Page 20 of The Only Road Back

JACK

The drive back to Kansas is quiet. Beth leans against the window, her fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on her leg. I know she’s stuck replaying everything from the baby shower—Stephanie’s barbed remarks, the forced smiles, the endless polite small talk.

I keep my eyes on the road, but I can’t take it anymore after a while. “You holding up?”

She hesitates, then glances over with a tired smile. “Yeah. I mean, mostly. Honestly, I figured I’d be a wreck. But now? I just feel…finished. Like I finally let go.”

“Good.” I flex my grip on the steering wheel. “You deserve to.”

Her gaze softens. “Thanks for coming with me.”

I snort. “Like I’d let you face that circus alone.”

She rolls her eyes. “I should’ve known.”

We lapse into silence again, and I thread my fingers through hers. She squeezes back, and the world finally feels right again.

About an hour from home, my phone buzzes. Mom’s name flashes on the dash. I hit the call button.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Jack!” she exclaims. “Where are you? Your dad and I just got back from our trip, and we want to see you.”

I grin. “We’re an hour out. I’ll come by when we get in.”

Beth sits up, glancing my way.

“We?” Mom’s voice rises, hopeful. “Who’s we?”

I let Beth hear the smile in my voice. “Beth’s with me.”

There’s a pause, then a happy gasp. “Your Beth?”

Beth blushes so hard I almost laugh. “Yeah, Ma. My Beth.”

“Oh, Jack! Bring her over for dinner! No. Bring her over now. I can’t wait!”

I shake my head. “Ma, we’ve been driving all day. Let us shower first.”

Beth tugs on my hand, whispering, “Jack, maybe I should—”

“Nope,” I say, squeezing her fingers. “You’re not getting out of this.”

Mom must hear Beth’s hesitation because she chimes in, “Sweetheart, I promise I won’t bite. I just want to meet the woman who finally straightened out my boy.”

Beth snorts, and I glare at her with mock offense.

“All right, Ma. We’ll be there soon.”

“We’ll be waiting!” she says and hangs up.

I turn toward Beth. “Nervous?”

She bites her lip. “Maybe a little.”

I lift her hand, kissing her knuckles. “Don’t be. They’re going to love you.”

Beth lets out a shaky laugh. “After my family, your parents can’t possibly be worse.”

“Exactly,” I say, grinning. “Piece of cake.”

When we pull into my parents’ driveway, the sun is low, and the house glows warm against the dusk. Beth fidgets beside me, fingers drumming on her knee.

I still her hand. “Relax, sweetheart.”

She nods, but I can see the anxiety in her eyes. “I don’t have a great track record with parents.”

My jaw tightens, thinking of the way her mom treated her. “Mine aren’t like that.”

I get out and open her door. She steps out, taking my hand.

Before we even reach the porch, the door bursts open. Mom stands in the doorway, her hair wild, her eyes shining. Dad is behind her, arms crossed but mouth twitching, like he’s trying not to smile.

Mom barrels straight past me and wraps Beth in a hug. Beth freezes, startled, then relaxes as Mom squeezes her tightly. “You must be Beth.”

“Hello, Mrs. Connor.”

“Oh, honey, none of that Mrs. Connor stuff. Call me Linda.”

Beth laughs, her voice shaky. “Okay. Linda.”

Dad steps forward, offering a firm handshake. “Jack’s told us a lot about you.”

She shakes his hand. “Only the good things, I hope?”

He grins. “Of course.”

Mom slips her arm through Beth’s and ushers her inside. “Come on, let’s get you some real food. I want all the details.”

I shoot Dad a look. He shrugs and follows.

Beth glances back at me over her shoulder, half-smiling, half-terrified. I nod. “It’s okay.”

Inside, dinner is chaos. Mom peppers Beth with questions about her job, her family, her favorite foods, what she wants out of life. Dad listens, occasionally inserting a dry comment that makes Beth laugh.

Beth handles it all. She talks about loving numbers, the old job she left behind, how we met over a broken hose. When she mentions working at the garage, Mom’s eyes light up.

“A woman who’s smart, gorgeous, and can handle Jack? Marry her on the spot.” Mom claps her hands.

Beth chokes on a sip of water. I glare at my mother. “Ma!”

She waves me off. “I mean it. She’s perfect.”

Beth blushes but doesn’t look uncomfortable. If anything, she’s surprised by how welcome she feels.

Dad smirks. “She’s got backbone. That’s what matters.”

Beth looks at me, a small smile curling her lips. “Guess I have some redeeming qualities.”

I squeeze her knee under the table. “More than you know.”

Mom sighs. “I love her.”

Beth laughs. “I think I love you, too, Linda.”

Mom beams. “Jack, you better not mess this up.”

I meet Beth’s eyes, and for a moment, it’s just us, the noise of dinner fading away. Something true and certain settles in my chest.

This, her hand in mine, my family around us, is just the beginning.