“I’ll understand if you have reservations, because of the things everyone has told you about me. And if you just want to use me for animal sex, I’m not above it. Just know that if that’s all you want, I’m going to take up so much of your time with said animal sex, there won’t be any time for any other guys. So take your pick.”
Oh my god, I would never use anybody for sex, but just the suggestion of losing my mind and having hot jungle sex—whatever that entails—makes my inner muscles clench down involuntarily.
“I’m here for all of it, Henry. I liked you the minute I sat down next to you at the fair and my daughter started babbling at you, and you weren’t the least bit annoyed.”
“She’s a great kid.”
“She is. I don’t know how I got so lucky. Great kid and now a great boyfriend.”
“There’s no luck involved,” he says, pulling the truck into the lot of the garden center. He throws the truck into park and looks me dead in the eye, that sudden seriousness appearing again. “No luck at all. Sarah’s a great kid because you’re a great mom. You have a boyfriend now because I know a good human when I see one and so do you.”
I feel the need to correct him. “Yes, I do work so hard at being a good mom. But you have no idea how scary it is. I know plenty of other moms who worked so hard, gave their kids so much love, didn’t spoil them too much, let them be independent but not too independent, did everything they thought they were supposed to do, and yet the kids grow up and make terrible choices. And the moms always blame themselves.”
“Hey,” he says, taking my face in his hands. “Look at me.”
I look at him, and the tenderness in his eyes nearly does me in.
“They grow older and make choices. All you can do is your best. The good news is you don’t have to do it by yourself anymore. I’m not saying I’m a replacement for her dad, but you don’t have to carry the weight of that worry and stress alone anymore. I’m here for you. I’m here to talk about it. I’m just…here. And for the foreseeable future, I always will be. Do you hear me?”
I nod and try not to cry. He plants a soft kiss on my lips, and our fingers entwine together. Two days ago I could never have imagined crying and kissing my boss on the second day of work while we sit in his truck cab at the garden center, a bunch of ceramic gnomes staring us down, but here we are.
“Thank you.”
“I know you don’t like to talk about Carl. But let’s get the stuff and we can talk some more on the way back.”
Chapter Thirteen
Henry
The drive back to the farm is a little slower than the drive to the garden center, with the truck bed weighed down with all the accessories we’re going to need to do all the things Jane thinks we need to do.
But it’s fine with me if we go slow. We stop to pick up an egg McMuffin on the way back and continue our talk.
I tell her all about my upbringing, how my uncle raised me, how he was never happy, and always trying to get rich quick. How Jet’s grandma did a better job of raising me than my uncle.
For Jane’s part, she tells me some more about Carl, and I listen.
“The worst part was the rumors. When he said Sarah wasn’t his. But then he turned on a dime when he thought he could use Sarah to his advantage. It was just despicable. I sometimes worry he’s going to track me down and try to get her back. She barely knows him. That’s why—I don’t know if you noticed—I was a little freaked out when the doorbell rang when the food arrived. He’s texted me a few times since the move. He’s not a good guy, Henry.”
“Do you have those messages? Read them to me,” I say. She does, and they are every bit as awful as I’d imagined.
Bring her back today and I won’t charge you with kidnapping.
And another one: Do you know I can have you declared an unfit mother? I have money for a lawyer and you don’t.
And finally, one that takes the cake: Sarah might not be mine, knowing what a slut you are. I mean, you did move in with me less than 24 hours after I bought you that drink. But I’ll do you a favor. I’m sure you’d be happy to get rid of her so you can keep messing around and preying on other rich guys, so feel free to bring her back. I’ll take her off your hands. I’m generous like that.
The rage building inside me, I can’t even describe it. “I’m going back to the craft store and buying supplies to build a homemade trebuchet so I can personally fling Carl directly into the sun.”
The tinkling laughter that comes from her does not match the full range of emotions I’m having at the moment. I’m veering between rage and disgust and contempt.
“No, really. I hate that guy.”
“I know. I appreciate that so much. It’s one thing to privately bash Carl with Rocket, but it’s another thing to be so out loud about it with you. I can’t let Sarah hear me talk shit.”
My feelings are all fighting each other and I don’t know what to do with myself. Something is coming out and I have to express it. I don’t know what it is, but I do know that I have to pull over.
I pull the truck over to the side of the road at the nearest stand of trees. When I slide the transmission into park, she
