Second Look (A New Beginning Book 3)

by Connie Stephany

Adam looked at Jennifer who was hiding her face with her hands. He tried not to laugh.

  “Okay, sweetie, it really is time for bed. Let’s quit badgering poor Adam.”

  “Aww, alright, mommy. Goodnight, Adam!”

  “Goodnight.”

  He watched the very cute mom and daughter pair walk down the hallway and then disappear into Amber’s bedroom.

  He strained his ear towards the back room and could hear little snippets of Jenn and Amber’s conversation.

  “…can’t say things like that to…”

  “...but he loves you...”

  “…so embarrassed…”

  “…marry someone you love…”

  “…never again…”

  What little of their conversation he could hear made him grin.

  Adam looked down to his numb wrist. All this time Amber’s Minion balloon was tied around his wrist and his hand was beet red.

  At first, he tried to untie it from his wrist, but the knot wouldn’t budge. In fact, his efforts just made the knot tighter. He grabbed for his pocketknife, but felt his empty pocket instead.

  Adam wandered into Jennifer’s kitchen and looked around for scissors. None were visible on her counters so he’d have to dig.

  He walked forward and started with the first drawer in front of him. Nope, it contained silverware.

  He pried open another. This time he found utensils of every kind. How does one collect that many different kitchen gadgets or have use for such things? He shook his head and grabbed open a third.

  Just inside were a pair of scissors with bright orange handles. As he grabbed the life-saving tool, he couldn’t help but notice an envelope peeking out addressed to Jennifer Sylvester

  It was from HomeDNA.

  It was post-marked with a date from a couple weeks prior.

  Adam’s heart sank.

  She lied? Does it mean she already knows I’m not her father and is still too afraid to tell me?

  He set the scissors down on the counter, momentarily forgetting about his throbbing hand, and picked up the envelope. Adam turned it over, not really knowing if he actually had the guts to pull out what was in it and read it.

  What the hell?

  The damn envelope wasn’t even open!

  Adam’s mind whirled. How the hell would they ever move forward if she couldn’t trust him with whatever was in that damn envelope?

  He didn’t even care about the results at this point. He would adopt Amber in a heartbeat if Jennifer would let him. Yes, he’d be thrilled to be her father, but no matter the results he wanted to be part of their lives and he really thought she knew that by now.

  He sat down at the kitchen table and tried to figure out what to do. Although he didn’t have a clue, one thing he wouldn’t do is shout and leave.

  She’s been lying to me for weeks.

  He sat at the table and waited for Jennifer to return. His hand started to tingle the longer he waited and he realized he forgot to cut off the balloon. Adam grabbed the scissors and made very quick work of cutting the string off his throbbing wrist. The second the string came off, the sensation of pins and needles began to crawl down to his fingers.

  Adam was shaking his hand in the air when Jennifer finally walked into the kitchen. As she walked towards him, a big smile on her face, and he wondered how she would react when she saw the envelope from HomeDNA.

  He didn’t have to wonder long. Jennifer came to a screeching halt when she saw the envelope on the table. Her shoes actually made a skidding sound on the kitchen floor and Adam figured he probably would have laughed if it hadn’t been about the paternity test.

  He remained silent, staring at her, waiting for her response.

  “Uh, w…w…where’d you find that?” Jennifer stuttered. “Were you digging in my stuff?”

  Adam’s mouth turned down at the corners. “Come on, Jenn, give me a little credit. My hand was about to fall off from Amber’s balloon so I looked for scissors to cut it off.”

  He saw her glance at his hand, which he was still waving in the air, and was glad to see her lower her head.

  “I…well…I just got it, and…,” she started to explain.

  Adam interrupted before she could lie any more, but purposely kept his voice calm.

  “Try again.” Jennifer’s eyes widened as he pointed to the red post-marked date on the letter. “Let’s first talk about why you haven’t told me you got it. And then I want to know why in the world haven’t you opened it?”

