A Daddy for Jacoby

by Christyne Butler

  “Your mother’s?”

  “I guess Racy and Jacoby were there earlier today visiting Gina. Your boy seems quite attached to my sister.”

  “Would he even remember how to get there?” Justin asked.

  “In a town the size of Destiny? Besides, he could ask anyone for directions.”

  Justin remained silent.

  “Hello?”

  “Ah, yeah, you’re right. Jacoby really likes Gina.” Justin pushed the words past his dry throat. “I’ll go there now.”

  He tried to call Gina’s cell phone, but she didn’t pick up. Moments later, he pulled up to the curb and raced to the front porch. He knocked loudly and waited.

  Gina opened the door, surprise on her face. “Justin?”

  He could already tell but he asked anyway. “Is Jacoby here?”

  “No, why would you think—”

  “He’s run away.”

  His words changed the surprise on her face to shock and she reached for him. Justin backed away. He couldn’t let her touch him. If she did, he’d shatter into a million pieces.

  “Please, come in.” She stepped back and opened the door wider.

  “I can’t.” He started to back off the porch. “I need—I need to find him.”

  “Let me help,” she said. “I’ll go with you.”

  He stopped. “You don’t have to do that.”

  Gina grabbed a jacket off a nearby hook and stepped across the threshold. “Of course I do.”

  “Hey, sis,” Garrett appeared at the door as Gina started to close it. “Did I hear you say Jacoby’s missing?”

  Gina and Justin turned in unison. “Do you know anything?” Justin asked.

  Garrett shrugged. “It might be nothing, but I was just in the kitchen and I thought I saw a flash of light coming from the tree house in the backyard.”

  Gina went back inside and Justin was right behind her as they crossed the living room and headed for the dark kitchen.

  “How would Jacoby know about the tree house?” Gina asked.

  “I told him,” Garrett said, joining them at the back door. “See? Right there.”

  Justin saw the quick beam of light reflecting off the newly budded tree branches. He reached for the doorknob, but Gina stopped him, covering his hand with hers. His skin tingled with awareness at her touch, and they both sprang apart.

  “L-let me go first.” Gina’s voice came out a shaky whisper. “We don’t want to scare him, if it is him.”

  Justin nodded and stepped back.

  Gina went outside first, crossed the large back deck and hurried down the steps to the grass. The tree house was among a cluster of trees in the corner of the yard. She reached the wooden ladder that rested against the base of the tree, then turned and waved at him.

  His heart in his throat, Justin bolted from the house and was by her side seconds later. She placed her fingers to her lips and started to climb the ladder.

  “Hey, there,” she said when she reached the top, her head and shoulders now inside the wooden structure. “Do you have the secret password to be in the Steele family tree house?”

  Justin held his breath. Then he watched as she maneuvered one hand back down to her side and gave him the thumbs-up sign. Slumping against the rough bark of the tree, he pressed his fingertips hard against his closed eyes.

  Jacoby was up there.

  He wiped at the wetness on his face and dug out his cell phone. Stepping away, he called Gage and passed along the news, catching him before he pulled into the inn’s parking lot. Gage promised to let Racy and Landon know.

  Justin ended the call and moved back to the ladder, listening to Gina talk to his son. He couldn’t make out her words, but her love and concern for the boy were evident.

  From the first moment she’d met Jacoby, she’d always put his needs and wants first, whether it was making sure he washed his hands or finding out the real reason he was scared to sleep in his new bed.

  How could he have accused her of not understanding—

  He looked up when the ladder creaked. Gina started to climb down and his hands itched to circle her waist to guide her to the ground, but he doubted Gina would welcome his touch.

  Not anymore.

  She stepped off the last rung and turned to him. “He’ll talk to you now.”

  “I don’t know what to say to him.”

  “Yes, you do.” Gina laid her hand on his chest. “Just listen to him and tell him what’s in your heart.”

  Justin clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. He settled instead for the warmth of her touch through his shirt before she suddenly dropped her hand and stepped away.

