by Roth, Ann
Her son nodded meekly.
Dabbing at her eyes, she glanced at Mac’s brothers. “I’m also grateful to you two for looking for Jesse. And for being my friends.”
Ian and Brian gave sober nods.
Jesse’s eyebrows hitched up. Noticing, Mac’s brothers eyed him curiously. Showtime.
Mac fiddled with the collar of his shirt. Shifted onto the balls of his feet. “I figured out something important tonight…” His voice actually cracked, and he started to tear up. Pausing, he pulled himself together. “Thing is, I care about you both.” He glanced from Emmy to Jesse and back to Emmy. “A lot. I want you in my life for a long time.”
Ian looked surprised, but Brian grinned.
“You know I feel the same way,” Emmy said. “But you’re leaving soon. If you’re asking us to wait for you, the answer is yes.”
Jesse nodded.
“I don’t want that.”
“Oh.” Her face fell.
“Why should you wait for me to come back when I’d rather stay here with you?”
“But your plans—traveling and school…”
“About those. As we all know, you two—” Mac nodded at Ian and Brian “—hate the remodeling business. I don’t want my company to die, but if I leave for three years, it will. I think I know a way to keep us all happy. I’ll stay here and run the company and take online college classes.” It wouldn’t be the same as attending school full-time, but Mac no longer cared. “It’ll take longer to get my degree, but that’s okay. I’m in no hurry.”
His announcement didn’t seem to surprise anyone but Emmy. “But you’ve been dreaming of this for so long,” she said with a quizzical look. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“What about traveling?”
“Plenty of time for that, too.”
“You can’t give up your trip,” Emmy said. “Jess and I will wait for you.”
Jesse nodded again.
“You could go for a few weeks,” Brian suggested. “I won’t be starting school until fall, if I get in. I’m fine sticking around here.”
“It’ll take me a while to find the right computer-programming job,” Ian said. “So go. We’ll hold the fort till you get back.”
Emmy’s eyes widened. “Mac knows?”
Mac nodded. “You should’ve said something, Emmy.”
“I wanted to, but I promised your brothers I wouldn’t,” she said.
“And I respect that you kept your word. But no more secrets between us, okay?” Mac smiled to show her he wasn’t mad.
“I swear.”
“Are you going to go away or not?” Ian asked.
Mac wasn’t even tempted. Someday he’d travel. If all went well, with Emmy and Jesse. “For now, I’d rather stay here.” He wanted to say more, but first he needed to touch Emmy. He closed the gap between them and clasped her hands. “I love you, Emmy.” He let go of one hand to ruffle Jesse’s hair. “You, too, kid.”
“Oh, Mac!” Emmy’s eyes shone. “I love you, too. I have for ages.” She laughed. Cried. Then stretched up, pulled his head down and kissed him.
A long, satisfyingly loving kiss that made Mac hungry to be alone with her.
“Ahem,” Jesse said, his mouth twitching.
Mac’s brothers flashed their teeth in wolfish smiles.
Arm around his woman, Mac grinned broadly. He winked at Jesse, who gave a sober, manly thumbs-up. Then dropped the adult pose to hug Mac, hard. When they released each other, the boy was beaming.
“I assumed you’d all want to stay for dinner and pulled an extra casserole from the freezer,” Emmy said. “Shall I pop them both into the oven?”
“I’ll do that for you,” Ian said.
“And I’ll set the table after I wash up.” Brian rolled up his sleeves.
“I’ll wash up, too, and then fix the ice water,” Jesse chimed in. “You and Mac relax, Mom.”
Keeping Emmy close to his side, Mac watched the people he cared for bustle about. All his hopes and dreams were right here in this little cottage with the woman he loved and her son. He’d never felt so happy or content.
Life was sweet.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-3610-7
A FATHER FOR JESSE
Copyright © 2009 by Ann Schuessler.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.eHarlequin.com