  She sat down in the chair next to him and covered her face with her hands.

  It was like déjà vu, but he knew the end result was different this time because no matter the results, he wasn’t going to leave.

  Adam reached over and pulled Jennifer’s hands away from her face.

  He could see the anguish in her beautiful eyes and the tear running down her cheek. He brushed away the tear with his thumb and then asked, “Why don’t you trust me?”

  “I’m terrified that if we open the results and they still say you aren’t her father, you’ll leave again. I just can’t go through that again.”

  Adam tried to keep his voice calm and convincing, “Right now, as far as we know, I’m not Amber’s father. You’re the one who wanted me to retake the test so I did, but no matter the results, I’m not going anywhere. Why won’t you believe me?”

  Jennifer let out an exasperated breath. “I don’t know.”

  For a split second, he wished he had the engagement ring with him, but then shook his head. He didn’t want to propose this way.

  “If you don’t know, then I don’t know either. But if you can’t trust me, this relationship was over before it started.”

  Pain flickered across her face but she remained silent.

  Not ready to give up, he decided to try another tactic. He grabbed the package and turned it over. “Let’s just open the results.”

  Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head. “No.”

  “Why not? We need to just move forward and the only way we can do that is to open that envelope.”

  She shook her head again. “I need time to think.”

  “What?” Adam was confused but then his mouth dropped open when it dawned on him what she was saying. “Are you asking me to leave? After I promised you I wouldn’t?”

  She gave him a pained look and then nodded.

  His heart broke at the realization she just didn’t trust him. “Why? What aren’t telling me?”

  Jennifer’s eyes widened. “What? Nothing!”

  He shook his head and looked at her for several seconds before he stood up.

  Her voice was shaky as she said, “Don’t be mad. Please.”

  Adam let out a huff of breath and said, “I’m trying to be patient, but I just can’t understand why you don’t trust me. I don’t want to leave. I want to open the results and move forward with our lives. But you’re not even giving me a chance here.”

  Adam grabbed his keys from the kitchen table and started to head towards the front door, something he really didn’t want to do. He heard Jennifer’s chair scrape against the floor.

  “Adam.”

  He grabbed the door handle, opened the door, and then tried to hide his pain as he turned around to face her. “Yeah.”

  “I just need more time.”

  Adam shook his head. “I love you. I love Amber. I’m only leaving right now because you asked me to. Don’t forget that while you’re taking the time you need.”

  He waited for her to tell him to stop and that they could open the results. But she didn’t say another word, so he walked out the door.

  *****

  Adam made it home and instead of going to bed, he decided to head down to the lake. Before he let himself out the patio door, he grabbed a couple beers. When he made it down to the dock, he slumped in his favorite chair and ran his fingers through his hair.

  He let out a groan. “What am I doing wrong?”

  There was only one thing holding them back
from having a relationship and it wasn’t the results in that damn envelope. Either she trusted him or they just had no future together.

  Ending the relationship with Jennifer wasn’t something he wanted to consider, yet if he couldn’t get through to her, what chance did they have?

  He shook his head, his resolve snapping.

  He’d make her open the damn letter tomorrow, that’s what he’d do. And prove to her he loved her and Amber no matter what those results were.

  As he drank his Summer Shandy he stared out at the full moon. It lit up the night sky and the waves crashing in to the rocky shoreline.

  He was clenching his jaw so hard it was starting to hurt.

  Jennifer and Amber should be there with him. Instead, he was alone.

  They belonged together. It took them several tries over the course of ten or more years, but he was sure of his feelings for Jennifer and he thought she loved him too. What if she broke up with him? What if she decided they didn’t have a future together?

  Those thoughts made him think of what a wreck he’d been after finding out he wasn’t Amber’s father all those years ago. It wasn’t pretty and the self-destructive behavior made him into a person he didn’t like at all.

  Four years earlier…

  Adam stood by a table, swaying slightly and taking another gulp of his beer. He felt his friend’s hand on his shoulder, trying to help to steady him.