  He climbed the ladder, his shoulders a tight squeeze as he made his way through the opening. He found his son sitting in the far corner on a sleeping bag, his pillowcase at his feet and his teddy bear clutched to his chest.

  “Jacoby? Can I come in?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jacoby hoped his dad wasn’t mad.

  He didn’t look mad. He looked worried.

  Just like Gina said.

  Jacoby nodded and watched his dad climb inside, hitting his head on the ceiling as he sat, bow-legged, the tree house too short for his long legs.

  “Are you okay?” his dad asked. “You’re not hurt?”

  Jacoby looked down at his bear and shook his head.

  “You know, you’ve got a lot of people worried about you.”

  He nodded.

  “Your uncle Gage, aunt Racy and Landon, Anna’s step-daddy, and I have been looking all over town for you.”

  Jacoby nodded again. Gina had already told him all this, but he figured his dad was going to say it, too. He knew it was wrong to run away, but he didn’t know what else to do.

  He hadn’t planned to go that far, just hide until he left town. If his dad still didn’t want him after that, and Jacoby figured he didn’t, he’d find someplace else to live.

  “I was worried about you.”

  The soft way his dad spoke made him look up.

  Did he mean it? If he did, why did he want him to go live with his grandparents?

  “When I realized you’d left Aunt Racy’s house I…I got really scared. Scared I’d never see you again.”

  “It’s not fun to be scared.”

  Justin shook his head. “No, not fun at all.”

  “Is that why you want me to go live with them? Grandpa Richard and Grandma Liz? So you won’t have to be scared about me anymore?”

  Justin shifted closer. “I think I’ll always be a little scared when you’re out of my sight, even when you’re all grown up.”

  Wow. “Why?”

  “Because you’re my son.” Justin ruffled Jacoby’s hair. “I love you and I want you to stay.”

  “You do?”

  “Very much, but I also need to do what’s best for you. I know it’s been a little rough for you being here with me. Those nightmares you’ve been having must be scary, too.”

  Jacoby nodded. “I don’t like ’em.”

  “Maybe they’d go away if you talked to someone about them.”

  “Like you?”

  Justin nodded. “Sure, or maybe we could ask your doctor if he knows anyone who might help you feel better.”

  “Okay, but I don’t want to live with Grandpa Richard and Grandma Liz. Their house is cool, but please don’t make me leave,” Jacoby pleaded. “I mean, I like ’em, but I love my school. I’ll do better, I swear. And I love my baseball team. I even caught a fly ball for the first time this week and I love my room now. It’s not scary at all. And Daddy, I love you. Most of all.”

  His dad scrubbed a hand across his mouth, then spread his arms wide. “Come here, son.”

  Jacoby launched himself at his father. His dad squeezed him tight and it felt good. Felt safe. Like nothing and no one would ever hurt him again.

  He always thought crying was for sissies, but his dad had said it was okay to cry if he wanted to. He’d thought he’d used al
l his tears when he learned about his mom, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from getting wet.

  He buried his face in his father’s shirt. “I know my mom didn’t want me and then I thought you didn’t want me anymore either. Please say I can stay. I’ll be good, I promise. I think Gina is super and I’ll even play nice with the new baby.”

  Justin stilled.

  His unhinged panic at finding Jacoby safe had abated, but with one single word the emotion was back, pounding at his temple as he tried to absorb what Jacoby said.

  Baby? Did he hear correctly? Had Jacoby said Gina was pregnant?

  He leaned back to look at his son. “A baby?”

  Jacoby nodded. “And I don’t care if it’s a baby brother or sister. I’ll share all my toys. Except Clem.” He hugged his bear tight. “He’s mine.”

  Justin still couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea.

  Gina pregnant? It was impossible.

  Okay, it wasn’t impossible. It’d only been a little over two weeks since their night together. Justin’s mind flew back to the first time they’d made love and twice more when they’d reached for each other during the night. He was sure he’d take the time—each time—to protect them both.

