Page 48 of The Better Choice

“Finn told me about what happened between the two of you…er, the three of you, I guess. My son included.”

Was he mad that she’d been in love with his son’s friend? “I didn’t know Finn and Asher were friends,” she began to explain. “What Finn and I had was very brief, practically non-existent.”

He smiled, holding a hand up to get her to stop talking. “You don’t have to explain it to me, but thereissomething I want to explain to you.”

Was it about money? Was this where he told her she’d have to sign a prenup? “Okay, sure.”

“When Asher and Finn were growing up, they were inseparable. More like brothers than friends. Mona and I…well, to this day, we consider Finn our other son. We’ve taken care of him most of his life.” He paused, pressing his lips together. “I’m not sure what all you know about Finn’s upbringing…”

“Nothing.” She answered the question he hadn’t really asked.

He nodded. “It wasn’t good. His parents are useless. His father is a big, mean man with a temper out of this world. He never had a kind thing to say to or about his son. His mother…” He raised his eyebrows. “His mother was on drugs his entire life. She had men in and out of Finn’s life. When his father would run off for a month or two, she’d bring someone new home. There was no consistency. He turned out much better than we could’ve hoped for based on the people who raised him. Mona and I took him in when he was fifteen, after his mother overdosed for about the fourth time and his father took off again.” He looked away, and she wondered if she spied tears in his usually happy eyes. “They never even asked about him. For over a year, we had him and they didn’t even realize he was gone.”

“You did all you could for him,” she said, unsure if she was supposed to be comforting him.

“No,” he said softly, rubbing a thumb under his nose with a sniff. He looked back at her. “No, we didn’t. I’ve always said I feel like I have two sons, but there was a time when they both needed me and I chose one over the other.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“What are you talking about, Mr. Grace?”

“Asher loves you, Blythe. He does. You have turned his life around since you walked into it, and his mother and I couldn’t be more proud of that.”

“I love him, too.” She tilted her head toward her shoulder, waiting for him to go on.

“Mona would never forgive me if she knew I was here,” he said, though it seemed like he was talking to himself more than her. “But you need to know the truth.”

“The truth about what?” she asked.

“You need to talk to Finn,” he said. “If you love him, too. If you care about Finn…you need to talk to him before you go through with this.”

“Are you saying that I shouldn’t get married today?” She touched her chest, trying to find a message within his guarded words.

“No,” he said quickly. “I want you to marry my son more than I’ve ever wanted anything. You are the…bestthing that has ever happened to him. But I can’t be selfish this time. I can’t choose one son over the other.”

“I chose, Mr. Grace—”

“Jacob, Jack, please,” he corrected her.

“Jacob,” she said. “Jack?” Wheels in her mind began turning as she wondered why that rang a bell. “I’ve never heard anyone call you Jack.”

“My father always did. Kids in school. Mona thinks it’s childish, but I always liked it.”

“Jack…” She thought back as the memory surfaced. “Finn’s father. Was he…bigger?” She held her arms out to her side. “A big, white beard?”

He nodded. “Yes, that’s him.”

“He came to Finn’s apartment. A few weeks after I’d started dating Asher. Said you—Jack—told him where Finn lived.” She nodded, feeling it all fall into place. “That’s what you’re talking about. You knew Finn would run away if his father found him. You knew he’d come to you and I’d go back to Asher.”

He furrowed his brow. “No,” he said softly. “No, of course not. I didn’t know who you were at that time, Blythe. Let alone that you were dating both of my boys.” He sighed. “I did tell Tommy where Finn lived, but only because he said he needed the address for a lawyer. Finn’s mother passed away, and the will was being read. I asked Finn if it was okay, and he said yes. Neither of us expected that Tommy would show up there.”

“So, if that’s not what this is about, what are you talking about? When did you choose one son over the other?”

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Cathy stuck her head back in. “They’re ready for us.”

Blythe nodded, waiting for her to shut the door again before Jacob said anything else. “If you love Asher, and there are no doubts in your mind…then I hope you’ll marry him. But, Blythe, if you have even one small doubt about going through with this…please talk to Finn first. I’m trying to protect all of my children here. That…that includes you.” He smiled, walking forward and taking her hand. He pressed his lips to it, pulling her into a hug that made her miss her own father terribly. “Good luck,” he whispered as he pulled away. “I’ll stall for a few minutes if you need me to.”

She nodded, but didn’t accept or decline his offer at first. “I love Asher,” she told him. “And he loves me too, right?”

He nodded. “He really does.”

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