A Daddy for Jacoby(6)

“In fact, I’ve had a constant reminder of those crazy few days,” she continued. “Meet Jacoby. Your son.”





Chapter Two





Justin couldn’t move. He wanted to. His legs screamed at him to run. Run hard and run fast and never look back. Ashamed at that thought, he shoved it aside to concentrate on what the girl had just said.

“My what?”

She yanked on the kid’s T-shirt, forcing him to stumble forward. “Your son. Jacoby Joseph Ellis.”

At the mention of his father’s name as this child’s middle name, Justin’s gaze snapped from the boy, whose downcast eyes were centered on his own dirty sneakers, one sporting a big hole in the toe, back to her.

“How— He can’t— He can’t be more than five years old. I’ve been in pri—” He paused and pulled in a deep breath. “I’ve been out of touch for the last seven years.”

“He’s small for his age. His seventh birthday was in January. If you count back nine months…”

April. Eight-plus years ago. A few months before he and Billy Joe had been busted for drug trafficking.

A bust he’d actually helped with.

Tired of the life he’d been living, Justin had anonymously slipped insider information to the cops on the drug ring he and his brother worked for. The guilt and fear over what he’d been doing had caused him to live in an alcohol-induced haze for weeks. No drugs, though. He’d never touched the stuff, despite his chosen profession, but partying had included a wild weekend he and his buddies had spent in a small town in Colorado.

Was it possible he was this boy’s father?

He tried to remember the girl as she rummaged in the large purse at her shoulder. She pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper. “Here’s his birth certificate.”

Justin read his name listed as the boy’s father. “If this is true, why now? Why not get in touch with me when he was born?”

“What could you have done from where you were?”

“You knew where I was?” He clenched the certificate in his fist. “But you never thought to tell me you had my baby?”

“Ah, it might be better if you all move to one of the back booths?”

Justin looked up to find Gina standing behind the little boy. He read curiosity, concern and another emotion he couldn’t identify in her eyes. She looked from him to the main area of the bar. He then noticed both Jackie and Ric had disappeared, but the tables had filled up, and most were watching them.

Damn, he should’ve thought of that. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

He marched to the other side of the bar and slid into the end booth. He watched Zoe eagerly follow, not even looking back to make sure the boy was with her. She plopped down next to Justin, moving in much too close.

“How about burgers and fries for you two?” Gina asked as she helped the little boy get settled into the opposite seat.

“And sodas,” Zoe added.

“Maybe milk for your son?”

Justin picked up on the edge in Gina’s voice as she stared at him. What? She expected him to make that call?

Zoe waved away the question, her attention on Justin as she rested her hand on his arm. “Oh, he drinks soda all the time.”

“Except at school. I have chocolate milk there.”

Justin shook off Zoe’s touch as the boy spoke for the first time, even though it seemed like he was talking to his bear instead of to one of the adults.

“Chocolate milk is my favorite. I’ll be right back.” Gina’s smile for the boy was sweet, but it disappeared as she shot Justin a hard look before walking away.

“Is she your girlfriend?” Zoe asked.

“What? No, she’s…a coworker.” Justin smoothed out the birth certificate and folded it in half. “I work here at The Blue Creek. How did you know where to find me?”

“I figured this was the best place to start. You talked about this bar that weekend we spent together. Besides, who can forget a town called Destiny?”

The pieces were starting to fall back into place. He and his buddies had gone on a road trip. They’d ended up at a house party and a couple of guys had been in the kitchen giving a girl a hard time. He’d stepped in and she’d stuck by his side the rest of the night.

And the rest of the weekend.

“You told me your name was Susie,” he said, more details surfacing in his foggy brain.