Grant grinned at his own thoughts and realized that he was seriously hungry. He decided to go back to the Rusty Spur. The beer was cold, the burgers excellent, and he might hear something useful while he was there. Whistling, he shrugged into his jacket and grabbed his keys on his way out the door.
Devon finished the work she was doing, saved everything, and shut down her computer. Her day had been productive, and she'd also received a nice check for a job she'd completed recently. Her little business had proven to be a good one, and she was making a comfortable living for herself and her son. Just then, her phone rang, and she brightened even more as she looked at the caller ID.
"Hello?"
"Devon, this is Gloria. I just wanted to let you know that the pups were born this morning. All six are healthy and their mom did great. There are four males and two females."
Devon laughed in delight at the news. "That's great! I bet they're so cute."
Gloria chuckled. "Well, they'll be cuter in a couple of days, but I thought you'd want to know right away. This weekend, you and Jacob can come and see them if you like."
"Are you kidding? Jacob will be so thrilled. He's been asking me hourly if it's time for them to be born yet."
"Well, why don't you give me a call on Friday, and we'll set a time for a visit on Saturday?"
"Okay, I'll call you Friday morning. Thanks so much for letting me know." Devon clicked off the phone with a grin, imagining Jacob's face when she told him. He was going to be excited beyond words. She checked the clock and figured she had just enough time to pick up a few groceries before she picked Jacob up from preschool. She was still smiling when she pulled out of her driveway and headed into town. Devon and Grant drove right past each other, unknowingly, as she headed for the grocery store and he made his way to the Spur. After she got her groceries, Devon pulled away from the store and went on her way to Jacob's preschool, never realizing as she drove past the bar, Grant was inside, talking it up with a few locals and hoping to glean a few more tidbits about Devon's life.
Devon was absorbed in the story Jacob was telling her on the way out to the truck about the snake his teacher had brought to school that day. He was full of the facts he had learned about reptiles, and she made a face as her son told her what the snake felt like when he touched it. She was actually impressed by all the things he remembered about the reptile lesson, and she made a mental note to get him a book on reptiles for his birthday. When they got to the house, they carried in the groceries and Jacob clattered upstairs to put his things away and then back down, starving for an after-school snack, as usual. Devon gave him an apple and some cheese slices, and he sat at the table, eating and talking about his day.
Finally, Devon was able to get a few words in. "Well, I have something to tell you that happened today, too."
Jacob looked at her expectantly. "What happened?"
"Miss Gloria's dog had her puppies today."
Jacob's eyes were huge as he gave a jubilant shout. "Puppies! The puppies were born! My puppy was born?"
Devon was laughing at him as she nodded. "Yep, she had four boys and two girls, and they're all healthy."
Her son was jumping up and down in excitement. "Yay! The puppies are here! Can we go see them?"
"Calm down a little. Miss Gloria said we can come see them on Saturday. We have to give them a chance to get used to being out in the world, right?"
Jacob nodded vigorously. "Okay. But I can't wait to see the puppies! Mom, we have to get ready for our puppy. We have to get lots of stuff."
"I know, I know. Miss Gloria gave me all those papers, remember? It tells me everything we need. And Dr. Carter, he's the animal doctor, he sells a whole starter package at his office for new puppies. We'll go there and get what we need."
"Can we do that tomorrow? Please, Mom?" Jacob begged.
"I don't see why not." Devon loved the look on his face. "Just let me check what the hours are at Dr. Carter's tomorrow." She quickly checked on her phone and verified that they would have plenty of time after school the next day. "Okay, they're open until five thirty, so we can go tomorrow."
Jacob's excitement lasted through the whole evening and he talked a blue streak right up until Devon tucked him into bed that night. Once he got in bed and calmed down enough, the day caught up with him fast and Devon was only halfway through reading a book to him before he was sound asleep. She sat smiling at him for a few minutes before she finally kissed his forehead and turned out the light.
The next day, Devon got Jacob off to school, put in several productive hours at her computer and then took a break to make herself a sandwich. She poured a glass of iced tea and set it on the table beside her plate, switching on the TV in the kitchen, to catch the midday news. She walked out to the mailbox and gathered her mail, carrying it back to the kitchen with her. Then she sat down, her attention captured by the story on the TV about a local family who'd had a fire that severely damaged their house. She didn't know the people, but she jotted down the information the newscaster gave of where to send needed items to get them by while they were out of their home. She took another bite of her sandwich and leafed through the mail, stopping when she saw a letter from Grant's attorney.
"Oh, crap, now what?" she wondered out loud. She ripped open the envelope and read the letter, shaking her head in disgust. Grant was requesting that he be allowed visitation with Jacob. Since there was a "good probability" that he was Jacob's father and he had so far never been given the opportunity to even meet his son, he wished to waste no more time. He'd already been deprived of too much of his son's life. It would be best for all involved if Devon would be cooperative in allowing reasonable visitation so that he could get to know his child. She read through the letter a second time and then sat there thinking as she finished her sandwich. She dialed her attorney's office and got his receptionist.
"Mack just went home to have a quick lunch with his wife, and then he'll be back," the receptionist said. "Why don't you email us a copy of the letter, and I'll have him take a look at it when he gets back."
