Page 100 of I'll Carry You

She wanted someone who would fully and totally embrace being a dad to Colby, the way her father had stepped up for Warren and Dan. But Jason’s son deserved to have his father’s full attention, too.

The fact that she didn’t want to share him told her she wasn’t done with him. She didn’t want him to move on without her.

She didn’t want to move on without him.

He’d tried to be honest with her now, even if it was too little too late. Or maybe too much, too late. She didn’t need to know all his secrets, after all. She’d be mortified if he ever found out all her secrets.

And TJ said Jason is in town.

Before she could overthink it, she whipped her cell phone out. Steam fogged the bathroom, and she wiped the screen, unlocking it. She dialed Jason’s phone number.

The call went straight to voice mail. As his pre-recorded voice came onto the line, she closed her eyes, tempted to hang up.

The line beeped. “Jason, it’s Jen. I got the package you sent and...” She hesitated. “I want you to know I burned the whole thing. I appreciate you trying to be honest, and I appreciate you getting rid of anything that might embarrass me in the future. I’m not sure I needed all the stuff about you—and I didn’t look at it.”

She kicked off her slippers, sweating in the foggy, damp bathroom.

“If you—” She rose, the steam billowing so thick she could hardly breathe. “If you really meant it, I’m going to be on a boat tonight at the lake for the announcement of the baking competition. It’d be nice if you could be there with me. Call is at three thirty, and the launch is at five. Please come.”

The festival areafor the townspeople watching the flotilla from the shores of the lake was thronged with people, despite the snowy weather and it being an hour and a half before the launch. Jen’s hand tightened around Colby’s as she followed her parents, who carried sports chairs over their shoulders. Lindsay had a stack of blankets under her arm. “Do you think Colby will be warm enough?” Jen asked her mom.

Her mother gave her a smile. “I think he won't even notice it's cold outside between the hot chocolate, the firepits, the lighted boats, and the fireworks.”

Her parents found the firepit where Warren and Alice and Dan had set up their chairs and held space for them. Peter had arranged for two big screens to be positioned near the front, where the crowd could watch his Christmas special and see the announcement of the baking competition.

Jen cringed. She hadn’t given too much thought to being on screen during the competition—hiding behind a workstation and her apron had made it easier to forget. Plus, Jason had been there with her.

She scanned the nearby crowd, looking for him. She hadn’t gotten a phone call or text back from him. It felt as though more than Brandywood had come out for this, and she wouldn’t be surprised if they had attracted people from the tristate. The line of cars to get into the lake area had been ridiculous. Thank God Lindsay had encouraged her to leave early. She never would have made it.

No sign of Jason.

Her heart felt heavy. She shouldn’t have asked him to be there. Taking that chance just gave him one more opportunity to disappoint her.

Not too far from them, Bunny and Millie were gathered near a group of their church friends. Millie was in the middle of animated conversation. Wouldn’t Jason have come with her?

Jen took a breath. Maybe she knew if Jason was coming.

She left Colby playing with his cousins in the snow and crossed the space toward Millie. Millie broke into a wide smile when she saw Jen, then left her friend. “Jen, sweetheart!” She gave her a tight hug. “We all have bets on you, you know. That sugar cookie house was a good one, but you were brilliant.”

Right. She was here to see about the baking competition.

Funny how that seemed so unimportant.

“Millie, I hear Jason’s in town.”

Millie nodded, wrinkling her nose. “Sure is. He came to surprise me on Christmas. I’ve been busy fattening him up.”

Was he staying with Millie, then? She couldn’t imagine Jason there. “Do you know if he’s coming tonight?”

Millie’s pleasant expression sobered. Then she gripped Jen’s forearm tightly. “Here, sweetheart? No, Jason won’t come near here tonight. Not a chance.”

“Oh, I just thought...” Jen stared at the plain gold wedding band Millie still wore on her ring finger. “I asked him to.”

Millie stroked her cheek. “Did Jason ever tell you about the accident?”

Accident?

“His daddy drowned in a lake.”

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