Page 33 of Love In The Spotlight

“We won’t go to church that morning,” he said.

His mother looked hurt, but he wasn’t sure what she expected him to say.

His showing up there with a kid was going to raise a lot of questions.

He’d thought it over and decided if he went, he’d go alone, and Janelle would stay back at the house he rented with Penelope.

But he didn’t want to spend any time away from his daughter on Christmas morning.

He hated that he couldn’t even have a big proper Christmas with his daughter this year knowing how much she’d enjoy it.

She was at the perfect age.

He’d been in Dallas covering the game on Sunday and flew from there to Arkansas right after to get the house ready for Janelle and Penelope to arrive this morning.

He’d gotten them a straight flight first thing in the morning and picked them up at the airport.

No one would think Penelope was his daughter. His last name was too common.

He’d secured a private jet for the flight home. He didn’t want to take a chance that anyone would recognize him. Sitting away from Penelope and Janelle wouldn’t have made a difference. His daughter would have been calling for him.

He knew he would have to come out with his daughter soon enough, but until then, he was going to treasure this time of privacy as much as he could.

“Your father is going to be upset if you aren’t there,” his mother said.

If his father was so upset or missing him as much as his mother said, he’d be here right now visiting with his only son and granddaughter whom he’d only seen twice in person.

But nope, his father was helping to get things set up for some activities for Christmas Eve Mass.

He wasn’t sure why he agreed to come here.

Maybe he was running and hiding as much as Laken seemed to be doing the past few weeks.

She’d dashed out of his house after that kiss as if she’d recovered the fumble and was racing away from the whole team on her heels wanting to bring her down.

Since then they’d had multiple emails and texts but no in-person meetings.

No phone calls either.

It was the longest two weeks of his life, but Nelson had mentioned that Laken was traveling most of last week. He hadn’t known that. He’d have no way to know from texts and emails.

“He’s been upset with me for years,” he said.

He watched his mother sigh and continue to cook in a beat-up old oven that was stained and looked as if it barely worked.

Jamie ground his teeth over this.

He could take care of it, but they wouldn’t let him.

He gave up trying to offer. In his mind, it made him look like a shitty son that wasn’t taking care of his family or at least his parents.

He wondered what West thought of that. The guy spent his adult life busting his ass for his family.

“Don’t take that tone with your father,” his mother said. “He’s busy and you know it. Just like you. We all have our callings in life that take us away from our family.”

“But we know mine wasn’t nearly as important as Dad’s,” he said drily.

“Don’t compare,” his mother said. “You know that is sinful.”

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