"Okay, I'll do that right now," Devon replied.
"We'll call you after he looks it over."
"Great, thank you, Paula," Devon said as she hung up. She emailed the letter over and waited to hear back, trying to keep busy while she waited for the phone to ring. When it did, she jumped at it. "Hello?"
"Devon, Mack Thorne. I've got your letter here in front of me. I'm assuming you didn't let yourself be upset by this."
Devon let out a sigh of relief. She'd thought it was an empty threat, but it was good to have her attorney confirm it. "No, I thought it was kind of bogus. But it's still disquieting, you know?"
"Sure. Let me reassure you; this is an attempt by Grant to get you to give him something he wants. He doesn't have any legal ground to stand on, and his attorney knows it. I know Tom Sellers. He's a good lawyer, and I imagine he's humoring his client here. I'll send back a simple letter of refusal, and that'll be the end of it. The only thing Grant can really do legally right now is file a motion for a paternity test and, so far, it doesn't seem like he's inclined to do that."
"No, knowing Grant, he sees it as a waste of money since I'm already having a test done."
"Well, that's fine then. At this point, even if he did file a motion, your test will probably be back before the legalities can be completed. So, relax and don't worry about this at all."
Devon gave an audible sigh. "Thank you so much, Mr. Thorne."
"Now, call me Mack, everybody does."
Devon laughed. "Mack, then. I appreciate this a lot."
"Not a problem. That's what I'm here for, and at this point, this is a simple matter."
"I just hope it stays that way. I can't deny, I'm anxious for that test to be completed."
Mack said, "I can't blame you. Hopefully you'll get your results soon."
"Well, thank you again. Have a good day."
"You too."
Devon felt lighter after the phon
e call. She reminded herself to call Jessie and Brady at the end of the day to keep them in the loop. She treated herself to a scoop of ice cream before she went back to work. She already knew that her evening was going to be consumed by puppy preparations. And sure enough, the evening with Jacob was busy and fun, and Devon waited until he had gone to bed to call Jessie. Their call was short and to the point, and Devon was saddened again after she hung up. Jessie was still keeping a wall of formality between them and she couldn't blame her. She just hoped that it would get better in time, for Jacob's sake, if nothing else.
On Friday morning, Devon called Gloria and the two of them agreed on two o'clock in the afternoon for their visit to the puppies. After she clicked off the phone, Devon sat and thought for a long time. She wondered if she should call Jessie. Before everything had happened, Jessie had been excited, when Devon had invited her to go with them to see the puppies once they were born. Now, she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to be pushy with Jessie, but she also didn't want to offend her by not letting her know. Finally, she called. The phone went to voicemail and Devon left a message about the puppies. "If you'd like to join us, we'll be there at two o'clock and you'd be welcome. Really, Jessie, you'd be more than welcome." She turned off her phone and hoped for the best.
Chapter 22
Jessie stared at her phone for a long time. Her thoughts were in a turmoil. She'd love to see Jacob again, especially when he saw the newborn puppies for the first time. But Devon had hurt her so deeply with her deception, she didn't know how to even begin to forgive her. And the pain of losing her brother was fresh again, ripped open by the revelations of the short relationship he'd had with Devon. She just couldn't understand how Devon could have continued to keep it a secret after they'd gotten to know each other. It was beyond her comprehension; she could have known long ago. And if Jake was Jacob's father, she could have known his son from a much younger time. She would have had the comfort of knowing him. She could have even shared her brother's loss with Devon. They could have helped each other. Devon had suffered the loss of her father, Jacob's grandfather, and Jessie knew the two of them could have comforted each other. The waste of time tormented her.
So, now, she had to figure out what to do going forward. Brady had been right; she couldn't have a relationship with Jacob without including Devon. She was the only family Jacob had ever known, that he could remember, and she understood the magnitude of that. If Jacob was Jake's son, she would do anything she had to in order to have a relationship with her nephew. And if it turned out that Jake wasn't his father, well, she could hardly bear thinking about that possibility. She suddenly needed to be close to Brady. She saddled up her horse and put on a warm jacket with gloves and a hat and headed out to the pasture, with Indy trailing her. When she caught sight of Brady, the warmth rushed over her. Just the sight of him, put her in a better place. Brady spotted her as if she had called him and raised his arm in a wave. She was smiling when she rode up to him and Red.
"Hi, baby, what are you doing out here?" Brady leaned off his horse to kiss her.
"I just had a sudden need to see your face." Jessie's smile was luminous.
"Is everything okay?"
"It is now. I brought cookies."
Brady grinned. "That's the kind of news I like to hear. Hey, Red, we've got cookies."
Jessie didn't stay long. She knew they had work to do but sharing a few minutes with Brady set her world straight again. When she rode back to the barn, her heart was lighter. She still didn't know what she was going to do about joining Devon and Jacob the next day, but she didn't feel like it was the end of the world anymore. After she took care of her horse and washed up, she busied herself with her usual form of therapy and started a savory beef stew. When Brady came in at the end of the day, there was stew, freshly baked bread and apple pie for dessert.