  Pregnant?

  “You still want me, don’tcha, Dad?”

  The uncertainty in his son’s voice pulled Justin from the memory. “Of course I want you. I love you, Jacoby.” He hugged him close, rubbing his back until the boy relaxed against him. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you with me.”

  Whatever it takes.

  Justin realized he needed a lot of help, most of it legal. He had no idea what it took to maintain physical custody of his son, but he was going to find out first thing in the morning.

  But right now, he had to talk to Gina. Had to find out why she didn’t tell him—

  He placed one finger beneath Jacoby’s chin and gently pressed so the boy would look at him. “Hey, how did you find out the bab—about Gina?”

  Justin’s eyes had adjusted to the dark so it was easy to read the guilty expression on the boy’s face.

  “I heard her tell Aunt Racy today. They were talking in Gina’s bedroom.”

  “Maybe they were just talking about babies in general.”

  Jacoby shook his head and crawled off Justin’s lap. He rooted around inside his pillowcase for a moment. Then he pulled something out.

  Justin took the item from Jacoby’s outstretched hand, turning the plastic piece over in his hands. “What’s this?”

  Jacoby grabbed the flashlight. Before he could shine it on the object, an outside light, probably from the back deck, lit the inside of the tree house, allowing Justin to see what he was holding.

  A home pregnancy test. With a positive result.

  Talk about a kick to the gut. Why hadn’t Gina said anything to him about the possibility they might’ve created a baby together? She must’ve suspected something, otherwise she wouldn’t have bought the test.

  “Where did you get this?”

  “From Gina’s bathroom. After she told Aunt Racy about the baby. I found it on the floor, behind the garbage can.”

  She’d thrown it away? Why would she do that? Wait—

  “How do you know what this is?” Justin waved the test stick in the air.

  “My mom used to take them all the time.”

  “Why did you keep it instead of throwing it away?”

  “My mom said it was proof that she was telling the truth.” Jacoby shrugged. “Not that Gina lies.”

  She hadn’t told the truth yet, either.

  Justin tucked the stick in his jacket pocket. Then he sucked in a shallow breath, the best he could do at the moment, and let it out with a loud whoosh.

  “So, what do you say we head home? It’s past your bedtime and you’ve got school tomorrow.”

  “Are you going to tell Gina I told you?”

  If she doesn’t come to me first. “When I get the chance to talk to her, she’ll probably want to know where I heard…” His voice faded as a thought sprang to his mind. “Did she—Was Gina upset? About the baby?”

  “No, she sounded really excited.”

  Excited?

  Justin wanted desperately to look out one of the small windows of the tree house to see if Gina was still standing in the yard. It was quiet, so he guessed she’d gone back inside to give him and Jacoby some privacy.

  How was he going to look at her and not ask her the truth?

  “Dad? Are we going now?”

  “Sure, come on.”

  Justin left first because he was right in front of the doorway. Reaching the ground, he helped Jacoby, taking the pillowcase but allowing him to hold on to his stuffed bear. Once Jacoby was safely off the ladder, Justin noticed they weren’t alone.

  Racy and Gage stood silently on the deck with Gage’s mother. Giselle was sitting at a nearby picnic table with Garrett perched on the top, his feet braced on the bench next to his twin.

  And Gina was there, standing on the far side of the yard in the shadows.

  His shock must’ve shown on his face as Racy hurried down the steps and came to him. “When you called Gage, we rushed right here,” she said as if she had to explain their presence. “Landon went back to our place to tell Maggie the news. Is everything okay?”

  “Ah, yeah, everything is fine.” Justin forced his gaze away from Gina to look at his sister. “Everything is great, actually. Jacoby wants to stay with me, and I want that, too.”

  Cheers and clapping filled the air. Racy bent down and wrapped Jacoby in a big hug. Gage joined them and with everyone chatting at once, Justin slipped away to cross the yard.

  “I want to talk to you,” he said to Gina, his voice low.

