by Hanna Hart
But June was a different story. He was hurt by her lie, but could he get over it?
It would be hard, the first few visits to see her again or to spend time with Ember and know that he could have been doing that for years.
“Let me put it this way,” Kennedy began. “What if you only got to love one person your whole life? What if this was all the love you ever got—would you quit on that love when things got hard?”
Bennett raised his brows, considering it.
“Of course, you wouldn’t!” Kennedy insisted. “You’d try as hard as you could to make it work. You wouldn’t just toss her aside because there was a bump in the road. Face it, Bennett. There’s a reason why you and June keep coming back together. You were meant to be together, and the fact that you are now officially a family proves that.”
He smiled. She was young, but she certainly had a point.
“I love June,” he said. “You know I love her.”
It was the truth. No matter how angry he was with her, he couldn’t rid himself of the love that had resurfaced over the last couple of months. She ran through him like blood—she was a part of him.
“Do you think you can forgive her?” his sister asked.
“Yes,” he nodded.
“And do you want to be with her forever?”
He didn’t hesitate this time. “Yes,” he said. “I do.”
“Good.” Kennedy gave a broad smile. She raised both brows and cocked her head to the side as she said, “Then the only question left is...what the heck are you still doing here?”
Chapter Eighteen
June
Life without Bennett was long. It hadn't been more than a couple of days since she left the ranch, and yet her heart was aching.
He called Ember often, but his interactions with June were nothing more than cordial. There were several occasions when she wanted to ask him what was going on between them or how he was feeling, but she didn’t want to push him the way he’d pushed her all of those years ago.
The most she said was, “I’m here to talk when you’re ready,” to which he politely thanked her.
June wasn’t the only one who missed Bennett. Despite receiving calls from him regularly, Ember lamented her desire to go back to the ranch.
“Mama, I'm bored,” Ember said, twisting her body on the sofa at an awkward angle.
“I know, honey. But you're going to be at your Aunt Megan's soon. Mommy has to work tonight,” she said quietly.
“When do we get to see Bennett?” her daughter asked, posing curious eyes at her.
“I'm sure he'll be calling you soon,” June said primly, not wanting to expand on the subject. It was times like these that she was grateful for Ember’s age. She was old enough to understand concepts and feelings, but young enough not to notice when two people weren’t getting along.
“I love him,” Ember said in a childish way that broke June’s heart.
“I love him too,” June said as she snuggled in next to her daughter on the couch.
Ember crossed her arms petulantly. “Where is he, then?”
“He has a ranch to run, sweetheart. It keeps him busy.”
“Not too busy for me!”
“No, of course not,” she smiled.
“Then he shouldn't be too busy for you, either, Mama,” Ember said.
June closed her eyes. She didn’t want Ember to see her upset so she took a long pull of breath before exhaling slowly, calming herself down.
While Ember heard from Bennett regularly, she hadn’t heard from Lincoln since before they left for Montana. June texted him when she was back in Texas in case he wanted to visit or resume his weekends with the girl he had helped raise, but she heard no response.
“Well, I know Aunt Megan has a lot of exciting plans for you guys tonight. You always have fun with her, right?”
Ember shrugged and announced, “I just miss the ranch so, so, so much!” in an over-dramatic fashion.
“I think somebody just misses not having to be in school every day,” June teased.
“No,” Ember said, giving her mother the side-eye.
June reached her hands down and began tickling her daughter’s sides, eliciting a long, squealing laugh from the girl. “No?” June asked, and Ember continued to laugh.
As she tickled her, the doorbell rang, chiming in two places through their tiny apartment.
“That's your aunt!” June announced, trying to sound chipper.
“No,” Ember whined, flopping backward on the couch.
“Yes! And you'd better be a good girl tonight, alright?”
“I want to stay home with you,” Ember pleaded, but the truth was June couldn’t afford to skip any more work. She had gone to Bennett’s with the idea that she probably wouldn’t be coming back to Texas long-term, so her job stability hadn’t mattered much to her then, but it mattered to her now.
“I'm not staying home; I'm going to work. But you and I can do something really fun tomorrow morning, okay?” she bargained.
“Okay,” Ember sighed.
“Now, go get your backpack,” she instructed as she opened the front door.
June jumped, startled to see not her sister, but Bennett, standing in front of her. “Hey,” she said, surprised.
“Hey,” he said hurriedly. “Sorry I didn't call.”
“No, no call necessary,” she said, stepping out onto the front landing.
“Can I talk to you? Do you have a minute?” he asked.
June looked inside the house and then back at Bennett nervously. “I'm just on my way out to work,” she explained. She knew she couldn’t afford to take any more time off of work, but she desperately wanted to ditch her shift and hear what Bennett had to say.
The look of disappointment was clear across Bennett’s face as he shifted awkwardly and said, “Oh, okay. Well...”
“No, forget it,” she said quickly. “I can be late. Let’s talk, please.”
