“Bradley Jones?” I whisper, more to myself than to anybody else. I can hear Emmett mutter something behind me, but I can’t concentrate on what he’s saying.
Bradley Jones is my father?
The charming, Stetson-wearing, handyman Bradley Jones? My gut tightens, and it feels like I’m going to puke.
I’ve met the man. Talked to him. Joked with him. Not once knowing…
“Why?”
Why didn’t you tell me?
Why now?
Why him?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Mom shrugs her shoulders, not an ounce of regret registering on her face. “It never seemed to matter.”
“Never seemed to matter?” I yell at her, finally losing it. “Never seemed to matter? It’s my life we’re talking about! My father!”
“It was just the two of us, and then Penny came, so it was just the three of us against the world.”
“It was never the three of us!” I scream at her, hot tears burning my eyes. “It was Penny and I scraping for bits and pieces and trying to hold it together while you were out there chasing your dreams. So don’t tell me it was ever the three of us.”
“Kate…” She tries to reach for me, but I get away from her touch, not wanting her anywhere near me.
“Go to California, Mary.”
“But…” She tries to reach for me, but I pull back before she can touch me. I don’t think I’d be able to stand her touch right now. It’s all too much as it is.
“Go to California, but we’re staying here.”
She presses her lips in a tight line. “Fine. Penny, come.”
“No.”
Penny comes to me, wrapping her arms around my middle. It feels good to have her close. Familiar. The one person who’s been there all this time. The one person, one family member who hasn’t kept secrets nor lied.
“Your sister can stay, but you’re coming with me.”
“No, I’m not. I want to stay with Kate. Besides, Henry doesn’t have his documents so we can’t go anyway.”
Mom glares at the two of us. “Fine, suit yourself. But don’t come crying to me when this is all done.”
With those parting words, she turns around and forces her way to the front of the line where our bags have been pushed to the side, not once looking back.
“That was…” Emmett shakes his head, at a loss for words. Not that I can blame him. I’m still too dumbfounded myself.
“Yeah,” I agree.
He opens his arms, and I go willingly, needing him to hold me.
“It’s just all messed up.”
“But you’re here. That’s all that matters.”
“I’m here.”
Staying in the town where my father lives.
Emmett brushes his lips against my forehead. “Let me grab your bags, and then we’re getting out of here.”
“Okay.”
Emmett starts to pull away, but I tighten my hold on him. “Emmett?”
“Kitty?”
“Thank you for coming for me.”
His face softens, the love showing in his eyes. “You’re my once in a lifetime, Kitty. I’ll always come for you.”
Chapter Thirty-One
KATHERINE
“Well, that was an eventful day,” I mutter as we get out of the truck once Emmett parks it in front of Aunt Mabel’s house.
Our house.
“Kate!”
I turn around at the sound of my name just in time for Becky to crash into me, wrapping me into a hug.
“Becs, give her some space to breathe,” Emmett chuckles, his hand brushing against the small of my back.
“I was so worried when I got here, and I didn’t find anybody. Well, anybody except…” she looks over her shoulder, and I follow her line of sight.
“And apparently, it’s not done just yet,” Emmett mutters quietly, but my gaze is glued to Bradley Jones, who’s just getting up on his feet. He brushes his palms against the sides of his legs as he watches us.
Bradley Jones.
My father.
I still can’t wrap my mind around it. It feels surreal. But he’s standing right there.
“Do you want me to stay with you?” Emmett leans down to whisper in my ear.
“I—” I suck in a breath and then shake my head. “No, I’m good.”
“What’s going on here?” Becky asks, looking completely confused. Who could blame her? It’s hard for me to wrap my head around it, too.
Emmett just shakes his head, and Becky closes her mouth.
“Let’s give them a moment, okay?” Emmett gives me a reassuring smile. Kissing the top of my head, he locks his hand with Penny’s. “C’mon, Little Adams. I hear there is some unpacking that needs to be done.”
Aunt Mabel offers me a smile before following the other three toward the house. I stand, glued to the spot like a statue. There is a soft click when the front door closes, leaving me alone with Bradley.
“Hey,” he says, the first to break the ice.
I watch him, not knowing what to say. What to do? There are so many things that are going through my mind, but above all, I’m not ready. I didn’t expect to find him standing on our front porch, waiting for me.
I figured there’d be time. Time for me to process everything, come to terms with the fact that Mom has been lying to me, and I’ve been living in the same town as my father for the past few weeks, talked to him, and not once did I suspect…
“Did you know?” My voice is rough from crying, sounding harsh even to my own ears. “Did you know that first day?”
He shakes his head, a small, sad smile playing on his lips. “That attitude, it’s all Mary.”
I press my lips together, not amused in the slightest at the comparison. I still don’t know what to do with the fact that Mom lied to me. All my life, she lied to me.
“But to answer your question. Yes, I had my suspicions.”
“Then why—” I swallow, trying to get the words out. “How—”
God, I’m such a mess I don’t even know what to ask. Where to start.
Bradley must feel it somehow because he takes pity on me.
“It was the lines of your face.” His eyes look at my face intently, and I can’t help but wonder, what does he see when he looks at me? His throat works as he swallows. “And your smile. Your smile is all Abbie.”
“Abbie?”
I don’t remember hearing that name.
“My sister.”
“Oh.”
“She died in an accident,” he explains. There is a faraway look in his eyes that speaks of sadness and heartache that feels familiar. “Little after I moved to California with Mary. My family needed me so I came back, but Mary, well…”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t—”
“It’s okay,” he interrupts me. “It was a long time ago.”
A heavy silence falls over us. Uncomfortable, I shift my weight from one leg to the other, but when even that doesn’t help, I finally give in, walking to the porch and sitting down on the step. Bradley sits down next to me on the other side of the step.