Page 37 of Wed to You-
“Your turn,” Jagger said. “What’s your story?”
“You know my story. I was born and raised here. My brother was killed in the war. My mother died a year later. Lexie and Mitch are my family.”
“What about your dad? I don’t ever remember Brian mentioning him and I’m sure you haven’t.”
Chelsea shrugged. “I never met him. When I was a baby, he went fishing with friends one day and never came back.”
“What happened?”
“My parents were young, and apparently my father wasn’t ready to settle down. Later I learned how disappointed and angry my grandparents, his parents, were. But they had me, Brian, and mom move in with them, into the house I have now. We were happy. I have no complaints about my childhood.”
“So you don’t wonder about your dad? Where he might be?”
She shook her head. “I did a little when I was younger. My grandmother thought maybe he’d died because she was sure he’d eventually make contact.”
“No one looked for him?”
“I think maybe my grandfather might have tried when my grandmother had her first stroke. But my mom didn’t. Her opinion was that if he didn’t want to be with us, she didn’t want him with us.”
Jagger studied her for a moment. “What if he showed up on your doorstep now?”
“He’d have to introduce himself because I wouldn’t recognize him.”
“Would you let him in?”
“My house. Probably. My life, no.”
“You say that so matter -of-factly.”
She sighed. “I gave up caring about it a long time ago.”
“Really?” He didn’t look convinced.
“My mom raised Brian and me to always look for the silver lining. So, I didn’t have my father. I had Paw Paw—”
“Paw Paw?” Jagger’s lips twitched upward.
“Yes. Paw Paw and Mema, and Brian and my mom. I didn’t need a dad.”
Jagger’s features drew more serious. “Are you always able to find the silver lining?”
Chelsea shook her head. “Sometimes it’s harder than others. Losing Brian and my mom...that’s been hard. But I have Lexie and Mitch. I have my students.” She glanced over at Kaden. “I know Brian and mom would want me to make the most of life, so I focus on that. And I have some good moments.”
“Like what?”
“Like now. Skipping stones with the two cutest men in the county.”
“Cute.” One dark brow rose.
Chelsea laughed as she nodded.
Jagger accepted the compliment with a shrug and turned to walk back toward where Kaden was poking the riverbank with a stick. “I want to get married soon. Next week.”
Her head whipped around to him. “People will think I’m expecting.”
“They’ll be wrong.”
“I know northerners, or maybe it’s because you’re rich, don’t care what people think about them, but down here, what people think is important.”