  “I think you’ve had enough, don’t you think?”

  He looked over to Tom who was shaking his head, his mouth in a straight line and his eyes narrowed at him.

  Adam waved his hand at his friend. “Bah, I’m fffine. Whattt are you talking aboutttt?”

  It had been two months since he ditched his fiancé and found out he wasn’t actually a father. He’d quickly realized drinking made the pain go away, at least for a while. It made him not care at all about any of it.

  “Adam, seriously, you need to back off a bit. Maybe its time to bring your drunk ass home, huh?”

  “Nah. I’mmm good.”

  Tom shook his head again and said, “A few more minutes, Adam, and we’re taking off. You need to go sleep it off.”

  “Fuck off, Tom. I’m having fun. Aren’t you? Looooook at those hot chicksss giving us the eyeeeee. Too bad you’re engaged, huh?”

  Adam tried to laugh but it came out as a drunken snort.

  Tom glanced over in the direction Adam had pointed. “No, dude. They’re all yours.”

  “Ah, goooood! I wouldn’t mind a hookup tonight,” Adam slurred. “I’m done withhhh relationships. They hurt too damn mush.”

  Adam hiccupped and Tom rolled his eyes.

  “Hey, don’t judggge me. You’reee a lucky bastard, ya know thattt?”

  “Yeah, buddy, I know.” Tom sighed. “You’ve had a tough break lately.”

  “Yeah, well it’sss all my ffffault. I fuckedddd everything up with Abbyyy and with Jenniferrrr. That’s why no moreeee relationships. Jus sexxxx for this guy.” Adam tried to point his thumbs towards himself, but it made him sway again.

  Tom grabbed his shoulder again and then shoved a barstool his way just as a couple of the girls came their way.

  “Well, hey there, handsome. How ya’ll doing tonight?”

  The woman with red hair had eyes on Tom, who said hi but shook his head to signal that he wasn’t interested.

  She frowned and then turned her eyes towards Adam.

  The leggy blonde was already leaning into Adam and whispering in his ear. “Hey, sexy. What’s your name?”

  “Adam. What’s yours, sweetheart?”

  “I’m Michelle. You off the market too?”

  Adam shook his head. “Nope. Free as a birdddd.”

  Michelle gave him a wide smile. “What do you say we get out of here? You, me and Becky?”

  Tom shook his head and said, “We were just leaving, actually. Come on, buddy. Let me bring you home.”

  Adam shook his head. “Whatttt are you, my motherrr? If the ladies want to take me home, I’m gonna let ‘em”

  “No. You’re coming with me.” Tom’s voice turned hard. “Now.”

  Adam stood up and swayed again.

  The blonde finally seemed to notice how drunk he was because she nodded her head and said, “Looks like your friend is right. Let’s get together another time.”

  As the girls walked away, Adam glared at his friend. “Thanks a lot. I coulda scored.”

  “The only thing you’re scoring tonight is a massive hangover. Let’s go.” Tom grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out the door.

  Adam could have sworn he heard Tom say, “What the hell am I going to do with you?”

  Chapter Twenty

  Jennifer

  What are you so afraid of?

  I’ve lost my mind.

  Jennifer had an amazing, thoughtful, caring, gorgeous man who loved her. He also loved Amber no matter if he truly was her father or not. So what the hell was she doing?

  She really screwed things up.

  She had to go to him and she had to go now. She had to make it right before she lost him.

  It was too late to call Maddie, so she tried her other neighbor. She happened to know Pam was a night owl and lived alone. It was already 10:00, so she really shouldn’t even call, but this just couldn’t wait.

  She hesitated only another second, and then dialed. Pam picked up on the first ring.

  “Jennifer! Is something wrong?”

  “Hi, Pam, I’m sorry to bother you so late, but I’m a bit desperate. I really need to run to a friend’s house for a bit of an emergency. Is there any way you could come over and stay with Amber while I’m gone?”

