“I’ve booked two rooms at a hotel downtown,” Jordan told her as he pulled to a stop in front of a redbrick rancher with white trim and gutters. “There’s no way I’m staying in this house.”
“Okay,” she answered automatically. This wasn’t her homecoming, so she didn’t pretend like she had any opinion on how he handled things.
As he turned off the car, she glanced in the back seat to where Ben still napped. Her sweet, handsome boy was about to meet his grandmother.
Cory’s mother had only seen the baby twice, and both interactions had been overshadowed by Tracy’s disappointment with her daughter. Ben was only a physical reminder of the future Cory had thrown away, according to her mom.
It was silly to pin her hopes on a complete stranger, but Cory hoped Jordan’s mom was at least kinder than her own. She couldn’t help but want that for her son. A loving family.
She woke Ben and lifted his still-limp body into her arms while Jordan stood next to her, glowering and tapping an agitated toe on the asphalt.
“Do you want to carry him to the house?” she asked as she straightened, the baby cradled against her chest. “It might help relax you a bit.”
“I’m relaxed,” Jordan countered.
“Like a man about to face the firing squad is relaxed.” She offered an encouraging smile. “It’s going to be okay, Jordan. You’re not alone.”
He stared at her like she was speaking a foreign language. “Thanks,” he mumbled finally and then smoothed a hand over Ben’s downy hair. The boy blinked and lifted his head to study his father, shoving his fist in his mouth.
But Cory noticed that Jordan’s shoulders eased ever so slightly and felt a huge sense of accomplishment. She might not know what they were walking into, but she knew how to be useful.
“I’ll let you hold him,” Jordan said and led them up the narrow walk. “It would be kind of embarrassing if I dropped him or something. To show my mom that I don’t even know how to hold my own baby.”
“You’ll get more comfortable,” Cory promised.
The front door opened just before they got to the porch, and an older woman watched from the doorway, hand clasped to her mouth. She was small and delicate, reminding Cory of a fallen leaf that might blow away in a strong gust of wind.
“You came,” she whispered as her hazel eyes filled with tears.
“Yeah,” Jordan answered simply. “I told you I’d be here.” He reached for Cory’s elbow and tugged her closer. “I have a couple people for you to meet. My fiancée and my son.”
Cory felt her jaw go clack and quickly snapped shut her mouth as his mother also tried to hide her shock. Maybe Cory should have pushed for more details from Jordan on the plan, because she wouldn’t have guessed in a million years that his suggestion for keeping it simple might involve a fake engagement.
Chapter Five
“A grandson. I still can’t believe I have a grandson.”
Jordan pressed his lips tight together as he watched his mother smile at the baby she’d been holding in her arms for the past hour.
“It’s obvious he likes you,” Cory said from where she sat next to Jordan on the pale blue damask sofa in the house’s formal living room. Although the home was small, his mother had decorated it with as much pride as if she were holding court at Buckingham Palace. As a kid, Jordan had hated the stuffy decor and the fact he was constantly being told to remove his shoes or to stay out of rooms other than the cozy study off the kitchen.
But his mom had insisted that he and Cory sit with Ben in the once off-limits room at the front of the house. Jordan couldn’t help but wonder if he would have been allowed into the precious space if he’d shown up alone.
He swallowed back a yelp when Cory pinched the back of his arm. “Isn’t it obvious how much Ben likes his grandma?” she asked.
“He’s a baby,” Jordan said, earning another squeeze, although her bright smile remained in place. His mother glanced up, and he could clearly see the hope in her gentle gaze. “But, yeah, he likes you, Mom. Of course he does.”
“I can’t get over how much he looks like your father.”
“You mentioned that,” Jordan muttered.
“He would have loved to know his grandchild.”
Jordan recognized and ignored the soft admonishment.
“If there’s anything we can do to help with the service,” Cory told his mother, sitting forward, “please know we’re here for you.”
“Thank you, dear.” His mom sniffed. “My book club has handled most of the arrangements. They’ve been such a help since James passed. I’m not sure how I would have survived without their support.”
Jordan fidgeted. Was that a subtle reminder he hadn’t been any help to his mom?
He didn’t know who was responsible for the distance in their relationship, so he’d always allowed his father to shoulder the blame. His parents’ marriage had been tumultuous when Jordan was a kid, but his mom’s devotion to her husband never wavered. So when James came down hard on Jordan or pushed him in sports beyond what was safe for a developing boy, she didn’t step in to defuse the intensity of his dad’s expectations.
James was so seduced by Jordan’s innate athletic talent that success on the field or in the gym was the only thing that mattered. He didn’t just want to promote Jordan’s glory. He wanted to share in it, and Jordan understood that without the all-encompassing excitement of sports, he had no value to his father.
Cory took his hand in hers, and her soft touch was more comfort than it probably should have been. Although she’d meant something to him when they’d grown close in Atlanta, at this point she was a virtual stranger. One with whom he shared a child, but a stranger nonetheless. How odd that she seemed to be able to read his mood and what he needed before the longing truly gelled inside his mind.
