But he’d better text Jackson tonight and let him know he wouldn’t be back for at least a few more days. Deserting his crew made him uncomfortable, but Jackson kept everything running like clockwork, and they were ahead of schedule the last time they’d talked shop. Not that Travis had ever been gone this long before, but Jackson had understood and had given his blessing.
When they’d finished eating and had run out of things to talk about—except for the one thing he’d wanted to discuss—he stood, picking up his plate. When Katie started to do the same with hers, he said, “Chelsea, why don’t you and I clear the table since your mom did all the work fixing the meal?”
Chelsea looked at her mom and then at him and blinked. What’s with all the blinking?
Katie shook her head, preparing to stand. “I don’t mind doing it.”
Travis hoped his expression to Chelsea conveyed how much he really wanted her to pitch in. After a moment, Chelsea took the hint and picked up hers and Katie’s plate along with her own, carrying them to the sink.
Katie, unable to let them do it all, apparently, went to the stove to put away the leftover sauce. “We should have enough sauce for lunch tomorrow, if you all want it again. I’ll make fresh spaghetti, but we did a number on the meatballs.”
“Thanks for going to all the trouble and for having me over, Katie. Dinner was great.”
“I thought you hated being called Katie, Mom?” Dammit. Leave it to Chelsea to pick up on that. And then her words made him smile. In college, Katie had told him she only allowed him to call her that. Looks like that hadn’t changed. Maybe she’d held onto some feelings for him all these years, and not just the physical ones, either.
When Katie didn’t appear to have a response, Travis said, “I’ve called your mom that ever since we went to school together at the University of Kentucky. She’s indulging me, for old time’s sake.”
Katie’s eyes opened wider. Too late, he realized that part about going to college together was supposed to have been her line, but his smile grew bigger. Enough messing around.
“You went to UK with my mom?”
“Sure did. For three years.” The girl looked from him to Katie and back to him. Would she make the connection? She seemed to be scrutinizing him more closely, and they waited.
“So is Travis going to be eating with us all the time, Mom?” Chelsea asked, still looking at him.
He wasn’t sure of the significance of the question, but taking the hint that she might not want him around for every meal, he was about to say he could take care of breakfast and lunch on his own when Katie said, “Yes, he is. Travis is more than an old friend from college, Chelsea. He’s…” Chelsea shifted her gaze toward her mom and waited. They both did. His heart pounded as he waited for her to reveal his true identity to Chelsea. “…actually…”
Come on, Katie. Tell her.
Chelsea’s big green eyes kept opening wider. Then she narrowed her gaze at him. “Are you dating my mom?”
Okay, that wasn’t the logical conclusion he’d expected her to draw.
“Not anymore.”
Chelsea set the plates in the sink. “You dated her in college?”
He looked at Katie, who had taken a sudden interest in emptying leftover spaghetti into the pot she’d dump on the compost pile in the morning.
She hadn’t asked him to lie about anything. “Yeah, I did. For more than a year.”
He had the feeling Chelsea wanted to continue her line of questioning until Katie tried to put an end to it. “Chelsea, would you like to watch a movie tonight before you hit the sack?”
He was beginning to think Katie had no intention of telling her.
“No. I’m really tired. I’m just going to bed early.” She looked at Travis again. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” He wasn’t sure whether she was happy about that prospect or not.
“I’ll be here,” he said.
The girl was down the hall and climbing the stairs double time. She’d probably be texting her friends in seconds.
Travis turned to Katie. “Why didn’t you tell her? That was the perfect segue.”
“I don’t know. It was on the tip of my tongue, but…”
“That girl’s smart. If she hasn’t put it all together yet, she will soon. If you don’t tell her tonight, I will. I’ve waited long enough.” For him, the wait had only been two days, but it seemed like a lifetime.
Katie washed and dried her hands. “All right. I’ll go upstairs and tell her now. Do you want to be there with me?”
While he couldn’t wait for the news to come out, he was scared spitless, too. “I’ll wait downstairs. There’s something I need to get out of the barn first.” Undoubtedly, at the snail’s pace Katie revealed things, he’d be settled in the living room long before Chelsea heard the news.
“Do you need help with the horses…?” she asked.
Quit stalling.
He shook his head. “They’ve all been fed and taken care. Look, if you don’t want to tell her alone, then I’ll join you.”
She waved him away as she walked toward the hallway. “No, I’ve got this. I’m going up to talk with her now.”
To make sure he was seated in the living room when they came down again, he hightailed it to the barn apartment. If he could, he’d shout it to the world that he was that little girl’s father.
A million thoughts vied for attention, but suddenly, thoughts of telling his family about Chelsea settled in the forefront. How long before they’d meet her? It was a question of when, not if, at this point.
However, there was one person he could share the news with now. Unable to keep the grin off his face, he said, “Danny, what do you think of my beautiful daughter? I can see now that she’s the reason you sent me back here. Isn’t she as sweet as pecan pie?” That had been a favorite expression of Danny’s. He shook his head. “Can you freaking believe I’m a dad, buddy?”
