Page 89 of Taming the Boss

“Both,” I replied honestly, finally rolling away to suck in air between laughs. “Buddy, we have an important errand today, so you don’t mind spending some time with Maddie’s niece, Reagan, do you?”

He screwed up his nose as he seemed to think it over, then he smiled hugely. “She draws awesome fish.”

“She does,” Maddie agreed with a smile. “Why don’t you tell me that story again about what Spot did last night while you let your Daddy go take a shower?”

I pressed my face into her side while I murmured, “Wish you could take it with me.”

“Mmm.” She brushed my hair away from my face, her avid expression telling me she was thinking of the last time—and only time—we’d showered together.

Which could not happen again today, alas.

After a few more minutes of tickling and laughter, I wandered into the shower and took a long, icy one to battle back the remaining dregs of sleep. Finally, I dragged myself out from under the spray and got dressed, returning to the bedroom to find it empty but laughter carrying through the house from the direction of the kitchen.

Was there any better sound first thing? Or hell, anytime?

I took a few minutes to text Seth, to ask if he knew if his father would be in his office today. He quickly replied, saying as far as he knew and good luck all in caps. It made me smile as I heard the doorbell. Then I headed downstairs to the sound of Maddie and Reagan’s laughter, along with my son’s.

Definitely the best sound ever.

We were on our way in just a few minutes, promising to let Reagan know if we’d be more than a couple hours. It took just several minutes to drive to Main Street and park in Hamilton Realty’s lot, since traffic was light. Seemed like most people had taken a day off and weren’t spending the day in town, probably because most residents had gone home late after the celebration the previous evening.

The real estate office’s secretary was stationed behind the front desk, and when I asked if James Hamilton was in, she asked for my name. I identified myself as Jude Keller as I always had and my girlfriend, Maddie. Pleasure brought a flush to her cheeks and she looked momentarily surprised since it was the first time I’d said that aloud, but I intended to say it often from now on.

At least until I could call her my wife.

A moment later, the secretary told us to go on into James’s office, the first one down the hall. I ushered Maddie in first with a hand on her lower back as James rose from his antique rosewood desk. He smoothed a hand down his tie, smiling benevolently at Maddie as she chose a seat.

“Madison, it’s good to see you. How are you?”

“Fine, thank you, Mr. Hamilton.”

“Call me James,” he said immediately before turning his attention to me.

He held out a hand, pumping mine enthusiastically. “Can’t say you don’t carry the family genes, Jude.”

I said nothing. Maybe a little alcohol before difficult conversations wasn’t a bad idea, after all.

“I spoke to Oliver earlier, and he told me what you boys talked about last night. I didn’t know there was even any question of what Michelle had let me believe until recently when Oliver confronted me with supposition from his PI. Well, let’s say I didn’t consider the possibility until recently. Obviously, I knew the math. We’d briefly tried to reconcile one more time before her final pregnancy. I never knew she was pregnant when she left town. After I paid her off to leave,” he added, dropping into his high-backed chair with what could only be described as a soul-weary sigh.

I was pretty sure I’d made the same sound a dozen times back when I’d still dealt with my mother on a regular basis.

“I regret greatly I never looked into you, Jude. Never looked into anything when it came to Michelle ever again after she left here. My boys never wanted anything further to do with her, because of how she left. She didn’t even say goodbye to them. Just took off. That was not a condition of her pay-off, by the way. I didn’t want the boys to not have any contact with her at all when she left. She made that choice.” He toyed with a gold pen. “I had more money than I knew what to do with, and I feared one day she’d just go away and make it even harder for her boys.”

Wordlessly, I took the seat beside Maddie, taking the hand she extended to me gratefully.

“On his own, one day, Oliver hired a private investigator and did some checking. I believe he shared what he thought was necessary with his twin. But he, too, didn’t know of your existence until fairly recently. But I want to make up the time we’ve lost. If there’s any way to. I have so many regrets, son.” He released a long breath. “Tell me what would help you to deal with this. My boys want to be brothers with you, and I want you to be my son. I mean, you already are, but I don’t want any of this to be in name only.”

I shut my eyes. “I don’t know if Oliver told you I recently discovered I have my own boy.”

“Yes, he did. The irony can’t be overstated. But I have to be honest with you.”

“Please do.”

“I feel really lucky. Not only do I have another son, I have another grandson. I look forward to getting to know both of you, and of course, to getting to know Madison more too.” He turned his kindly smile on Maddie as she rubbed her thumb soothingly over the back of my hand, just as she’d done with me since the first day Owen had developed that fever.

Even before then, the day we’d met at the florist’s, she’d immediately stepped in and helped me with Owen. My gratitude toward her knew no bounds.

Nor did my love.

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