Page 112 of Upon an April Night

“We’re having a—”

Duncan clamped his hand over Jamie’s mouth before she got the word out. “We’re waiting to find out.”

“I see. Well, congratulations.”

As they walked out, Jamie elbowed him in the ribs. “You know I wouldn’t have told her, right?”

“It seemed like you were about to say it.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you.”

They laughed, and it felt good, like they were back to normal.

He nodded eastward. “Come on. Let’s go to the park.”

They walked to the end of the street and settled in on a park bench facing the lake. Duncan lay his arm across the back of the bench, just out of reach of Jamie’s shoulders, and looked over at her. His breath left his lungs at the beauty beside him.

The wind gently moved her hair as her full lips parted slightly and took in the fresh air around them. “I love it here,” she said on an exhale.

“Me too.” He fought himself from playing with a strand of her hair that had blown across his hand. Instead, he reached across her lap and took her hand in his. “There’s so much I want to say. I hardly know where to start.”

She squeezed his hand, which gave him the strength to continue.

“When I met Dréa, I was still so confused and feeling all kinds of shame and guilt about what had happened between us and how I had handled it. New relationships are fun and exciting, and that’s all I was thinking about at the time. I was selfishly living in my own world, and I didn’t consider how you might be feeling. And that makes me feel like the biggest loser on the planet. Especially after I learned about the baby, thinking about how you were alone and pregnant when you left town, and I didn’t even know what you were going through.”

“I should’ve told you,” she said. “I shouldn’t have taken off like that.”

“You had every right. I was horrible to you. And worst of all, I didn’t talk to God about any of this. I made myself believe Dréa was the one I was supposed to be with because I thought she was the right kind of girl. I thought God had brought her to me, but I never asked Him if He had. I fit her into this idea I had of the perfect wife. I made her into something she wasn’t meant to be. I hurt her, and I hurt you, and I’m sorry for making such a mess of everything.

“But most of all, I’m sorry I made you feel used, Jamie. You have to know that is the last thing I ever wanted. That night with you was unexpected and … amazing, but it went against all I knew to be right. I was brought up to believe you marry a good Christian woman, and even though what I felt for you was so strong, I thought it was wrong to want to be with an unbeliever. But I shouldn’t have pulled away from you like that. I should have told you how much I cared about you. I should have done everything in my power to introduce you to Jesus rather than leave you by the wayside.

“I am so sorry, Jamie. So sorry. For everything.”

A tear slid down her cheek. “Thank you. I really needed to hear that.”

He let his arm surround her shoulders and brought their linked hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

“I do forgive you. And I want us to move forward and be the best parents we can be.”

“Me too.” He let go of her hand but kept his arm around her shoulders, savoring her warmth against his side. Oh, how he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her, but he couldn’t. “I want you to know I won’t get in your way with Max. I’ll be supportive instead of the jerk I’ve been lately. I just—”

“Duncan.”

“No, I need to say this. As much as I want us to be together, I can’t expect you to walk away from a good man like my cousin. He will treat you well, and he’s a better man than I was to you.”

Jamie’s hand was suddenly over his mouth. “Will you stop talking, please.”

His eyebrows lifted in amusement, and he nodded, his lips brushing against her palm.

She removed her hand and looked him in the eye. “I ended things with Max.”

“You did?” His heart stuttered in his chest.

She nodded slowly, playing coy.

“What does this mean?” Could he dare to hope?

Jamie turned her body into his and rested her hand on his chest as she leaned closer. “I think you know what it means.”

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