Page 40 of The Summer We Made Promises (The Destin Diaries #3)

She studied him, the adrenaline and shock and anger all finally waning as she took a moment to drink in the face of the child she’d brought into this world.

“They did a good job,” she said begrudgingly. “Except for the lying part.”

“Believe me, my mom’s furious I did that.”

A smile pulled. “She’s right.”

“I know she is. And so does Lacey. We’re really, really sorry, Tessa. Please forgive me and Lacey for lying to you.”

The plea was genuine, she could tell.

“It’s funny,” she said after a moment. “I always thought I’d be the one asking you for forgiveness if we ever met.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said without hesitation. “You did everything right and I totally hit the lottery in the adoptive parents department.”

She gave a dry laugh. “It seems to me you hit the lottery in every department.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? My parents gave me the greatest life imaginable. And you gave me…talent and brains.”

“And drop-dead good looks.”

A smile lifted his lips as he came around the console. “We do swim in a nice gene pool…Mom.”

She sucked in a breath. “Don’t.”

“Too soon?”

“Not ever. I’m not your mom. I’m not…anybody’s…” She hated that her voice cracked.

He leaned closer, reaching for her. “You’re like another mother to Lacey,” he said. “She says that all the time.”

She let him take her hand while silence stretched between them. The only sound was the water, soft and steady, like the rhythm of something ancient and forgiving.

“I want you in my life,” he said. “If you’ll let me.”

Her eyes burned and she covered her face with her hands, sinking back onto the seat. “I don’t know how to do this. I’ve hidden this for so long and now my mother and sister… Oh, I just don’t know how to handle it.”

“I’ll help you however I can,” he said. “But first, please talk to Lacey. She’s so scared to lose you, Tessa.”

She closed her eyes and thought about that sweet girl. “She’ll never lose me,” Tessa whispered.

“Tell her that.” He put a hand on her arm. “She’s hurting and I can’t stand that.”

She started to respond, then drew back, eyeing him. “Wait. What? It’s… real ?”

He tipped his head. “It got that way.”

“Oh.” She let out a dry laugh of disbelief. “That’s a turn of events I didn’t see coming.”

“Neither did I. But, whoa, that girl… is special. And as much as I wish we could go back and do this whole thing over and not lie to you, I wouldn’t change anything with her. And I don’t want to lose her.”

Tessa exhaled and looked out at the water, her heart lifting at this news. “Huh.” She stood at the helm, the first smile in hours pulling at her mouth. “Well, that’s some good that came out of it.”

“A lot of good came out of it,” he said. “We just went about it all wrong.”

Finally, she sighed, wanting to put the anger behind her. And there was one more conversation she had to have. Well, there were several, but she’d start with Lacey.

“C’mon, Romeo.” She reached for the ignition. “Get in your little boat and lead me back to dry land. I want to talk to your girlfriend.”

“You’re not mad?” he asked. “You don’t hate me?”

She looked at him and let out a little moan, finally throwing her arms around his broad shoulders and hugging her son for the first time in twenty-five years.

“Hate? I’ve loved you since before you were born,” she muttered. “And I guess nothing will ever change that.”

He squeezed her and those mighty shoulders shuddered with a sob it felt like he’d been holding in for a long, long time.

The trip back was faster and easier, with no tears. The sea breeze and salt air cleared her head as she watched Roman—her son!—lead the way in the other boat. They slowed down at the marina and he turned to return his boat.

She puttered to the dock, where Lacey sat at the end, a fishing rod in her hand.

Seamus’s cure for a broken heart, she imagined.

Lacey stood as Tessa eased into the slip, bending over to tie up the bow line without being asked. Then she gingerly climbed onto the deck, her gaze on Tessa.

“Can we talk?” Lacey asked softly.

Tessa took her sunglasses off and rounded the helm. “I know you’re sorry.”

“You don’t know how sorry,” Lacey said, reaching for her. “Because there are no words to tell you.”

Tessa pulled her in for a hug. “It was wrong,” she whispered.

“I know, I know.” Lacey squeezed so hard that Tessa had no choice but to put her arms around her, wincing when she felt just how badly the poor thing was trembling.

“I’m not worth you being this upset, Lace.”

Lacey gasped, drawing back. “What? Are you kidding? You’re…you’re everything, Tessa! I never knew anyone like you and I respect you and I love you. And I hurt you and…and…” She swiped at the tears flowing. “I am so, so sorry.”

“C’mere.” Tessa pulled her to the leather bench and eased them both down, side by side. “Of course I forgive you. I forgive Roman, too.”

“Oh, Tessa, thank you.” She collapsed, letting her head fall onto Tessa’s lap, her hair covering her tear-stained face. “I just hate that this happened and my part in it. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Uh, can I guess you were being persuaded to be the girlfriend of a super-hot guy who also happens to be kind, smart, and on an NFL roster?”

Under her hands, Lacey’s shoulders moved in a soft laugh. “Yeah,” she blubbered. “I might have gotten…a little swept away in the moment.”

Tessa smiled and stroked Lacey’s sun warmed skin. “Blame me.”

“You?” She popped up. “You didn’t do anything.”

“Only made a perfect specimen of mankind for you to fall in love with.”

“Oh, Tessa.” She managed a laugh. “We’re a long way from love .”

Tessa smoothed Lacey’s messy hair, and wiped the tears on her cheek. “I don’t know about that,” she said. “But I do know this…”

Lacey waited, holding her gaze.

“My father would say anything motivated by love is never bad, but it can be messy.”

“This was messy,” Lacey said on a sigh.

“And now I have to clean up the mess,” Tessa said. “So don’t tell anyone else.”

“I won’t!” She crossed her heart like a little girl. “I promise. I swear, I promise!”

“I’m going to tell them myself, in my own way, at the right time.”

“Absolutely,” Lacey agreed. “And what about Roman? Should he…leave? Should we stop seeing each other? Should I?—”

“Are you kidding? Roman is the man who will make you my daughter—in-law.”

Lacey’s eyes widened. “Oh, I don’t?—”

She put her finger on Lacey’s lips. “I know it. You know it. And he knows it. And now we all get to sit back and watch it happen. And I get to wear pink at your wedding.”

“You’re crazy,” Lacey said, hugging her again. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Tessa pulled her head down, back on her lap, enjoying the maternal pleasure of soothing this sweet girl, rocking with the boat.

Dad would have loved this, she thought. Smiling, she looked up. Heck, he probably had a hand in the whole thing.