  “Well, sure, I guess I can do that.” Pam didn’t sound pleased, but she didn’t sound mad either. “Is Amber still up?”

  “No, she’s in bed. So you could watch TV or read or whatever you were doing at home, just over here?”

  “I was watching The Walking Dead, but then my Netflix stopped working. Do you have Netflix at your house?”

  “I sure do! You can watch it over here.”

  Pam’s voice took on a cheery tone, and she said, “Well, then give me five minutes and I’ll be right over!”

  “Oh, thank you Pam!”

  “You bet,” Pam replied.

  She sat at the table, letter from HomeDNA and her car keys in hand, and waited.

  In the time it took for Pam to arrive, she started to panic. What would she say? She had to make this right before she lost him.

  Pam was knocked on her front door a few minutes later.

  “I can’t thank you enough. This means a lot to me.”

  “No problem! I’m glad to be able to watch my show again. I was on to season 3 and Netflix quit working for me. I was not a happy camper!”

  “I’m glad it worked out for both of us, then. Amber usually sleeps straight through the night, so you shouldn’t have a problem. If she happens to wake up, please just tell her I won’t be long.”

  Jennifer showed Pam how to work her remote controls, and left with the letter from HomeDNA in her hand.

  As she drove over, her stomach swirled and she almost pulled over to throw up. What would the test results say? What would his reaction be? He told her it wouldn’t matter over and over. She hoped he really meant it.

  There was only one way to find out.

  It was as if her car drove on it’s own. She barely remembered the ride and was pulling into Adam’s driveway without realizing she was even close. She stared at his house.

  Her stomach was in knots, her palms were sweaty and she really thought she’d throw up at any second.

  Jennifer got out of her car, and slowly walked up to Adam’s door.

  Her arm was heavy as she raised her hand up to his door. She hesitated, took a deep breath, and then knocked.

  She waited an eternity and then knocked again.

  Jennifer shifted her weight from foot to foot, trying to be patient.

  Where is he?

&n
bsp; She inched her finger towards the doorbell and pressed the button. He never came.

  Why aren’t you answering, Adam? Am I too late?

  Jennifer sat down on his porch swing. She pulled out her phone and texted him.

  Jennifer: I’m sorry.

  Adam: I’m sorry you feel you can’t trust me.

  Jennifer: I do trust you.

  Adam: Clearly you don’t.

  Jennifer: Yes I do. I’ve just been so scared to lose you that I’ve made a complete mess of things.

  Adam: So what do you want to do to fix it?

  Jennifer: Open the results. Where are you?

  Adam: On my dock. Why?

  Jennifer: Because I’m sitting on your front porch.

  She waited for a response, but no reply came. She was about to text him again when she heard what sounded like an elephant coming her way. He came around the house and she saw him sprinting towards her.

  She wasn’t really sure what he’d do when she showed up. She hoped like hell she hadn’t ruined things with him.

  She took the time to just stare at him as he ran towards her.

  It was dark outside, but she could see him enough to know it looked as though he’d been running his hands through his hair because his blonde hair was sticking out in all different directions. He still wore the jeans and black t-shirt with the black Carhartt jacket from earlier. She knew from experience he had a six-pack hiding underneath that shirt.

  What really made her feel it in her chest was the way his eyes crinkled at the corners and the gigantic smile was aimed right at her as he approached her. Adam took her in his arms, his hand curling around her neck holding her head gently and his other around her waist, pulling her in close.

  That was all she needed at that moment to make everything right in her world. She hugged him back as tight as she could and just soaked it up.

  Adam finally loosened his hold and backed away only far enough to be able to whisper in her ear to break the silence, “Hi.”

  “Hi,” Jennifer whispered back, a shiver running down her spine as he pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin underneath her ear.

  “I’m glad you came.”

  “I’m relieved that you’re glad I came.”

  She shivered again and held up the package. “Ready?”