“Can I get you something to drink?” he asked. “My dad’s wine collection has been just as neglected as the rest of the place.”
Something to drink did sound good.
“Sure,” I said. “I’ll take something red.”
Jordan nodded and disappeared. After a few minutes of waiting, I decided to check out the old kitchen. Stepping into the place was surreal, to say the least. The kitchen, which had once been full of food and warmth, felt more like an abandoned cellar.
I opened and closed a few of the cabinets, the once fully stocked spaces now containing nothing but dust and mouse droppings. It was heartbreaking to see Alfred’s home in such a state.
Jordan entered a few moments later, a bottle of wine in one hand, a pair of glasses in the other. He pulled a wine key out of his pocket, opened the bottle, and poured us each a glass.
“Thanks,” I said as he handed me my wine. “But do you think we could drink out on the patio?”
Jordan looked around. “Yeah, the house isn’t the coziest it’s ever been. Let’s go.”
Jordan grabbed his glass and the bottle, and the two of us headed out to the back patio. Despite the state of the rest of the house, the view from the patio was just as amazing as it had always been. We took our seats at the long, glass table and spent a little time looking out over the ocean.
“Don’t get this in New York, huh?” I asked, raising my wine to my lips.
Jordan shook his head.
“I have a pretty nice view of the city from my place, but looking out over the city doesn’t compare to the ocean. Just something grander about it.”
We sipped our wine and sat for a few moments. I wondered where we were going to begin this conversation, and Jordan had to have been thinking the same thing. Neither of us spoke, the only sound the waves as they broke on the shore.
“Listen,” he said, finally cracking the silence. “I’m sorry for how I reacted yesterday. It was completely immature.”
“No,” I said. “I get it. I can only imagine what you were thinking when you realized that the kids were yours.”
“It was the strangest moment of my life,” he said. “Four kids, all of them looking like me in their own way, staring at me. It would’ve been bizarre enough with one but having a whole group of them…it was like something out of a dream.”
I smiled.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if the situation had been reversed,” I said.
“So many thoughts were running through my head as I stood there, and none of them seemed like the right one. I figured that the best thing for me to do would be to get out of there and think the situation over. But as I soon as I was back on the road to the house, I realized that I’d just done what I did before—run away from you when things got hard.”
“At least you admit it,” I said. “It’s good to see that you’re taking responsibility for your behavior these days.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “I’ve spent far too much time running away from responsibility, hoping things would work out on their own. I do my best to make sure I don’t fall into my old ways, but you know what they say about old habits.”
I took another sip of the wine, the drink rich and delicious.
“And I suppose I owe you an apology, too,” I said. “I know that it was wrong of me to keep a secret like this from you for so long, but I just didn’t know what else to do. I’d gone back and forth so many times, trying to decide when would be the right time. But it never came. And before I knew it, a year and a half had gone by.”
“Same for me,” he said. “After my father died and I made the decision to get more serious about my life, the time flew by. I laid the groundwork for my company then I put my head down, focused on work, and before I knew it all this time had gone by. I felt like I was working in some kind of bubble where the passage of time didn’t affect me, but nope—the world kept turning.”
I waved my hand through the air, dismissing the subject.
“Nothing we can do about the time that’s gone by,” I said.
Jordan nodded. “All we can focus on is the time we have.”
As much as my words suggested I was ready to put everything behind me and move on, I wasn’t. I still wasn’t sure about how much of a role I wanted for Jordan in the lives of the kids, but guilt began to creep over me for taking so long to tell him that he was a father.
But before I had a chance to say anything, Jordan spoke.
“And I never apologized for the way I treated you back then. The words I said to you…they were so careless and cruel.”
“They were,” I said, bringing my glass close to my body and stiffening my posture. “Time’s passed, but back then they hurt like hell.”
“Part of being the spoiled child that I was meant not caring about other people’s feelings, how my words and behavior affected others. I was drunk, and I was scared of how strongly I was falling for you, but I know that’s no excuse.”
His words didn’t take all the pain away—only time would do that. But it was a start.
“Apology accepted,” I said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as a small smile appeared on Jordan’s mouth.
Then silence fell on us as we both sipped our wine and watched the sunset.
“So,” I said. “Where do we go from here?”
“I suppose that’s up to you,” said Jordan. “I think you know how I feel.”
Anxiety welled in my stomach. It was time for me to come to a decision.
“The past is behind us,” I said. “We both did stupid things, and it’s time to move on. Right now, I’ve got four kids that aren’t old enough to talk yet. But I’m sure as soon as they can, they’re going to start asking where their father is.”
“Then…let’s make a new start,” said Jordan. “I know they’re only words, but I’m a changed man, Chloe. I want to have the chance to prove that to you, to be a part of you and the kids’ lives.”
“I think I’d like that,” I said. “But it’s going to take time to rebuild trust. I hope that’s okay with you.”
Jordan gave me a smile that was both warm and understanding. He reached over, took my hand, and squeezed it.
