazy about him.”
I watched as Jensen pulled away, suddenly realizing what I’d just done.
The line was quiet. “I’m sorry, love. I’m not sure I heard you right. Has Jensen offered to care for the boy as his own?”
I’d never felt like Eve was a threat, so I decided it was best for all of us if I just told her the truth. “No. Jensen is the man who saved me from the fire.”
I watched him get up and walk out of the room, knowing I was never going to hear the end of it when my conversation ended. “Are you telling me the same man you thought stole from me is living in my house right now? You have to get away from him, Amantha.”
“No. You’re wrong. Jensen wasn’t a part of those men. He came to town for a different reason.”
“Amantha, I need to go. Bob is calling me. I’ll call you back later on tonight. I need to hear all about this.”
“Okay, Eve. That sounds good. I have a lot to tell you.”
As soon as I hung up I sought out Jensen. He was upstairs in Christopher’s room pushing a toy car toward him. “We talked about telling Bob and Eve. I thought we agreed it was better if they didn’t know.”
“I trust them. They’ve been good to me. Besides, I don’t want people thinking you’re his step-father when you helped me make him. It’s not right.”
“What if you’re wrong about them? I could go to jail.”
“She’s calling me back tonight. I’ll explain everything. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
“I hope you’re right, Amantha. I really do.”
He didn’t talk to me for a few hours. I understood why he was upset with me. I shouldn’t have said anything to Eve without talking to him about it first.
It wasn’t until dinner that he finally settled down. We were sitting across from one another, Christopher between us. He had a tray full of green beans and was holding one in his hand.
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“It’s water under the bridge. I’m probably making a big deal out of nothing.”
“No, you’re right. I shouldn’t have done it without talking to you. We’re just, well we’re happy, and I don’t want to keep secrets from those who helped us along the way.”
He smiled. “We are happy, aren’t we.” It wasn’t a question. He was simply agreeing with me.
I nodded. “I am. It’s been a long time coming.”
“Yeah, it certainly has.”
“Earlier Eve mentioned them not being able to come this year. She said Bob has to have surgery on his knees. I was thinking maybe we could ask her if we’d be able to rent this place instead of having to leave. Christopher is still little. It would give us time to sell my cabin and look for something close to town. We wouldn’t be pressed to move.”
“I like that idea. It’s nice here. It’s a little big for my taste, but I’m not complaining. I just don’t have the money to pay for it.”
“I do.”
“Amantha, I can’t ask you to pay for our home. It’s my job.”
“There you go again with your old fashioned rules. Who says I can’t take care of us for the time being? I know when we move you’ll find a new job.”
“I’ll make it up to you,” he exclaimed. “After everything you’ve given me, I promise I will. I’m going to be there for this family.”
I smiled. We were an extraordinary story, so why not appreciate what had come out of so little? “I know.”
He reached his hand across the table and took mine. “I’m not going anywhere. I said this before, and I’ll say it again, the two of you are my life. I’ll do whatever I have to so you always know that.”
“I feel the same.” My reply was loaded with more than just reassurance. I was falling in love with him, more and more each day. How could I not? He was the father to my child. He’d thrown himself into our life without a single complaint. He’d proven over and over again how much we meant to him, and he’d vowed to stand by us no matter what. Jensen was the whole package, and I wasn’t about to let him get away. Conjuring up the courage to say those three words had been a struggle. Once I said them there were no take backs. Once they came out I’d be admitting this was where I belonged, and our intertwined pasts had brought us to this very point. Telling Jensen I loved him was like saying my family died for my happiness. It might not make sense to others, but it’s how it felt for me and Jensen too. We’d talked about how loaded the word was for each of us, and we’d vowed not to use it unless we were completely sure.
Even though he hadn’t said it to me, I believed in my heart that it was there, lingering. Maybe we weren’t at the same point, but both headed in the same direction.