  She avoided looking at him as she took a half step back. “I think we’re all talked out, but that’s wonderful news about you and Jacoby.”

  He moved closer, invading her personal space. Keeping his back to everyone, he bent his head close to hers, his lips in the crown of her hair. “You know we need to talk.”

  “You made it quite clear you’re not interested in anything I have to say.” Gina’s whispered reply blew hot on his neck. “We don’t have anything more to say to each other.”

  She took another step and pushed at her hair, long and sleek this evening, moving it past one shoulder. That damn streak of pink caught and held his attention.

  His insides twisted at the thought she was deliberately keeping the news of their child from him. Common sense told him this was the wrong place, the wrong time. Hell, she just took the test this afternoon, but he couldn’t leave it alone. Not until she told him the truth.

  “Gina, it’s important—”

  “So what’s the next step? Where do you go from here?”

  Racy’s questions caused Justin to turn around. He faced everyone but stood angled next to Gina. If she tried to back away again she’d do it right into him.

  “Aren’t you going to have to talk to…?” His sister continued, inclining her head toward Jacoby, who was now sitting next to Garrett on the top of the picnic table.

  Justin nodded, his mind zooming in twenty different directions. She was referring to the Ellsworths. Yes, he needed to talk to them, but first things first. “Yeah, but I need to get myself a lawyer first. Tomorrow if possible.”

  “We can help with that,” Gage said with a grin. “Our cousin Jennifer is a lawyer in Laramie. Her specialty is family law. If her schedule is full I’m sure she can recommend someone in her firm you can meet with right away.”

  “And if you need someone to watch Jacoby, I’m available,” Giselle offered. “And I’ll even give up my usual hourly rate.”

  “Nah, the squirt is going to want to hang with me,” Garrett said, reaching out to tickle Jacoby. “He needs to work on his skills at Space Blaster, huh?”

  Jacoby laughed and wiggled from Garrett’s grasp. “No, the first thing we gotta do is get married! My dad and Gina are gonna have a baby!”

  Sil
ence fell over the yard.

  A dull buzzing zoned in Gina’s ears. Her vision tunneled until everything around her was a hazy blur. All she saw was the little boy beaming at her with a goofy grin on his face and joy in his eyes.

  Eyes so much like his father’s.

  She whirled to find Justin staring at her, too, only his eyes were somber and serious.

  When he’d come to her after announcing he would fight for Jacoby, Gina had fought to keep her feet planted in the cool grass. With every step he took, she wanted to back away. Wanted to kick herself for the way her body reacted to the sight of him, looking impossibly sexy in faded jeans and black collared polo shirt with the Blue Creek logo over his heart. Wanted to smooth the brown locks standing on end, knowing he must’ve been tearing his hair out until Jacoby was found. Wanted to fly into his arms the moment he spoke, but proud that she’d managed to declare she wasn’t interested in anything he had to say.

  “What did he just say?” Gage’s tone was hard, the kindness gone from his face as he marched from the deck, heading straight for Gina.

  No, he was gunning for Justin.

  She held out her hand to stop him. “I’m not pregnant.”

  “Sure you are!” Jacoby crowed.

  “Gina, it’s okay. I know.” A warm hand cupped her elbow. She looked back, watching Justin pull something from his pocket. “I’ve seen the proof. And I think we should get married.”

  Her mouth dropped. For a second she was glad he was holding on to her as his announcement sent her reeling.

  “You what?”

  “I’ll admit I’m flying by the seat of my pants here,” Justin’s gaze flickered from her to her family, then came back, reflecting hesitation but also a strong sense of purpose. “But I will not miss out on one day of being a father. Not this time. Not with this baby.”

  This was crazy! She yanked from his touch. “There is no baby.”

  “You’ll be a wonderful stepmother for Jacoby,” Justin continued speaking over her protest. “The cabin isn’t very big, but I’m sure Gage won’t mind if I add another room. It’s plain and practical at the moment, but I know you can make it a home…for all of us, for our family.”

  All the right words for all the wrong reasons.