Chapter Thirteen
JACK SETTLED RILEY and Casey in his car and rounded the back. He tried to open the driver door, but his hands shook. He leaned against the truck for a minute and drew in a deep breath. He sucked in another breath and let it out. That was close. Too close. From the minute he’d heard the panic in Casey’s voice, his heart had started racing and hadn’t stopped until he’d laid eyes on Riley in that hospital bed. He’d tried to comfort Casey, but she’d done more to pacify him than he had her. He hadn’t known what to say. How to support her. Just like last time.
He finally climbed in and shut the door.
“You can take me back to my car.” Casey acted as though nothing had happened, but the tick in her clenched jaw betrayed her true feelings.
“Not a chance. I’m taking you home. We’ll get your car tomorrow.”
“That’s not nec—”
“Yes, it is.” There was no way he was leaving her now.
Casey’s arm stayed around Riley’s shoulder, her fingers stroking his hair, the entire drive home. By the time Jack pulled up in front of Casey’s house, Riley’s head had dipped and his eyes closed. “Riley, honey, we’re home.”
Riley’s eyes blinked and he sighed. Poor kid. All the excitement had probably worn him out. Casey would have to wake him in an hour or so because of his concussion. The least Jack could do was let Riley sleep now.
“Don’t wake him. I’ll get him.” Jack slid off the seat and hustled around to grab Riley. He was light in Jack’s arms as he settled the boy on his shoulder. Casey rushed in front of them and held the door open. She smiled at Jack as he sidestepped into her house, careful not to bump Riley on the door jamb.
“His room is on the left.” Casey led him down the hall and into Riley’s room. The walls were painted a sand color. Model cars and airplanes lay scattered on his dresser and the trunk in the corner overflowed with toys and balls. Exactly how Jack expected a boy’s room to look—much like how Jack’s room had been growing up.
At that moment, Jack wished with everything in him that Riley had been his. His and Casey’s together.
Casey pulled the covers back and Jack laid Riley gently in the bed. While Casey pulled off his shoes, Jack stared at the perfect boy with the tousled hair who clearly loved Casey with everything in him. Just like Jack did.
Jack couldn’t deny it anymore. He loved Casey. If he were honest with himself, he’d probably never stopped loving her. It was no wonder he’d spent the past ten years trying, and failing, to find a replacement for the woman who’d stolen his heart so long ago.
“Jack?” Casey’s gentle touch on his arm startled him.
He took one last glance at Riley tucked under the covers. Despite the bruise on his forehead, you’d never know he’d had a serious accident tonight. “Yeah, okay. I’m leaving.”
Jack watched Riley for one more minute and then followed Casey out of the room. She pulled the door but left it open a little. As soon as she turned back to Jack, he gathered her into his arms and settled her against his chest. Damn, he needed that. Feeling her against him soothed his raw nerves.
Casey trembled and sniffled.
“Aw, Casey.” He scooped her up and strode across the hall into her bedroom. He didn’t stop until he sat on her bed with her still in his arms, her face buried in his shirt. He tucked her head under his chin and ran his hand down her back.
When they’d lost Travis, he’d tried to comfort her. To grieve with her. But he hadn’t been able to ease the heartache that both of them felt. She’d eventually stopped turning to him, choosing to mourn alone. So to have her turn to him now, to find comfort in his arms, was overwhelming. He soothed her, words of comfort slipping from his lips until her shaking subsided and her tears slowed.
He kissed her on the forehead and she lifted her eyes until her gaze met his. “Oh, Jack, I was so scared. What if something had happened to Riley?”
“He’s all right. You heard the doctor. He just needs rest and he’ll be good as new.”
“When I rushed into that emergency room, my first thought was—”
“Yeah. Mine, too.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
He hugged her to him. “I remember feeling so helpless that day. All I could do was sit by and watch you suffer so much pain, physically and emotionally, and know that I couldn’t do anything to help you.”
“Your being there helped. Then…and today. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been with me.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than by your side.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers. A single kiss didn’t even begin to convey the depth of what he felt for her. But now was not the time. He was content to just hold her in his arms.
They remained snuggled together for a while longer. He didn’t want to move—didn’t want to break the cocoon that had wrapped itself around the two of them. Eventually, she straightened, slid off his lap, and swiped under her eyes. “Thanks for being here.”
She was dismissing him and he didn’t like that. Not one bit. He clutched her hand. “Ask me to stay.”
She eyed Riley’s door. “I don’t want Riley to get the wrong idea.”
“Not like that. I need to be near you. To hold you. I’ll move to the couch before he wakes up.” Jack ran his thumb over her knuckles, tracing the hills and valleys. He found the rapid pulse in her wrist. “Please.”
She nodded her head in reluctant agreement. Maybe she needed him as much as he needed her. He could hope.
Jack scooted up the bed, pulling Casey with him, until he settled against the headboard. Casey stretched out beside him, her head on his chest and her hand over his heart, bunching his shirt in her fist like she had when they were younger. As though holding onto him that way would keep everything bad away from them.