“How long has your book club been meeting?” Cory asked, effectively distracting his mother from thoughts about all the ways her older son was lacking.
“Over twenty years,” his mom said with a smile. “Several of us have known each other since high school. We’ve been through a lot together. I’m lucky to have such amazing friends.”
“That’s wonderful.” Cory nodded. “I always wanted to have lifelong friends.” She gave a tight laugh. “Or any real girlfriends. I’ve never seemed to manage it.”
“Are the women in Starlight not nice?” his mother asked, her gaze darting between Cory and Jordan. “I thought you said it’s a close-knit community.”
“It is,” Jordan said, once again on the defensive. “Starlight is a great town.”
His mother’s feathery brows furrowed. “Then why—”
“It’s probably my fault,” Cory said quickly and slipped her hand from his. “I’ve been so busy with Ben that I haven’t made much of an effort.”
“You need to take care of yourself so you can take care of the baby,” his mother advised, then pointed a finger at Jordan. “Are you not taking on enough of the childcare and household responsibilities?”
He felt his mouth drop open.
“Jordan is...um... It’s not his fault.” Cory glanced at him, her big eyes going even wider. “I need to take responsibility for my own happiness.”
“Nonsense.” Kathy rolled her eyes. “He’s your partner and Ben’s father. You know what they say—‘happy wife, happy life.’”
“I don’t think Dad ever said that,” Jordan said, then sighed when his mother’s back went rigid. He’d told himself he wasn’t going to bring up the past and his father’s behavior. His mom had made her choice, and it was none of Jordan’s business.
“You might be right,” his mom said after a moment. “But he never prevented me from having friends.”
Jordan threw up his hands. “I’m not stopping her from having friends.”
“He’s not,” Cory added. “At all.”
“Mom, stop.” Jordan stood and stalked to the fireplace, where the oak mantel still held framed photos of Jordan and Max as kids. “Cory can handle her own life, and no one is shunning her in Starlight because we’re not married.”
“Have you set a date?” his mom asked, undeterred. “Am I invited?”
Jordan felt his temples start to pound.
“What would you like Ben to call you?” Cory asked before Jordan could respond. “Grandma or Grammy or—”
“Mimi,” his mother said, almost shyly. “I always thought my grandchildren would call me Mimi.”
“Mom, that’s—”
“Adorable,” Cory interrupted. “I think that’s so cute. Ben and his mimi are going to have so much fun together. I can already tell.”
Jordan gave her an arch look he transformed into a smile when he realized his mother was grinning broadly.
He couldn’t remember ever seeing his mother smile like that. Just as he started to relax again, the back door opened and shut with a slam.
“Mom?”
“In the living room,” Kathy called.
“Seriously?” Max’s voice got louder as his footsteps sounded in the hallway. “Did someone else d—” His voice trailed off as he came to stand at the room’s threshold, his hazel eyes taking in the scene. “Jordan. You’re back.”
“Why does everyone sound so shocked?” Jordan said. “I told you all I’d be here.” He closed the distance between him and his younger brother in a few strides. His brother was taller now and had filled out from the gangly, bespectacled teen he’d been when Jordan left for college. Max had dark hair and their mother’s gentle eyes. Her gentle spirit, as well. “You look good, Max. All grown-up.”
“Five years will do that to a person,” Max answered and returned Jordan’s hug with a half-hearted embrace.
“You’re welcome to visit Starlight anytime,” Jordan said, ignoring the animosity in his brother’s voice. “I have plenty of room.”
“Some of us care about home,” Max muttered, and Jordan hated the bitterness in his brother’s gaze. He wished his relationship with his younger brother hadn’t been a casualty of breaking away from his father’s choke hold on his life, but there was little he could do to change that now.
“Come and meet your nephew,” their mother said, as always trying to smooth over any friction that appeared between the brothers. Max had regularly been sick as a kid and stayed home with Kathy, while Jordan and his dad spent hours together through the football, wrestling and baseball seasons.
Max drew in a sharp breath. “You have a kid?”
Jordan wanted to explain the whole situation, to reveal his shock and worry over his suitability as a father. If anyone would understand, it was his brother.
“He has a fiancée, as well.” Kathy stood and gestured to Cory. “Your brother must have forgotten his manners. Jordan, introduce your Cory to Max.”
His Cory. Jordan scrubbed a hand over his jaw and tried not to think about how right it would feel if she were actually his.
“I’m Cory. It’s nice to meet you,” Cory said as she came to stand next to him, holding out a hand to his brother. “I’m sorry about the circumstances.”
Max stared between the two of them and then glanced at Ben. “You two have a baby. But you aren’t married?”
Jordan heard Cory’s sharp intake of breath and shook his head. “Since when did you become the morality police?” he demanded of his brother.
“No disrespect.” Instead of taking Cory’s hand, Max stepped forward and gave her a hug. “Welcome to the nuthouse,” he told Cory.
Wasn’t that just the truth, Jordan thought. Honestly, he wouldn’t blame Cory if she rented a car and headed back to Starlight and as far away from him as she could get.
