A Daddy for Jacoby(70)
His heart in his throat, Justin bolted from the house and was by her side seconds later. She placed her fingers to her lips and started to climb the ladder.
“Hey, there,” she said when she reached the top, her head and shoulders now inside the wooden structure. “Do you have the secret password to be in the Steele family tree house?”
Justin held his breath. Then he watched as she maneuvered one hand back down to her side and gave him the thumbs-up sign. Slumping against the rough bark of the tree, he pressed his fingertips hard against his closed eyes.
Jacoby was up there.
He wiped at the wetness on his face and dug out his cell phone. Stepping away, he called Gage and passed along the news, catching him before he pulled into the inn’s parking lot. Gage promised to let Racy and Landon know.
Justin ended the call and moved back to the ladder, listening to Gina talk to his son. He couldn’t make out her words, but her love and concern for the boy were evident.
From the first moment she’d met Jacoby, she’d always put his needs and wants first, whether it was making sure he washed his hands or finding out the real reason he was scared to sleep in his new bed.
How could he have accused her of not understanding—
He looked up when the ladder creaked. Gina started to climb down and his hands itched to circle her waist to guide her to the ground, but he doubted Gina would welcome his touch.
Not anymore.
She stepped off the last rung and turned to him. “He’ll talk to you now.”
“I don’t know what to say to him.”
“Yes, you do.” Gina laid her hand on his chest. “Just listen to him and tell him what’s in your heart.”
Justin clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. He settled instead for the warmth of her touch through his shirt before she suddenly dropped her hand and stepped away.
He climbed the ladder, his shoulders a tight squeeze as he made his way through the opening. He found his son sitting in the far corner on a sleeping bag, his pillowcase at his feet and his teddy bear clutched to his chest.
“Jacoby? Can I come in?”
Chapter Fifteen
Jacoby hoped his dad wasn’t mad.
He didn’t look mad. He looked worried.
Just like Gina said.
Jacoby nodded and watched his dad climb inside, hitting his head on the ceiling as he sat, bow-legged, the tree house too short for his long legs.
“Are you okay?” his dad asked. “You’re not hurt?”
Jacoby looked down at his bear and shook his head.
“You know, you’ve got a lot of people worried about you.”
He nodded.
“Your uncle Gage, aunt Racy and Landon, Anna’s step-daddy, and I have been looking all over town for you.”
Jacoby nodded again. Gina had already told him all this, but he figured his dad was going to say it, too. He knew it was wrong to run away, but he didn’t know what else to do.
He hadn’t planned to go that far, just hide until he left town. If his dad still didn’t want him after that, and Jacoby figured he didn’t, he’d find someplace else to live.
“I was worried about you.”
The soft way his dad spoke made him look up.
Did he mean it? If he did, why did he want him to go live with his grandparents?
“When I realized you’d left Aunt Racy’s house I…I got really scared. Scared I’d never see you again.”
“It’s not fun to be scared.”
Justin shook his head. “No, not fun at all.”
“Is that why you want me to go live with them? Grandpa Richard and Grandma Liz? So you won’t have to be scared about me anymore?”
Justin shifted closer. “I think I’ll always be a little scared when you’re out of my sight, even when you’re all grown up.”
Wow. “Why?”
“Because you’re my son.” Justin ruffled Jacoby’s hair. “I love you and I want you to stay.”
“You do?”
“Very much, but I also need to do what’s best for you. I know it’s been a little rough for you being here with me. Those nightmares you’ve been having must be scary, too.”
Jacoby nodded. “I don’t like ’em.”
“Maybe they’d go away if you talked to someone about them.”
“Like you?”