Page 15 of The Valentine Inn

For a moment I almost forgot I was in the middle of a mini crisis. Almost. Out of nowhere my crisis showed up. I turned to find a smiling Drake standing under the arched entrance. How did he get there? I hadn’t seen any car lights or heard the front door open. Not that I would have heard anything with the music so loud. And he wasn’t supposed to return until after Jameson’s bedtime. Jameson! Crap!

“Drake,” I screeched, while grabbing my heart.

Izzy gave me a sympathetic look before running to turn off the music. She, more than anyone, knew what a wreck I had been today, wandering around the place mumbling to myself between fits of crying. It wasn’t just today; she’d been with me through it all. She’d held my hand through the excruciating pain of delivering a nine-pound baby with no pain meds. Not my best decision, I’ll tell you that. Go natural, they said. It will be so empowering. You know what it was? It was like running through the gates of hell with my vagina on fire. Did I feel empowered? Uh, hell yeah. Would I do it again? Uh, hell no. Bring on the epidural. Not like I was planning on having more kids. I mean, I would love to, but as I was staying away from men, it kind of put a damper on those plans. Regardless, Izzy had cheered me on every step of the way.

“How did you get in here?” I asked Drake as soon as Izzy turned down the music.

Drake pointed. “I used the back entrance.”

Of course, he did.

“What are you doing back so soon?” I asked, out of breath.

Izzy grabbed Jameson’s hand and started leading him toward the galley in the back. Bless her.

Drake stepped a bit closer as if he were unsure. “I didn’t want to wait until the morning to see you.”

“Oh,” I squeaked, feeling like I might have a panic attack.

“I want to stay with Mom.” Jameson pulled his hand out of Izzy’s.

The panic attack arrived.

Drake’s eyes bulged.

Jameson ran toward me and wrapped his arms around my legs. I, in turn, wrapped my arms around him, holding on to him with all that I had.

“You have a child,” Drake said, bewildered.

I nodded, my breath catching in my throat.

“I had no idea.” Drake stared at Jameson.

I ran my hand over Jameson’s hair. “Honey, why don’t you go with Izzy and get ready for bed. I’ll come read to you as soon as I’m done talking to my . . . uh . . . friend.” Yeah, that was a word for him. The wrong word, but I was having a hard time thinking with all the blood rushing like a raging river in my body.

Izzy reached for Jameson.

Jameson clung tighter to my legs. I loved that he was a mama’s boy, but tonight it wasn’t doing me any favors.

“I’ll make popcorn,” Izzy tried to bribe him.

Jameson didn’t budge.

Drake drew closer, now intently studying my son, moving his head from side to side as if trying to get a good look at him from every angle.

My heart beat harder and harder as I wondered if he noticed any resemblance. “Let me put him to bed, and then we can talk,” I stuttered.

Drake ignored me. “How old are you?” he asked my son—our son.

Jameson held up his hand, showing all his fingers. “I’m five . . . and a half.”

Oh, crap. Why did he have to say the half part?

Drake’s eyes immediately drilled into mine. I saw him doing the math in his head, and one big question screamed in his sea-green eyes—eyes that looked more like flashing red sirens. “Five. And. A. Half.” Drake said every word with serious distinction.

“Yep,” was all I could say. I was pretty sure I was going into shock. My limbs had lost all feeling.

“I was born on the Fourth of July,” Jameson said proudly. “The fireworks made me and gave me to my mom.”

Yeah, okay, maybe Izzy was right—I needed to quit telling him that.

“Is that so?” Drake responded. “What’s your name?”

Here it came. The last nail in my coffin of deceit. I braced myself.

Jameson let go of me and puffed out his chest. “Jameson Valentine,” he said, like he was reporting for duty or was just extra proud of his name, as he should be. His uncle Jameson was a good man by all accounts.

Drake stepped back as if some unseen force had pushed him. “Jameson,” he whispered.

All I could say was, “I have something to tell you.” Heaven help me.

Chapter Four

I walked out of Jameson’s room like a zombie. I wasn’t even sure what I had read to him. I think it was something dinosaur related. All I knew was Drake was waiting in the parlor for me and I had to tell him what he already knew. It didn’t take a genius to guess.

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