What felt like Danny’s hand clapping him hard on the shoulder blade nearly knocked him off his feet. That Danny had found a way to be around him still gave him a lot of solace, although he worried, too, that maybe he was one of those ghosts stuck in between Heaven and Earth. He wanted Danny to find some peace now, if he hadn’t been able to find it in life.
The fact that he’d never be able to introduce Chelsea to his best friend made his heart squeeze tight. If Danny had still been alive, the two of them probably would have shared a cigar right about now. “I miss you, man.” If only Katie hadn’t…
Fester, fester, fester.
Travis’s mood lightened again. “Okay, okay,” he said out loud. “At least I know you can see what’s going on.”
Now get your ass and that psychedelic pony in the house.
“Try to stop me,” he said as he picked up the unicorn.
* * *
Travis surprised the hell out of Danny. There’d been a moment after Danny had clapped him on the shoulder where his buddy turned around and stared right through him before his gaze darted around to the opposite corner of the apartment’s bedroom. Anymore, when he’d talked directly to Travis, he got responses. Having Travis aware of his presence meant he was making progress.
But why he hadn’t told him about the misunderstanding from the night he’d died, Danny couldn’t say. Maybe he didn’t want to take Travis’s eye off the primary mission. Getting him reunited with his two girls was of the utmost importance.
Too bad Travis couldn’t see him, though. Whenever Travis addressed him by name, Danny was drawn back to his side, but the man seemed surprised every time he heard him. How could he not think Danny would stay around him, especially until this mission was completed?
But Danny was getting wind of something monumental in the works for him up here, an opportunity that would give him another chance at reaching the goals that died with him. Unfortunately, this meant he would no longer be able to hang around Travis as a spirit. The thought of leaving his best friend once and for all ripped Danny’s heart out. But Danny�
��s spirit guide said he’d need to make a decision soon.
If he stayed up here, he’d be able to hang out with Travis all the time. When the opportunity presented itself, he’d be ready. He’d have to weigh his options and determine quickly whether to finish out a life that had been cut short due to illness or injury. While he hadn’t made a firm commitment yet, what other choice did he have?
Right now, though, he needed to focus on the mission at hand.
Despite the millions of souls floating around in the afterlife, Danny sure got lonely sometimes. “Ben, you around?”
Summoned by Danny’s thoughts, Ben joined him in the barn’s apartment.
“You should have seen that sappy man a minute ago,” Danny said. “If I had any stogies, I’d share one with you.”
“They told Chelsea, and I missed it?” He seemed disappointed.
Danny shook his head. “Not yet, but it’s going down tonight if Trav has anything to say about it. If we hurry to the living room, we’ll get a front row seat.”
In a flash, they stood near the fireplace, watching Travis pacing back and forth, occasionally glancing upstairs in anticipation—or was it fear?
Danny grinned. “Never thought I’d witness the day when my best bud became a daddy. The way he’s avoided relationships since the day I met him makes it just about impossible to make a baby, that’s for sure.”
“He sure had no trouble sniffing around my daughter’s skirts in college.” Ben didn’t give Danny time to respond before he asked, “You reckon he’ll make a good dad?”
“Hell, yeah. The best. He was always great with the crew’s kids at the annual Veterans Day barbecue and Christmas parties. And he became a surrogate dad to the three kids of one of the guys we lost in Iraq, at least until their mom remarried. I always thought it a shame he didn’t have any of his own, but he told me his reasons for avoiding women were none of my business, so I didn’t push it. Now I can see he’s been pining for Katie all those years.”
Ben huffed. “I doubt that.”
Danny stared at the spirit beside him as though he must be blind. “What’s the matter with you? Don’t tell me you can’t see it every time he looks at her.”
Ben shrugged. “Can’t say that I do. They don’t seem to like each other half the time.”
Danny shook his head. “You’re in as much denial as they are. Trust me. They’re still in love. Your daughter has a stubborn streak to rival yours.”
“Yeah, unfortunately, that’s another trait she took from me. But she didn’t have her mother around to balance out her personality any.” Ben glanced toward the stairs, wondering when Kate and Chelsea were going to come down. “I suppose stranger things could happen. Being with Gail again has certainly stirred up feelings I once had for her, and I’d never have guessed that would come to pass in a million years.”
“Well, something must have made you two fall in love with each other in the first place.”
Ben nodded. “Don’t laugh, but…I admired her free spirit.” Danny’s jaw dropped, and he waved away the reaction. “Ironically, that was the very thing that broke us apart in the end.”
“Has Katie found that letter yet?”
“No. I was checking on it when you called me. I can try to pull it out a little farther, but short of yanking it out and dropping it in front of her nose, I don’t know what else I can do. She rarely goes into that room.”
Danny didn’t know what to do about that situation, but his mission remained clear—reuniting Travis with the family he needed.
In the few minutes they’d been watching, Travis had sat down and gotten up several times, but still there was no sign of Katie and Chelsea.
“If they’re smart,” Danny said, “they’ll figure out they’re perfect for each other and do something about it before they throw away another opportunity to be together. Damned fools may not get a third chance.”
It might be too late for Danny and Ben, but dammit, he wanted Travis to live the rest of his life to the fullest and to find love and happiness. What more could he do to help?