I’d been in denial for far too long, determined to keep my emotions from leading me to a place I knew could destroy me later. But the time had come. I wanted him to hear it. He needed to know he wasn’t just the father to my child. In our weeks we’d been living together he’d become my future. “There’s something I want to say to you. I just need you to promise you won’t freak out.”
“I do. I swear.”
“Jensen, I…”
The sound of a motor caught both of our attention. Jensen held up his finger for me to wait and headed toward the front of the house. I remained next to Christopher to keep him from trying to climb out of his chair.
In a matter of minutes I heard chatter at the door, and then words I never could have anticipated.
Jensen Weatherly, you’re wanted for questioning in the arson and theft located at this property on December eighteenth two-thousand and …”
While he was being informed of the crimes committed, I rushed over and lifted Christopher out of his chair and made a beeline toward the front of the house. This couldn’t be happening. He was being falsely accused. Eve had promised to hear me out. “Wait, you’ve got it all wrong. He wasn’t involved.”
Two officers stood with annoyed faces glaring at me. “Ma’am, we wouldn’t have come out all this way if it wasn’t serious. This man is wanted for questioning in a case involving breaking an entering, arson and grand theft. He’s facing a lot of time if he’s guilty.”
“No. I was there that night. He saved me from the fire.”
Jensen’s eyes widened. “Amantha, don’t say anymore. I’ll figure this out. It’s going to be okay.”
Christopher flailed in my arms, screaming for his daddy to hold him. He didn’t understand why these men were taking his father away. “This is a mistake. You can’t do this.”
“We’re taking him down the station. You’re welcome to come down and contact a lawyer if you feel the need.”
Jensen stared at me, his eyes filling with pain and anguish. I didn’t know what to do. My heart was steady beating out of my chest as I watched him being escorted to the back of the police SUV.
Warm tears fell down my cheeks, while I contemplated how I should handle this. My future was being taken away from me, and without a solid lead on the men responsible, it was possible Jensen would be charged and sent to prison without the chance of being released.
This was a catastrophe and entirely my fault.
Chapter 20
The snow was too deep for me to get to the top of the mountain and dig out my truck. Besides it taking entirely too long, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to make it down the steep trails without getting stuck.
I headed into the garage where two vehicles sat. One was Jensen’s truck, and the other was the one that Bob and Eve kept to use when they visited.
I grabbed the keys off the holder and rushed toward Jensen’s vehicle, turning the ignition to see if it would start up. Then I looked around for something I could use as a makeshift car seat. Mine was still frozen inside of my truck, covered in a few feet of blown snow at the top of the mountain. The carport I’d had built didn’t keep it as clean as I would have hoped. After a few blistering storms I couldn’t even see it.
I took the seat that hooked to the kitchen table for Christopher and put it in the middle of the back. Once I had him fastened, I brought the belt through it and checked to make sure it was secure. It was important to keep him safe, no matter how slow I had to drive.
Bob and Eve’s house was right off the main road. As long as I could use the tracks the cops had made, I’d be able to make it to the police station in about forty minutes.
By the time we were both in the vehicle and the garage door was opening, the truck had heated. I ran back in the house and grabbed us both coats, and then Christopher’s diaper bag. When he peed in the cloth he had to be changed immediately or else he’d get a rash. While I was in town I’d pick up some disposables to hold us over until this situation was managed.
As much as I wanted to floor it, I knew I had to be careful. I clenched the steering wheel and started the long journey down the mountain to save the father of my child.
While he cried in the back, I remained focused. I didn’t know how we were going to get through this. As soon as I came to the first gas station I stopped and dug through the diaper bag, pulling out my cell phone that hadn’t been used in weeks. I closed my eyes and prayed it would still be charge when I powered it on.
I didn’t waste time checking to see how much time I’d have to talk. I quickly scrolled and found the number to their Florida house, holding it up to my ear and praying they’d pick up.
“Hello?”
“Bob, it’s Amantha.”
“Have the police come yet?”