She closed her eyes. Eventually her breathing slowed and her head grew heavy on top of him. But while she slept, he couldn’t. His mind raced with everything that had happened today and the emotional revelation that had rocked him. He couldn’t lose Casey again. Not after they’d found their way back to each other at last.
CASEY MUST HAVE fallen asleep. She didn’t think she’d be able to, after the emotional upheaval Riley’s injury had caused. And then there was Jack. She probably shouldn’t have allowed him to stay, but the thought of being alone when presented with a better option wasn’t appealing after the evening she’d had. She’d had such high hopes for their date only to have it interrupted by Riley’s accident. Maybe that was for the best. Their time together was coming to an end before long, and she needed to protect her heart from the inevitable heartbreak.
A warm body pressed up against her back. She turned to snuggle into Jack only to find Riley behind her, his arm around Jack and his little eight-year-old body pressed against her. Her heart jumped at the sight of her son wrapped in Jack’s arms, safe and secure. She lifted her eyes to find Jack looking at her, an easy smile on his face and twinkle in his eye as he placed his finger to his lips. “Shhh.”
“When did he come in?” she whispered.
“Couple of hours ago. I went in to check on him and he wanted you.”
She slid her lips over her son’s head. She couldn’t count the number of times he’d crawled into bed with her since he’d been born. But he appeared to have no problem with Jack, who seemed equally pleased to have her son snuggled up against him.
Jack reached out his hand and Casey took it, tucking their clasped hands to her breast. She laid her head down and just enjoyed the comfort of the man she loved cuddling with her and her son.
When she woke again, the other side of the bed was empty. No Jack and no Riley. The bright sun was shining through the window. How long had she been sleeping?
She heard Riley giggling outside the door and then it swung open. Her son stood in the doorway, looking no worse for the wear except for the bruise on his forehead. He fumbled with their “breakfast in bed” tray, as they called it, with Jack behind him, holding a cup of coffee. Both of the boys had tousled hair, and her heart broke open wide. Could she really have this with Jack?
She glanced at her phone and her eyes fell to the date. She stifled a gasp. With everything that had happened, she’d lost track of the date. Today was the one day each year she looked forward to and dreaded at the same time. She always tried to make it special for Riley to cover the deep heartbreak that would overwhelm her. Maybe Riley had noticed and turned the tables on her.
She studied Jack. Did he remember what today was? He quirked an eyebrow at her, his expression thoughtful and questioning, but didn’t give any indication that he remembered the worst day of their life.
“Riley wanted to make you breakfast.”
“Yeah, Mom. Jack helped me and we made you bacon and eggs and toast and coffee.” Riley was so proud of himself. Once again, he was taking care of her when she should be taking care of him.
After he slid the tray in front of her, she brushed a hair off his forehead and thumbed the darkened skin. “How are you feeling today? Any headache?”
“No, Mom. I told you I’d be fine.” He jumped off the bed and hurried to the door. “See ya’ later!”
“Wait, Riley—” Her words fell flat as he ran down the hall and out of earshot.
Jack climbed onto the bed beside her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Good morning.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. As much as she’d questioned her decision to allow Jack to stay last night, she couldn’t deny how much she appreciated waking up to him and Riley snuggled with her on the bed. Like a family.
He nudged the tray in front of her. “Go ahead. Eat. I already called the lot and have extra coverage for today. You just stay home with Riley.”
“But Jack—”
“No buts. You need a break and Riley’s supposed to take it easy anyway. Spend some time together. Just the two of you.” Jack’s intense stare penetrated her and she shivered. Maybe he did remember.
Her meager attempt at a protest failed. She wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity to spend the day with Riley. Especially today. “Okay.” She sipped from the mug of coffee, letting the heat seep into her. She would stay home, but nothing would keep her from her visit to the cemetery tonight. She’d already confirmed that Jackie could stay with Riley. This was something Casey did alone every year.
Should she invite Jack along? Probably, but she couldn’t bear the heartbreak if he didn’t want to join her. The one thing she’d learned over the years was that each person dealt with grief in their own way. Jack’s way was to run. Casey, on the other hand, drew comfort from visiting Travis. The first year, her visits had been frequent, but as she grew stronger, her visits had trickled off to just his birthday.
“Great.” Jack brushed his lips over hers again, his tongue darting out to trace her lips until she open to him. His tongue tangled with hers, giving and taking, while his arms encircled her, claiming her with their strength. “Yum. You taste like coffee. And Casey.”
“What does Casey taste like?” She loved this playful side of Jack. She’d missed him so much in the years since they’d been together. Her one pathetic attempt to replace him in her life had proven that no one could take Jack’s place in her heart.
“Delicious.”
She reached for him, but he laughed and stepped back. “Oh, no, you don’t. I have to get to work. I’ll call and check in later.”
“Okay.” She grabbed a slice of bacon and sank back into the pillow, enjoying a few moments of peace.