Page 20 of Claiming My Grumpy Ex

He chuckled, leaning into my touch. “So do you.” His eyes traced over me, appreciation clear as he added, “But it’s a good kind of different.”

I blushed, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. He stepped closer, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face as he tilted my chin up, his gaze warm and intense as I took his hand and led him toward the swing. “It’s been a long time,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” I replied as I rushed to get wine glasses before we settled onto the porch swing, the soft glow of the candlelight flickering between us. I took a slow breath, trying to steady myself. I watched Cory beside me as he filled our glasses with Chardonnay. His gaze was distant but intense like he was gathering his thoughts, something important resting behind his eyes.

“Elena,” he said, turning to face me, his hand resting on the back of the swing. “I need to know something before we go any further.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What is it?”

He paused, his gaze searching mine as though he was reaching for something that wasn’t quite within his grasp. And then, finally, he spoke, his voice low and uncertain.

“Is Jake… my son?”

The question hit me like a wave, its weight sending a shiver through me. I felt my hands tremble as I set my wine glass down, and suddenly, the years of carefully guarded silence seemed to shatter. There it was, out in the open, raw and real.

“Yes,” I whispered, barely finding the strength to meet his gaze. “Jake is your son, Cory.”

A silence fell between us, thick and full of emotions I couldn’t even begin to sort through. Cory closed his eyes, and I watched as the truth settled over him, his shoulders tense, his jaw set. And in that moment, the full weight of all the years I’d carried alone—the decisions, the fear, the love I had poured into raising Jake by myself.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” he finally murmured, his voice thick. “I wish I’d known. I wish…”

I reached out, placing my hand gently on his, grounding us in the moment. “I wanted to tell you, Cory, but you were already gone by the time I realized I was pregnant. I was about three months along when I left for Houston to attend cosmetology school. Thankfully, Mom and Dad helped support me financially. And then, after Jake was born, I thought… maybe it would be simpler for him just to have a normal life without any questions. When I heard you were back in Texas, I assumed you’d moved on to bigger and better things.”

“Never thought I’d come back,” he said softly, almost to himself. Then he looked at me, his eyes filled with regret andresolve. “But when I saw Jake, Elena… something just felt right. I didn’t know what it was, but now, it all makes sense.”

I nodded, a tear slipping down my cheek as I thought about all the years I’d wondered how to answer Jake’s questions and what I would say when he brought it up. “He’s a good kid, Cory. You’d be proud. He’s smart, he’s kind… and he’s so much like you. It’s hard to believe, sometimes.”

A hint of a smile softened his face, a mix of pride and wonder in his expression. “I’d like to get to know him and do my part financially,” he said quietly, his hand tightening around mine. “If… if you’ll let me.”

I let out a shaky breath and nodded. “I always hoped, someday... I just didn’t know when or how. But now that you’re here…” I met his gaze, emotions swirling—hope, fear, relief—all tangled together. “Maybe it’s time. Just the other day, out of the blue, he asked me if you were his father.”

His eyes widened slightly. “What did you say?”

A wave of guilt washed over me. “I… I didn’t have the nerve to tell him the truth.”

He held my gaze, his expression soft and understanding. Without a word, he reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear and lingering his hand on my cheek. “I understand, Elena. Thank you. Thank you for not teaching him to hate me,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. Thank you for raising him… for everything.”

My eyes closed as I leaned into his touch, allowing myself to hope. “It wasn’t easy, Cory. But it’s been worth it. And now… now we’ll see if things can be different.”

He nodded, and as his arms wrapped around me, I felt the years melt away, leaving just the two of us on that porch swing, ready to find out if we could make up for all the time we’d lost.

I looked up, meeting his warm brown eyes, feeling a stirring in my chest that I hadn’t felt in years. The weight of everything—our past, the years apart, Jake—seemed to fall away. It was just us like it used to be, but deeper somehow, touched by all that life had taught us.

Cory’s hand cradled my face, his thumb grazing my cheek, sending a shiver through me. “Elena,” he murmured, his voice soft, a whisper that held so much. I barely had time to respond before his lips met mine again. He was gentle at first, then tentative, as if we were savoring each other’s feelings after so long.

The kiss deepened and grew passionate. His hand slid to the small of my back, pressing me closer, and I felt myself melt into him, all my defenses crumbling in his embrace. My fingers trailed along his chest, feeling the heat rising beneath the fabric of his shirt, and I remembered every inch of him as if it were etched in my mind.

Finally, he broke away, his forehead resting against mine, his breath warm against my lips. “Maybe… maybe we should go inside,” he whispered.

I nodded, still caught in the haze of his touch, my pulse racing. “But… let’s use the guest room,” I managed to say, my cheeks flushing. “Jake’s room is too close to mine.”

A grin tugged at the corner of Cory’s mouth. Without another word, he slipped his arms beneath me and lifted me effortlessly, cradling me against his chest. I laughed softly, wrapping my arms around his neck as he carried me inside, the night air fading behind us.

Eleven

Cory

I pushed the door open with a gentle creak as Elena nestled against my chest. The guest room was a sanctuary of tranquility, illuminated by the soft glow of moonlight seeping in through sheer curtains. A vibrant quilt adorned the bed, adding a burst of color to the otherwise neutral space. Photos of Jake were proudly displayed on her dresser.

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