Losing Him (Mitchell Family #8)(56)

Mom

My hands were so shaky that I almost couldn’t finish reading. For months I’d worried about what I was going to do. Whatever was in that box could solve all of those problems.

I had to get to that box.

Chapter 30


Jessie


How could I sleep knowing she was doing this to me? There was no way that I was going to be able to wait a couple weeks for whatever Amy had planned. I needed answers now!

I’d never asked Heather for anything or forced her to do anything she didn’t want to do. As far as boyfriends went, I thought I was pretty good at treating her right. After her accident I had put everything behind us. Seeing her there, so close to death changed something in me. I no longer cared about where she came from or how she ended up at my doorstep. All I wanted to do was have her in my arms.

For obvious reasons, I didn’t talk about things that upset her, but always listened when she had something to say. This was all just making no sense. Sure, before her accident, maybe I had said some things pertaining to her being a pity f*ck. Perhaps that’s where she got the idea that I was just feeling sorry for her.

She couldn’t be more wrong about it.

After I’d gotten Jacob off to school, I decided to go and talk to my parents. They needed to know about my decisions since some of them directly involved my future at the bed and breakfast. As much as I appreciated that they’d brought me up, sent me to college, and given me a business, I needed to think about my boy and what was best for him.

Only seeing him on weekends wasn’t an option.

In the beginning, before they knew why she’d come, my parents liked Heather. They thought she was smart and beautiful. It wasn’t until the truth came out that they changed their minds and decided that I needed to get as far away from her as physically possible.

The problem with that was she was pregnant. As angry and hurt as I was, I knew that I was obligated to be responsible. I think all along I knew that I still loved Heather. In a way it was as if I was fighting myself. No matter who I dated or where I went, no woman compared to her. It wasn’t just sexually either, I actually enjoyed her company. I liked knowing she was safe with me and with Jacob.

My mother was surprised to see me walk into their kitchen. “Jessie, what brings you here today?”

“I need to talk to you and Dad. Is he around?”

“He’s playing golf with Franklin. Is there an emergency?” Right away she seemed concerned.

I sat down across from her at the little round table. “It’s about Heather.”

She rolled her eyes. “What now?”

I rubbed my face and tried not to get too frustrated with her. She was just looking out for me. “I can already tell that you’re not going to be happy, but she hasn’t done anything bad, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Well, I never know what to expect when it comes to that girl. The only thing she does well is be a mother. I’ll give her that.” It was a start. I’d take it.

“Ever since her mother died she’s been having trouble letting go. As much as she wants to move on, she’s struggling with it. After she lost her position at the hospital and her license, she changed.”

“So, your splitting up again? I knew it was bound to happen.” My mother always assumed that she knew what I was thinking.

I placed my hands down flat on the table. “Mother, please just listen to me. I didn’t end things with Heather. In fact, it’s the opposite. I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

Her mouth dropped. She covered her face with her hands. “And you’re here for my blessing?”

“Not just your blessing.” I hesitated, knowing she wasn’t going to like what I said to her next. “I’m thinking about moving to North Carolina. Maybe not permanently, but for a while.”

She stood up and walked into the next room. The open floor plan allowed me to see her pacing around. “Your father is not going to be happy about this. I assured him that you were ready to take over the B and B. Now, you tell me that you want to walk away from it, for a girl that has caused you nothing but trouble. I thought we raised you better than this!”

“I thought you raised me to make my own decisions. I love her and you know it. Part of the reason that we kept breaking up was because you and everyone else disapproved so much. I’m sick of letting everyone else make my decisions for me. Like it or not, Heather is the mother of my son. I want us to be family, because it’s about time I do the right thing in this situation.” The look on her face said it all. I’d broken her heart by choosing the wrong person, in her eyes. Sure, she wanted me to marry some wealthy socialite’s daughter. She wanted me to be successful and plan each of my children based on our financial status. I got that she wanted that for me, but it wasn’t close to what I wanted for myself.

“You’re an adult now, so it isn’t up to me or your father. If you already made the decision, why are you even asking me what I think?”

“Because, you are my mother and I want you and Dad to be a part of any decision I make. Heather wants that too.” Okay, I really hadn’t asked her that, but it sounded good. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”

“Of course I do!” She waved her hands around like it was a rhetorical question.

“Then I’m going to marry Heather. I can still own the B and B from out of state. Trust me, I thought about this all last night. I have a good management team on staff and me being there isn’t necessary. Need be, I can make the commute and handle things as they come up. Come on, Mom, you’ve ran that business for years. You and I both know that it isn’t necessary for me to be in that office every single day. I can do all of the financials from my home office, Hell, I do most of it there as it is.” Even if she acted like it couldn’t be done, I knew she wasn’t being honest. It could not only be done, I was already doing it. Sure, I got a lot of calls with questions, but everything could be done without me being there.