“I’m glad to be here,” she told his brother, although Jordan knew it must be a lie.
“We should check into the hotel,” Jordan said as Max took Ben from their mother. The boy gazed up at his uncle for a long moment, then grinned. It embarrassed Jordan to no end that even his stuffy younger brother was more comfortable holding the baby than Jordan. What did that say about him? Nothing he wanted to admit.
“You aren’t staying here?”
He couldn’t make eye contact with his mother, not after the hurt in her voice.
“We’ll see you tomorrow at the service,” he said by way of an answer.
Max bounced Ben for a few more seconds before handing him to Cory. She gave both his brother and mom another hug. It felt as though she was as confused as Kathy about why they were checking into a hotel. To Jordan’s eternal gratitude, she didn’t question him.
In fact, she spoke very little on the short drive to downtown. That worked for him. There was nothing he could say that would adequately explain the riot of thoughts tumbling through his mind and heart.
* * *
Cory wasn’t sure what she was thinking, knocking on the door separating her room from Jordan’s later that afternoon. He’d made it clear he wanted to be alone. After the strange and surreal visit to his mother’s house, she didn’t blame him.
No one spoke directly about his father, although it was clear the man’s presence continued to loom large for both Kathy and the two sons he’d left behind. Cory had never been so grateful for Ben, whose sweetness was about the only thing that made the time go by quickly.
She felt almost guilty she’d liked Jordan’s mom. It was nice to have someone fussing over her son and talking about the baby like he was something more than a burden.
The good memories Cory had from spending time with her grandmother still meant the world to her, so of course she wanted that for her son. It definitely wouldn’t come from her side of the family.
But she couldn’t include Kathy in their lives without Jordan’s approval. There had to be more to why he was so distant with his mom than simply time and the impact of Jordan living across the country. After all, he’d been in Starlight long enough to plan a visit to his hometown.
He opened the door after a few seconds, his hair wild like he’d been pulling at the ends and his gaze shuttered.
“I talked to the lady at the front desk,” she said with a bright smile. “She said there’s a really good place to eat around the corner. It’s not too cold, so Ben and I are going to walk over for an early dinner. Would you like to join us?”
He squinted at her like he was having trouble making sense of her words. Yes, she’d said them all on one rush of breath, but the invitation had been clear.
She pantomimed bringing a fork to her mouth. “Food. Eat. You and me.”
“Why?”
Her turn to frown. “I’m hungry and figured you might be, as well.”
“I was such a jerk earlier.”
“At least you can admit it,” she said with a laugh. “I get how hard it can be to go home, especially under the circumstances you’re dealing with, but I’m not the enemy.”
“I know.” He ran a hand through his hair, and her stomach clenched as the muscles in his bicep flexed. She needed to get a grip on her awareness of this man. No point being distracted by his physical perfection when nothing could come of it. “In fact, I’m stellar at being my own worst enemy when it comes to being around my family.”
Cory placed a hand on her stomach when a growl escaped. “Grab a jacket and let’s discuss your jerkiness over dinner.”
“Dinner is a yes. Talking about me being a jerk, hard pass.” His voice was stern, but she could see his lips tugging up at the corners. And suddenly she desperately wanted to coax a smile from him.
They made their way to the nearby diner with Ben riding contentedly in his stroller. The air was chilled, so Cory ha
d tucked a blanket around him and placed a wind barrier over the stroller’s hood.
“Babies don’t travel light,” Jordan observed as Cory lifted Ben into her arms outside the restaurant, and he folded the stroller to stow it near the front door.
“Not at all,” she agreed with a laugh.
An older woman led them to a booth in the corner and placed a high chair alongside it.
Cory sat the baby in it, supported from behind by his blanket. Ben looked around with his gaze wide, every experience and place new and fascinating to him.
“I wish I could see the world through his eyes,” Jordan said, echoing the thoughts in her head.
It both disturbed and delighted her that they were on the same wavelength. “I hope he never loses his curiosity,” she said. “He’s going to have the kind of unconditional love and support that makes him know he can do or try anything and still have a soft place to land with his mom.”
“And his dad,” Jordan said. “Although, I hope he doesn’t try all the stupid stuff I did when I was younger.”
The waitress appeared at the table and took their orders—a chicken club and side salad for Cory and a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries for Jordan.
She studied the man across the table for a long moment, then asked, “Were you a rebel back in the day? In Atlanta, you seemed like the mature one of the team, always guiding and mentoring the younger players.”
“I learned some hard lessons that I didn’t want to see other guys repeat.” He glanced around the restaurant. “Most of my hell-raising was done in high school. Once I got out of Spokane, I lost the need to cause trouble.”
“Because you didn’t have to antagonize your father any longer?”
“I like to think I grew up, but I guess that had something to do with it.” He shrugged, then turned his attention to Ben. “I was a master at pushing the old man’s buttons.” He wiggled a hand in front of the baby. Ben grabbed on to his father’s finger, and Cory’s breath caught in her throat at their two matching smiles. “I’m not planning to give this little guy a reason to cause trouble.”
His Secret Starlight Baby Page 5