Page 25 of Summer with a Single Dad

“Oh.” Dazed and dumbfounded, I stood in place, my legs incapable of moving me in any direction.

“It was his last week of school when I had to move up here. He stayed an extra couple of weeks because of science camp and because I thought he would like to spend some time with his friends.”

I lost my voice, only staring at him, shocked and surprised by this news.

“Emily?”

“You lied to me?” I was a complete fool, caught up with someone who I didn’t know—not truly.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him sooner. I was about to that first night I came over. And then your timer went off, and dinner was ready. As you remember, we spent the rest of the night in bed, and?—”

“You didn’t think you should tell me”—I threw my hands in the air—“oh, I don’t know, the next day? Or the day after?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I know.” He hung his head. Momentarily, I was reminded of the way Moose and Rufus looked when they did something naughty.

“You know, you told me something about the importance of honesty that night. And I have been honest with you ever since that moment. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t extend the same courtesy to me. That hurts. Don’t you trust me?”

Hurt, confusion, guilt, and shame warred in his eyes. “Of course, I trust you, Emily.”

“But you don’t tell me about your son. What about your wife?”

He closed his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down on a hard swallow. “She died,” he whispered, taking another big swallow. “When Hudson was barely two years old.”

The anguish in his voice broke my heart, and I felt like a jerk for jumping to conclusions.

My body shook as though an earthquake rumbled under my feet. That’s when I felt two tears run down my face. I rushed forward on sticks of jelly. I might have collapsed if it wasn’t for my immediate concern for Chris.

I tucked myself into his body and held him. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t mean to keep it from you,” he choked out on a sob.

“Shh,” I crooned, rocking him as I rubbed up and down his back.

Hurt was still evident in his eyes when he finally lifted his head and looked into my eyes. He took a moment as if gathering his thoughts, then shook himself out of whatever it was he was thinking. “I can’t excuse myself for what I did. I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be. I guess”—he shrugged—“in a way, I thought I was protecting Hudson. But really,”—he shrugged again—“I was protecting myself.”

“I don’t get it,” I said, genuinely confused.

“I wasn’t sure how you would feel about me being a single dad. You made it clear that you don’t want any complications. It took me forever to get you to agree to have dinner with me. I guess I was just hoping . . . I don’t know. I’m a dumb fuck for not telling you right away.”

“When does he come back?” I asked.

Chris’s face lit up with a huge smile. “A week. My parents and sister are driving him up.”

“Oh. Wow. Okay, um.”

“Em, baby.” He took my hands. “You don’t have to meet him until you’re ready. I want you to meet him. When. You’re. Ready. I know this is a lot to take in, but I want you to be sure.”

“I do want to meet him.” My words were the honest truth. “I-I’m nervous. But—” I sighed, then nodded. “Yeah, I want to meet him.”

He trapped me in a fierce hug.

“Do you have a picture of him?” I asked, my face buried in his chest.

Laughter rumbled from deep inside. “Yeah, yeah.” He released me and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “Here,” he said, handing it to me.

The cutest little face looked at me. Hudson had Chris’s eyes and smile. He also had a set of dimples and a few freckles acrosshis nose. “He’s adorable,” I said, flipping to the next one. There were six in total, and every single one made me fall deeper and deeper in love. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

We spent the rest of the night curled up with the dogs as Chris told me everything about Hudson and his life as a dad. My heart broke all over again when he told me about Kayla. He loved her so much and fell apart after she passed away. “She was so young to suffer a stroke. It happened so suddenly. One minute she was fine. The next, she was on the ground, and there was nothing I could do.”

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