Over dinner, they talked.
"Devon called me today. I didn't answer the phone, but she left me a message."
Brady raised an eyebrow. "What was the message?"
"The puppies were born a few days ago. Devon and Jacob are going to see them tomorrow. Back when she first put a deposit on a pup, she asked me if I'd like to go with them to see them once they were born. She was inviting me to meet them there if I want."
Brady studied her face for a long minute. "So, what are you going to do?"
Jessie was quiet. Finally, she said, "I just don't know. I'd love to see Jacob, but I can't just forget what she did. I still don't know if I can ever forgive her."
"So, what's the worst thing about what she did and didn't do?"
"It's all the time I lost! I could have known that I had a nephew, Jake's son, back when he was really little. I could have been Aunt Jessie all this time, and she kept that from me!"
Brady asked quietly, "So does it make sense to let her take more time from you?"
Jessie's mouth dropped open. "It…no, but it's not that simple."
Brady leaned forward and took her hand. "Look, Jessie, you can't erase what's been done. You can only go forward from where you are now. You can let Devon's actions keep you from Jacob for the rest of your life if your hurt goes that deep. She kept Jacob from you longer than she should have, once she knew who Jake was. Only you can keep you from Jacob now. She's letting you in; whether you take her up on it, is up to you. But it'll be your voluntary action that keeps you away from that little boy if that's the choice you make."
Jessie looked stricken. "I can't do that," she whispered.
Brady squeezed her hand hard. "I know you can't. You don't have to fall into Devon's arms and forgive her instantly. It'll take time. And it'll be hurtful. But isn't it worth it to have Jacob in your life? Especially if you're his Aunt Jessie."
Tears trickled down Jessie's face. "Yes. It's worth anything. Will you help me?"
Brady smiled at her. "Just try to stop me."
Jessie was up early and passed the time by making blueberry pancakes and fat sausages for breakfast. Brady got up early too, led to the kitchen by the smells of food and coffee. He kissed Jessie without letting his eyes ever leave the stove. Jessie handed him a cup of coffee and laughed at the look on his face. "Have a seat. It'll be ready soon."
Brady said, "Have I told you lately that I love you?"
"As a matter of fact, not since last night."
He nuzzled her neck and said, "I love you; I love you; I love you." He nibbled at her earlobe and sent a shiver of delight down her spine.
"If you want pancakes, you'd better stop," Jessie said halfheartedly.
Brady nipped her earlobe one last time and stepped back. "I can't pass up blueberry pancakes, but we'll continue this later."
Jessie ran her tongue slowly over her upper lip and gave him a lecherous wink. "You promise?"
Brady groaned and said, "Oh, boy, do I promise!"
Jessie laughed and poured batter onto the griddle. "Okay, I'm going to hold you to that."
Brady sipped his coffee and watched her graceful movements at the stove as she efficiently flipped pancakes and turned sausages, pausing to crack a couple of eggs into a sizzling skillet. A few minutes later, he was digging into a breakfast he swore was made in heaven. Red showed up at the door a few minutes later, and it took Jessie all of two seconds to talk him into taking a seat at the table.
"Damn, Jessie, that's the best breakfast I've had in my life," Red said after gorging himself.
"Hold on, Red, I think you could be wrong about that. Remember the garbage skillet with gravy and homemade biscuits?" Brady asked.
"Oh, yeah, that's right. But I have a real weakness for blueberry pancakes and those were the best I ever had."
Jessie laughed at them both. "You two are fun to cook for."
Brady took her hand and gazed at her earnestly. "If we ever stop being fun to cook for, you let us know right away and we'll fix it."
Jessie laughed harder and said, "Okay, I promise. Now, go get some work done. I'm going to leave a plateful of sandwiches in t
he fridge for lunch because I'll be gone. There's a bowl of fruit salad in there too, so just help yourselves when you break for lunch."
Brady kissed her and said, "Okay, darlin', thank you. And you enjoy yourself this afternoon."
"I'm going to give it my best shot."
Jessie stayed busy around the house until it was time to go to Gloria's, and then she patted Indy and gave her a biscuit before she pulled her jacket on and left the house. She did her best not to think about what Devon had done and concentrated instead on seeing Jacob's face when he saw the puppies. She was determined to think only about him and not Devon's deceit. When she pulled into Gloria's driveway, Devon was helping Jacob get out of the truck. She waved at the two of them and Jacob said, "Miss Jessie! Hi! We're going to see the new puppies!"
Jessie beamed at him. "I know. Is it all right if I come with you and see them too?"
"Sure! That's okay, isn't it, Mom?"
Devon smiled at him and said, "It sure is. Hi, Jessie, we're glad you came."
"Hi, Devon. I'm glad I'm here."
They trooped up to the porch and rang the doorbell. Gloria came to the door, accompanied by one dog and said, "Hi, everyone. Just let me grab my jacket and we'll go out to the kennel." She led the way across the backyard to the kennel building. She opened the door for them and cautioned Jacob. "Try and be quiet, Jacob. You can talk but keep it down so you don't get the dogs too excited or scared."
A Dusty Dreams Wedding Page 17