June’s adrenaline was through the roof. She didn’t know whether to be happy or sad or scared or excited, but her whole body was buzzing with anticipation.
Before Bennett had the chance to tell her whatever it was he came all this way to say, Megan pulled up in front of the apartment complex.
Bennett turned around to look at the gray car and they both watched as Megan parked and got out of the driver’s seat. She gave them a curious look as she came up the driveway.
June hadn’t been entirely forthcoming with Megan about her time at the ranch, namely her unsettling conversation with Bennett, but she suspected Megan had wondered if the two were on the rocks.
“Hey, guys,” her sister said as she came up the walkway. She nodded toward Bennett as she greeted, “Bennett, didn't know you were in town.”
“Yeah, I'm back for a little while,” he said casually, and June’s heart leaped. “How’ve you been?”
“Good,” Megan said quickly. “Just here to pick up my little partner in crime.”
At hearing her aunt’s voice, Ember pushed the screen door open and looked down the staircase. She made a b-line for Megan but was startled to see Bennett on their small landing. He knelt to her level and the two hugged as if they were two magnets snapping into place.
“Bennett!” Ember squealed. “You came back!”
“Aw, I couldn’t stay away from you! I told you I'd be back, kiddo. How's school? What's the news?” he said excitedly.
“Schools okay,” she shrugged. “But it's boring here without you.”
He looked up at June and smiled. “Funny,” he said, still meeting June’s eyes. “I was thinking the same thing.”
June’s heart began to race. She smiled back at him and desperately wanted to be alone so that they would talk.
“Mama, can I stay with Bennett tonight?”
“Hello,” Megan said, raising her hand comically, “I guess my name is chopped liver!”
The adults laughed, but June was feeling sick to her stomach. “Mommy just has to talk to Benne
tt for a minute. Do you think you can go sit with Aunt Megan for a bit?”
“Aw, okay,” Ember said.
“Okay, thank you,” June said.
Megan took Ember’s hand and walked her back into the house. She gave June a look that asked, “are you okay?” and June nodded.
Once they were out of sight, June descended her apartment staircase with Bennett, who immediately slipped his hand into hers—his way of telling her that everything was going to be okay.
The two of them walked around the apartment complex, circling the flower garden out back.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I missed you,” he confirmed, and her heart lilted.
“I missed you too,” she said, relief flooding her voice.
Bennett looked her over and nodded slowly as he admitted, “I needed time to think, and I appreciate you giving me that time.”
“And I appreciate that you didn't forget about Ember while you did,” she said and couldn’t have been more grateful.
Even when he was upset with June, he still made Ember his priority. He wanted to be the best father he could to her, even if she didn’t know the truth about who he was—yet.
He called her every day, sometimes multiple times, to show her Apricot and ask her how school was or wish her a good day. He was always cordial with June and more than friendly with their child. It was hardly a small gesture—it was huge.
Lincoln had been a part of Ember’s life since she was still in the womb, and the moment that he left their lives, he didn’t look back. He hadn’t been moved by fatherly affection for Ember once he left. He was just gone, and she didn’t want that for her daughter. Ember deserved more. She deserved Bennett.
“I could never forget about Ember,” he said with a smile. “She's...part of me. You're part of me, too, June. No matter where my life takes me, it always seems to lead back to you.”
“Is this a long-winded way of telling me that you've forgiven me?” she asked brightly.
Bennett looked down at their clasped hands. He furrowed his brows briefly, seeming lost in thought as he said, “It's a hard pill to swallow—knowing I could have been in her life all this time. I'm not gonna lie, it hurts, June.”
“I know,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“But you know what? It doesn't hurt as much as being without you does. I wish things had been different,” he said helplessly. “But maybe you’re right. Maybe if you had told me back then, we wouldn’t have lasted. Maybe we would never have had a real chance at being together, and if our lives had to take us on separate paths to lead us to where we are now, then...I guess I have to be okay with that.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears as he spoke. She wiped at them with her free hand, willing herself not to burst into appreciative sobs.
“I love you, June,” he said. “I lost you twice before, and I don’t think my heart could take it if I lost you again.”
She nodded. “I love you too, Bennett. I want to come home.”
He posed curious eyes at her, then smiled warmly as she confirmed, “To Montana.”
“Montana wants you home, too,” he smiled. “Say the word, and I'll book a flight. If you ask nicely, I may even help you pack.”
“You're sure you’re okay?” she asked. “That we’re okay?”
“I'm better than okay,” he said. “I have you, and I have Ember. I have a family, and I can't wait to start our lives together.”
Epilogue
Bennett
“Are you ready?” June asked, wrapping her arms around Bennett’s neck and pulling him into a hug.
He could feel her heart racing against her chest, and he wondered if she could feel his, too.
June and Ember had been at the ranch for three months, and things were going well. Perfect, actually, or as close to it as was humanly possible. Bennett couldn’t believe the love he felt for June and their little girl.