“I will do everything I can to restore your confidence in me.”
I returned his smile, the two of us locking eyes for one moment, then several.
Then we turned our eyes back to the sun, its colors luminous and brilliant as it sank beneath the shimmering waves.
Chapter 32
Jordan
Standing in front of Chloe’s house the next evening, I was more nervous that I’d been at any point during the founding of my company. I’d stood toe-to-toe with the toughest, richest men and women in New York, I’d brought the company back from the brink more times than I could count, I’d put everything on the line. But here I was, afraid of four kids who couldn’t even talk.
Under my arm was tucked a big box of toys. I was clueless about kids, what they liked, how to entertain them. But I did have money. So, last night after Chloe left the house, I went straight to one of the many boutique baby stores in the city, told them I had four one-and-a-half-year-olds, and let the clerk do all the work.
Now, it was time to see if I could be a dad.
I stepped up to the front door, took a deep breath, and gave it a knock. This time I wasn’t going to run.
After several long moments, Chloe opened the door. She was dressed simply, in jeans and a comfy, knitted sweater, her curly hair tied back. In her arms was one of the babies, his red hair messy and adorable.
“Evening,” she said with a smile. “Or afternoon. Whatever it is.”
“Evening,” I said, my heart thudding in my chest.
I leaned in, waggling my finger in front of the child.
“Is this…who is this?”
I realized that I didn’t even know the kids’ names.
“This is Ethan,” she said.
The boy cooed, pur
sing his lips together and letting out “ba-ba-ba” babbles. He reached for my finger and grabbed it, his little fingers wrapping around.
My heart soared at his touch; it was like nothing I’d ever experienced before.
“Careful,” said Chloe. “He’s got an iron grip.”
“Hey, buddy,” I said, leaning in close. “My name’s Jordan. I’m your…”
My throat tightened up at the word. It was almost too much to say, and I felt myself overcome with emotion. I took one more breath and tried again.
“I’m your daddy.”
Ethan took his hand away from my fingers and brought them together in a series of claps. He smiled and laughed in Chloe’s arms.
“I think that means he likes you,” she said.
I was speechless. I’d always prided myself on my cool head and stoic demeanor, but being near this child, my son, was doing things to me that I could hardly understand.
“Well,” she said. “You still have three more to officially meet. Come on in.”
Chloe stepped back from the door, and I entered. I’d only been here for a short time the other day and hadn’t taken a close look at her home. It was charming and cozy, decorated country-cottage style with lots of soft colors and comfy furniture.
“I like your place,” I said, following Chloe in and looking around.
“Thanks,” she said. “Not nearly enough space for the kids, but it’ll do for now.”
I considered how easy it would be for me to solve Chloe’s space problems with a snap of my fingers. I swore that these children would never want for anything in their lives, and Chloe would never know the stress of worrying about paying bills.
“What do you have there?” asked Chloe, pointing to the box under my arm with her free hand.
“Just some things for the kids,” I said. “I wanted to get more for them, but I have no idea what they like. So, I figured I’d start small and work from there.”
“Much appreciated,” said Chloe. “Truthfully, it’s hard to say what the kids are into, they change their minds about things so fast. Alfred was into these little plastic toolbox toys for a month solid, then one day out of the blue, he was done with them. Fickle little toddlers.”
I stopped in my tracks.
“You named Alfred after my father?” I asked.
Chloe stopped and turned. It was clear from the look on her face that she hadn’t thought about what she’d said.
“Yes,” she said, nodding slowly. “Your father did so much for me that I figured letting his name live on was the least I could do.”
I placed my hand on Chloe’s hand, squeezing it gently.
“He would’ve liked that,” I said. “And we both know how many lives he made better over the years. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more than a few little Als running around the city.”
Chloe nodded again, clearly overwhelmed a bit by the memory of my father. I felt the same way.
We stepped into the living room, the place alight with afternoon sunlight. The remaining three kids were busy playing, giggling, and laughing as they clumsily rolled around on the ground. A TV on mute played cartoons, and the atmosphere was joyful and warm.
It was one of the greatest moments of my life.
“Okay,” I said, eagerness creeping into my voice. “I need to meet them all right away.”
“That I can do,” said Chloe.
She set Ethan down, the boy toddling over to his brothers and sisters as soon as his feet touched the ground.
“So,” said Chloe. “You’ve met Ethan. He’s the most rambunctious of the four, which is saying a lot since these kids have more energy that I can believe.”
Chloe plopped down on the ground and crossed her legs.
“Alfred!” she said.
One of the kids, a boy with the same blond, curly hair as his mother, snapped to attention and came toward Chloe. I sat down on the ground next to her, so excited about meeting the kids that I could hardly stand it.
“This is Alfred,” she said. “He’s the oldest of the crew, but that’s not really saying much. ‘Oldest’ in this case is by minutes.”
“Everything was fine with the birth?” I asked, wishing I could have been there for support.
