Long-Lost Mom

Jenna had looked into his calm affection-filled eyes and panicked. She hadn’t believed him, for it had been much easier to believe what her mother said. That she was indeed a pathetic loser and would never amount to anything.

She’d spent years believing it. Years. All wasted. That she’d nearly proved her mother right was devastating.

“I’ve spent a lot of years dodging my fate,” she said now, turning her face into the sun, enjoying the ocean air.

He dropped wearily onto the rock, taking care not to touch her. “Why are you back?”

“Mostly because I’ve always wanted to come back. Always,” she repeated at his look of doubt. “But it wasn’t until after the accident that I found the courage.”

“Your new face.” He sighed. “It’s beautiful, Jenna. You’re beautiful. But how you look doesn’t matter.”

“I know that. But somehow the shield of anonymity gave me strength. I know that sounds silly to someone like you, who’s never doubted himself…”

His eyes flashed. “That’s not true.”

“Really? When have you ever been uncertain about anything?”

He surged to his feet again and, planting his hands on his hips, he glared at her and said, “Too damn many times.”

“Name one.”

“I was uncertain ten years ago that I could keep you safe. And alive,” he added bitterly. “Or that I could show you how good life could be.”

Shock held her immobile.

He turned away, clearly disgusted at himself for the admission.

“Stone-”

“No,” he snapped, turning back and pointing at her. “You wanted to know, so I’m going to tell you.” He let out a short laugh, tossed his head back and stared at the sky. “I was uncertain as hell when I started to fall for Cindy.” He looked at her then, his eyes full of challenge. “How’s that for honesty, Jenna? Blunt, no-holds-barred honesty.” He lifted his brows. “You’re still here? Well, good. You haven’t run yet. Maybe you’ll hang around, after all.”

“Stone-”

“We were talking about uncertainty,” he interrupted her tightly. “Which just about defines my world-has ever since you told me the truth about who you were. And once again we’re back to the million-dollar question. Why are you really back?” He sat back down on the rock, making her all too aware of the powerful body only a few feet from hers. A body she knew could give strength and courage-but this time she needed to find her own.

“I had to right my wrongs.”

“So you keep saying.” He stared at her. “So that’s what this is really all about? You think you wronged us. Sara and me, and you want to fix it? Then when you’re finished, you’ll be off on your merry way to start a new life?”

“No.” She let out a puff of air and stared at the churning surf. “I’m not doing this right.”

“No kidding.” In one fluid motion he was again on his feet. “And I’m too busy to play games with you.”

She saw her past, present and future running away from her. She couldn’t let him go. “Wait!” she cried, leaping up, grabbing his arm, tugging at him until he turned to face her. “Please, Stone. The truth is simple. I have wronged you and Sara. And yes, I want the chance to make it up to both of you, but I’m not fool enough to hope you’ll easily let me do that.”

“I don’t want you to make it up to us.” Beneath her hand his muscles tensed. “I didn’t keep Sara as a favor to you, Jenna. I kept her because she’s my flesh and blood. Because there were two people responsible that night you got pregnant, and I was one of them. I looked high and low for you all these years to tell you that, to tell you that no matter what you’d decided back then, I’d intended to be a major part of Sara’s life. She’s mine and I love her, and I don’t ever think of her as an obligation.”

“You…looked for me?”

“I didn’t want you running because of me.”

The knowledge was like a warm balm on her raw wounds.

“Forget it,” he said. “Sara is no longer your obligation.” His voice was harsh, reminding her that this man wasn’t here to heal her wounds. She was here to heal his. “She’s my child, my life. And I won’t have you hurt her any more than she’s already been hurt.”

“But-”

He cut her off, still furious. “So if you’re thinking I’ll introduce you, then watch you break her heart when you’re done ‘righting your wrongs,’ you couldn’t be more mistaken.”

A couple out for a run passed them. The sun beat down. Waves crashed. Life went on around them as Jenna’s world began to collapse. Again.

“I’m not going to leave, Stone,” she said quietly. “I’m here in San Paso Bay for good.”

“You say that now.” Tiredly he removed her hand from his forearm, making her feel abandoned. “You think you want to stay, but when things get tough, you’ll be out of here fast enough.”

“How dare you!”

“How dare I?” He laughed humourlessly. “That’s good, Jenna. I suppose you’re going to deny taking off from the hospital without even saying goodbye.” He lowered his voice when a few kids raced by. “Without so much as a damn word only hours after Sara’s birth. I worried myself sick over you and your condition, and what you would do, where you would go… Why am I even saying this?” Shaking his head, he clamped his mouth shut and studied the stretch of beach in front of them.

He’d worried himself sick over her.

She’d deserted him in his greatest time of need, and still, his thoughts had been for her. Hard to maintain anger now, when her heart was cracking open and dying, but she had to finish. She looked at him. She was so full of things she wanted and needed to say she hardly knew where to start.

“I’m staying this time.”

He lifted a mocking brow.

“You know nothing about me anymore, Stone. Please, could you try not to judge me on what that seventeen- year-old girl would have done?”

His response surprised her. “You’re judging me.”

“I’ve never judged you.”

“No?” he asked in a deceptively quiet voice. “What about when you came back into town and didn’t tell me who you were? You should have told me, Jenna. I’ve tried to understand this, honestly I have. You know that I’d never have hurt you, that I’d never have kept Sara from you.” With a touch so light she might have thought she was dreaming if she couldn’t see with her own eyes, his fingers brushed the faint scars on her face. “You know that, or you should.”

“I do know.” She pressed his hand to her face with her own, overcome by his generosity of spirit. “I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head, his gaze following the movement of his hand on her skin. Just that light connection seemed to mesmerize both of them. It was a touch that entwined their souls. “‘Sorry’ can’t cut it,” he murmured. “It can’t. There’s too much at stake.”

Oh, God. He meant Sara. If he turned from her now, there’d be no Sara in her life. “I can show you with time, then,” she promised desperately. “I’m not going anywhere. Sooner or later you’ll believe that.”

“Maybe.”

Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of his callused fingers on her face.

“Maybe?” she repeated hopefully. “Did you really say maybe?”

“Let’s make a deal,” he said, pulling his hand back. “I won’t push you to explain how you could have stayed away so long, and you won’t push me for promises I can’t give.”

He wasn’t going to make any promises. She blinked hard, determined to keep her broken dreams to herself.

As always, he saw right through her. Sighing deeply, he said, “I’m not trying to hurt you.”

“Can you honestly tell me you would have rejoiced at the sight of me?” she asked quietly. “Forgiven me