They had all been living at his mini-mansion in the country, and things had gotten serious between them. So serious that Bennett was going to ask June to marry him—but not until they told Ember the truth about her paternity.
“I'm ready,” he said nervously, squeezing June in his arms.
“This is going to be a really big...surprise to her,” June said quietly.
“And I have a surprise for you after if it all goes well,” he teased.
June raised a brow and leaned up to kiss him. “Is that right?”
“I was talking to Ember earlier today and I told her that if she's happy with what we have to tell her later to give you your surprise,” he smiled.
“So, my present is riding on whether or not Ember approves of what we have to tell her?” she asked, and he offered her a playful shrug.
“Pretty much, yeah,” he said.
June shook her head. She smiled, then went somber and looked up at him with concern. “Bennett, I am so nervous.”
“It's going to be okay. I'm pretty sure I've won her over,” he said, rubbing her arms. “We’ve got nothing to worry about. We love her, and that’s all that matters.”
More than winning her over, it was important for Bennett to build a reputation with Ember. He wanted to be a consistent part of her life. He wanted her to know that no matter what happened, he would always be there for her and have her best interest at heart.
The two walked over to the living room where Ember was sitting. Bennett took a seat next to her on the couch, and June sat in the chair across from them.
June wrung her hands nervously as she spoke, “So, honey, we wanted to talk to you about something, and it's important.”
“We're not moving again, are we?” Ember asked adorably.
June laughed. “No, baby.”
“Oh, good,” Ember said with an exaggerated, ‘whew!’, then asked, “Are we getting a dog?”
Bennett couldn’t help but chuckle at the comment. With Ember, it always came back to dogs. “We'll talk about that one after, kiddo,” he said.
“It's about your dad,” June began.
They had talked for weeks about when they were going to tell Ember—after they had settled into life at the ranch—and how to break the news.
They decided that they wanted it to be good news, so when they told her, they would be all smiles. After all, it was good news. How many children could say they had three parents who absolutely adored them?
“Is he okay?” June asked curiously.
“Yes,” Bennett said, rubbing the little girl’s back. “Yes, of course, he’s okay.”
“Maybe that's why I don't see him anymore, because he's sick or something,” Ember tried to reason, but June shook her head.
“No, sweetie, he's okay. You see, there are two kinds of daddies,” she said sweetly. “One that put you in mommy's belly and one who took care of you.”
This language made Bennett want to cringe, but it was what all of the websites and counselors said to do. Use age-appropriate terms to show a difference between a biological father and an emotional one.
“Which one do you think Daddy Lincoln is?” June asked.
“He put me in your belly!” the little girl said excitedly.
June locked eyes with Bennett. He could tell she was nervous, but she was all smiles as she said, “Actually, no. See, Daddy loves you very much, but we never made a baby together.”
“Oh,” his daughter said curiously, slumping in her seat.
“And you know what's really awesome?” Bennett said reassuringly.
“What?”
“I'm the one who made a baby with your mommy. And that makes me your biological daddy,” he said and watched the information process across Ember’s cute little face. “See, I and your mom were very much in love, but we had to be apart for a while, and Lincoln loved you so much that he promised to take care of you while I was away.”
“But now you're back for good, right?” Ember asked.
“Yes, of course,” he said.
Ember nodded but wasn’t entirely clear on the subject at hand. “So...who is my real dad?”
“I am,” he said. “Your mom and I made a baby together, and that baby was you!”
He could see his daughter understood then. She leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling. He wondered if she might cry, but to his surprise, she brightened.
“Really?” she said excitedly. “What do I call you?”
“You can call me Dad or you can call me Bennett,” he shrugged. “It's really up to you, kiddo.”
“Then I think I'll call you...Dad,” she said decidedly.
“I think I would really like that,” he said, pulling her into a half hug. “And you know, you can see your other daddy any time you want.”
Ember nodded, but she didn’t seem all that bothered with Lincoln. Since coming to the ranch, June said she hadn’t asked about him at all.
Children were resilient. This was what the therapist they’d spoken to had said. Tell them young, and they’re more likely to comprehend and accept it. Then, as she grows, fill in the blank spots with age-appropriate explanations.
“And if you ever have any questions, you can ask us at any time,” June chimed in. “All you have to do is say, ‘Mommy, I have a question about Daddy,’ and I will drop everything, and you will have my full attention, okay?”
Ember nodded and the three of them continued talking for a while. Ember had a couple more questions, but mostly she was just excited to be related to Bennett.
When speaking to the therapist, June and Bennett were told that Ember would likely want to have this conversation over and over again. He understood this would be a process, but it was one he was more than happy to be a part of.
“How are you feeling, honey?” June asked at the end of their conversation. “Tell Mommy. I know this is a bit surprising.”
“It makes me really happy,” Ember said. She started to cry, wrapping her arms around Bennett’s midsection as she finished, “to have a daddy who loves me and isn’t going to leave.”