“Yes,” she said. “Babies came out via C-section at one of the best clinics in the city—something else I can thank your father for.”
“Good,” I said softly.
I leaned in and played with little Alfred, squeezing his cheeks and poking his round little belly, squeals of delight sounding out as I did.
After Alfred had his fun, Chloe set him down, and he quickly joined Ethan.
“Now,” said Chloe, “we’ve got the two girls.”
Chloe swiveled around to call to them.
“Madeline! Sophia!” she said.
The two girls, both of them as beautiful as anything I’d ever seen, turned toward us and came over.
“Madeline’s the older,” she said. “Number two in the gang.”
Madeline had fiery red hair and my bright blue eyes.
“And then we’ve got Sophia,” Chloe said, fluffing the curly blond hair of the other girl. “They’re pretty well-behaved, but then again they’re not teenagers yet.”
I laughed.
“And that’s the whole gang,” said Chloe.
I leaned back on my hands as the children went back to playing. My eyes didn’t leave them for a second, and I knew that I could’ve watched them laughing and playing all day.
“Two sons and two daughters,” I said. “I can’t believe it.”
“I think they like you so far,” said Chloe. “But be careful—they’re pretty fickle. Usually depends on how hungry they are.”
“Speaking of which,” I said, my eyes still on the toddlers. “Have you been able to keep cooking? I still find myself craving that mac and cheese you made for me way back when.”
Chloe smiled, blushing in a way that made me feel absolutely crazy.
“Here and there,” she said. “The kids don’t exactly have the most refined palates in the world, but I try and keep them fed with wholesome, simple stuff.”
“No time for anything more complicated?” I asked.
“Right. I cook for my parents and my friends to say thank you when they watch the kids, but that’s really it. I’ve sort of redirected my cooking drive into a food-review blog.”
I thought the matter over a bit. Chloe had a gift, and depriving her of time in the kitchen was like depriving a master painter a studio. I’d have to do something about it.
“What do you say we make some food tonight?” I asked.
Chloe considered it.
“That could be nice,” she said after a pause. “Maybe I could leave you here with the kids for a little bit while I run to the store. Then we can have something homemade.”
Spending the rest of the afternoon with my four kids and then preparing a delicious meal with Chloe was about as close to heaven as I could imagine.
“Sure you don’t want me to order some things from the store?” I asked.
“Nah,” she said. “Buying the ingredients is half the fun. I’ll come up with some ideas.”
At that moment Ethan came over to us, placing his hand on the box that I’d brought with me. He looked at us both as if knowing somehow that the gifts were for him.
“He must have a sixth sense about this sort of thing,” I said.
“Well,” said Chloe. “Don’t keep the boy in suspense.”
I opened the box, pulling out the dozen or so toys one by one, the kids all turning their attention from their previous activities and hurrying over to see their gifts. I handed them off, the quads so excited that they seemed a few minutes away from bouncing off the walls.
“Okay,” I said. “I think I’m gonna get in there and get to know my kids better.”
Chloe smiled, and I could tell she was eager to see how I’d get along with the kids.
Grabbing a toy, I crawled over to the kids and joine
d the fun. We laughed and played, coming up with silly games, each of the kids such a bundle of energy that I had a hard time keeping up.
As we played, Chloe sat on the couch curled up with a cup of coffee, a warm smile on her face.
Despite being little, the toddlers each had their own unique personality. Ethan was rambunctious, full of energy and always ready to wrestle. Alfred was already showing signs of being a leader, while Madeline was the peacemaker, always quick to comfort any of the kids who seemed overwhelmed or upset. And Sophia was full of life, curious, and always looking how to have fun.
We’d only been playing for an hour or so when I realized how much I loved these amazing little people. I couldn’t believe that they were mine.
“Okay,” said Chloe. “You think you can handle the gang on your own?”
I sat back from the game we were in the middle of playing and caught my breath.
“I think so,” I said. “What do you guys think?”
The kids turned their attention to me, big smiles on their faces as they clapped their hands.
“I think that’s a yes,” said Chloe.
“You going to go to the store?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said, getting up. “It’s just around the block, so I won’t be long. You guys can stay here, or if you’re feeling adventurous, there’s a park down the street.”
“The park sounds awesome,” I said. “What do you guys think? Want to go to the park with your old man?”
Ethan toddled over and wrapped his arms around me, my heart so warm and full of love that I felt like it might burst.
“Okay,” said Chloe. “You have my number if anything comes up.”
With that, she headed upstairs, returning moments later with her things.
“See you in a bit,” she said, taking one last long, happy look at us before heading out.
“Okay!” I said, standing up and clapping my hands together. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for an adventure.”
Getting the kids ready was an awkward process, but one I was happy to do. Once I had their things together, and I had the four of them loaded up in their beast of a four-toddler stroller, we headed out.
Four Secret Babies - A Second Chance Billionaire Romance (San Bravado Billionaires' Club Book 7) Page 19