“That’s why I’m calling. You’ve got it all wrong. Jensen didn’t rob you. He stumbled upon the fire and saved me. He didn’t even know those men.”
“Is that the story he told you? We’ve been on the phone with the authorities all day. Did you know Jensen was from Pennsylvania? Were you aware his wife died on the same day as your parents?”
“Yes. Not at first, but yes, I know.”
“The police say he dropped off the face of the earth for four years, only to resurface in the exact spot you were. They think he turned to a life of crime in order to get to you. He’s conning you, dear. We had to contact them. Eve knew you were in danger.”
“I’m not. Jensen isn’t that man. You have it all wrong. Please. You have to help me. He’s the father of my son. He didn’t steal from you or set your house on fire to cover it up. He’d never do that.”
“Amantha, Jensen was a fireman. He knows exactly how to start a fire to hide any evidence. You can’t really think he’s innocent. Too many things make sense.”
I cried, staring into the truck at the little boy who’d never understand why his daddy couldn’t come home. “No. It’s not true. He wasn’t with those men,” I argued.
“I’ve been talking to Eve. We’re going to send you money for two tickets to Florida. Come and stay with us until we know he’s out of our lives. We’ll help you in any way we can.”
Was this man seriously not listening to me? How was I supposed to convince them? “You are pressing charges against an innocent man.”
“Amantha, the police had pegged him for a dozen other crimes with the same ammo.”
“Bob, you can believe what you want, but I know Jensen isn’t responsible. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m sorry, but I’m hanging up now. I’ll make sure to leave your house as we left it once I can figure out how to free him. I appreciate you offering to help me, but you might have ruined my chance at happiness. I have to go try to save the man I love, before he gets locked up for crimes he had nothing to do with.”
I hung up the phone and immediately got back on my way. There was still a lot of miles to cover before I got to Anchorage.
Christopher fell asleep halfway there. His head bobbed up and down with each bump I went over. I’d cried while I drove, the whole time trying to figure out a way to prove his innocence. In less than a month I’d started building a real future with Jensen. I couldn’t let some mistake tear us apart when we were so close to having a real chance.
Dragging a sleeping kid out in the cold wasn’t my idea of a fun time. I knew he’d be grumpy all day, and since he wasn’t used to being around people, it was going to get ugly if we had to sit and wait anywhere.
I lugged everything inside the station, coming first to the front desk. I stated my name and was told to wait and someone would be with me shortly.
An hour went by and not a single person said a word to me. Christopher was getting antsy. I’d gotten him snacks, and even bought a bottle of water he ended up dumping all over himself. He didn’t want to play, and he certainly didn’
t want to talk to strange people who tried to get him to smile.
When I couldn’t take it anymore, I went to the front desk and demanded someone come and speak with me. Since I knew Jensen wasn’t guilty I kept going on about the innocent man they were holding in custody.
Finally an older police officer came out and called my name. I shot up out of my seat and hurried over, hoping I’d be escorted back to talk to Jensen.
“Ma’am, Mr. Weatherly is in the middle of an interrogation. It’s going to be a while before they’re done, and I’m afraid he won’t be allowed visitors, at least until they are finished with questioning him.”
“What? I need to see him.”
“Rules are rules. I’m sure you’ll hear from him when he is done.”
“He doesn’t know I’m here. We live an hour away.”
“Is there a place you could stay for the night?” I understood he was trying to offer me advice, though I hated considering taking it.
“Yeah. I’m friends with June at Anchorage Hill.”
“Leave me a number you can be reached at and I’ll make sure the investigators pass your whereabouts along.”
I wrote down my cell phone number on the back of a business card he provided me with. “Please make sure he gets this. He needs to know I’m here.”
“I’ll do my best, Ma’am.”
I didn’t leave right away. I swore as soon as I did they’d let him go and he wouldn’t have a way to get back to us. As the minutes turned into another half hour I knew I had to get my child out of there.
Frigid Affair Page 14