First, he wanted to witness the moment Travis entered Chelsea’s life as her father.
What was holding up those girls?
Chapter Twenty
Kate walked up the stairs to Chelsea’s room, surprised at how quiet it was. Normally, she’d be blaring music. Perhaps she actually had gone to bed early and wasn’t texting friends.
“It’s freaking me out. What if it’s…” Her daughter’s voice came through the door killing that idea.
Kate’s knock cut off the last word. “Sweetie, can I talk with you a minute?” She waited.
“Hold on,” she whispered. “It’s my mom.”
The door opened, and Chelsea stood there dressed in basketball shorts and a black night shirt emblazoned with a fire-breathing dragon. She tilted her chin up, but the worry in her eyes belied her attempt at bravery. Did she know?
“What’s up, Mom?”
“May I come in?”
“Sure. Let me end this call first.”
Chelsea picked up the phone from her bed. “I’ll call you back in a few minutes.” Her daughter listened to what the other person said before saying, “I am.”
Kate wanted to tell her it might be more than a few, but didn’t. Kate sat on the bed and waited for her to put the phone down.
“What’s up, Mom?” she asked after setting it on the dresser.
No amount of rehearsing helped prepare her. Any scripts she’d planned with Lidia yesterday promptly flew out the window. “Baby, there’s something important we need to talk about. Have a seat.” She patted the mattress in front of her.
“Mom, I can get caught up on everything by tomorrow night. I really need to go out with my friends.”
“No, that’s not why I’m here.” Chelsea stared at her as Kate tried to determine how best to broach the subject. “There’s something I need to talk with you about.” Please let me find the right words. “Honey, it’s your father.”
Chelsea’s body tensed. “I knew it! Tony said I was wrong, but…Travis is my dad, isn’t he?”
Thank God she hadn’t put this off until tomorrow. Kate nodded, unable to say the words past the lump in her throat.
Chelsea stood up and began pacing the floor. “Why now?”
Good question. “He showed up out of the blue Monday. I hadn’t seen him since we broke up. When he found out about you, of course he wanted to get to know you better.”
“I’m just supposed to love him because you two had sex and accidentally ended up with me?” Her eyes grew bright as her chin quivered.
“Oh, baby, you were not an accident.” Kate went to her, reaching out to hug her, but she stepped away and continued to pace, clenching her tiny fists. “Chelsea, look at me.” The girl spun around, glaring at her. “Baby, it wasn’t like that at all. We’d dated for a year and were talking about a future together.”
“Then why didn’t you tell him about me?”
“Sit down and let me explain what happened.” Kate sat on the bed again, waiting. Chelsea cocked her head, hugging herself and looking so lost. Finally, she inched her way toward Kate and joined her, picking up a stuffed dragon to hug to her chest.
“Travis didn’t know he had a child until Friday.”
“I thought you said he came on Monday.”
Kate drew a deep breath. “He did, but I needed to be sure he would be a good father and stick around before I told him. But it’s important for you to remember what I told you before—he’s never left you or rejected you.”
“How can you be sure he won’t leave me whenever he gets tired of me?”
“Because Travis Cooper isn’t that kind of man.”
Her eyes blazed. “Then how could you keep him a secret from me for so long? Why would you do that?” Her shrill voice pieced Kate’s heart. “Did you even consider telling him about me at any point? Did you ever think he might want to know he had a kid in the world?”
She swallow
ed hard. “It’s complicated.” I made a mistake. “Calm down and—” Kate opened her mouth to try and respond, but the rapid-fire questions kept pouring out.
“Were you afraid he’d try to convince you not to have me?”
“Never!” she said, shaking her head. “He would never have asked such a thing.”
“All the times growing up when I asked about my dad, you were vague. If he hadn’t shown up here, he still wouldn’t know about me, would he? Why didn’t you want me to know him?”
Kate deserved Chelsea’s tirade, and wanted to explain, if only she could find the words. “I planned to give you information to seek him out when you turned eighteen…” and could better handle rejection if it came to that. “Until this week, I didn’t know where he was or how he’d turned out.” Not that I couldn’t have found out quite easily.
“But you loved him once, so he must not have been a bad guy.”
“I did.” And still do in some ways. “My reasons for breaking it off with Travis had nothing to do with his character.”
“Then why?”
Kate closed her eyes and took a deep breath, unable to face the hurt in her little girl’s eyes again. “We were dating in college, just like Travis said at supper. We’d talked about having a future together, but weren’t engaged or anything. Travis wanted to make his mark in the world first.” Chelsea didn’t interrupt, so Kate continued. “He was studying civil engineering, and I was convinced he’d probably wind up working in a major city. Right around the time I found out I was going to have a baby, he took an internship in New York City.” Kate finally met her daughter’s gaze again, silently imploring her to understand. “He was so excited to go, and I was certain he’d be offered a position with them and would want to live there. Sweetie, I could never live like that, and I didn’t want that for my baby, either. This farm is the only place I’d ever lived, except for college. I’m a country girl and always will be.”
“But he doesn’t look like a city boy to me.”
Kate's Secret (Bluegrass Spirits Book 2) Page 23