Falling For You - January Cove Book 3 (19 page)

It looked like either way his plan to make his home base in January Cove might just be the smartest option for everyone involved.

Jackson found himself approaching Jolt without thinking about it. His heart had obviously led him there without him knowing. He glanced inside to see just a couple of customers standing at the counter waiting on coffee. Rebecca
’
s back was to him, and he watched her make quick work of the drink orders, rushing around the counter. He could tell she was stressed by the way she was holding herself, shoulders and back completely stiff. If she worked all day like that she
’
d probably need a massage. Maybe that would be his way back in tonight.

Leo was sitting at a table in the far back corner, on his phone like usual. Apparently he
’
d come home from his friend
’
s house already. He felt guilty he hadn
’
t talked to him in a couple of days now. He somehow felt responsible for this teenager that wasn
’
t his, something that was really hard to handle when he supposedly had a child of his own on the way. He was beginning to understand why Rebecca had run off after the news that morning.

Rebecca tried to smile as customers came and went, but she got the feeling she wasn
’
t fooling anyone, not even her son. He had already asked her a million questions that morning after he got home and saw the mood she was in. He had since tried to get information out of her about how Jackson screwed up and was trying to convince her that she should forgive him. Leo was obviously as easily attached to this guy as she was, which made her feel even worse about what was going on. Could Leo afford to lose his male role model?

When her last customer walked out, she made the mistake of peeking outside. Just across the sidewalk she could see Jackson looking back in at her and Leo. He was afraid to come in, it looked like, and probably for good reason. He
’
d tangled himself up with the wrong girl and ruined the lovely evening they
’
d had. She was embarrassed that she
’
d fallen for the type of guy that would get involved with such an indulgent young girl and make a mistake.

She watched as he tried to flash a smile and wave at her, but she ignored it. She really couldn
’
t afford to get in any deeper right now. It had already gone too far, and she wasn
’
t really in the mood to discuss a plan about sharing a guy with a model and a brand new baby. Leo, however, did not have a problem waving back. This somehow led Jackson to the thought that coming into the shop was a good idea.

“
Hi Rebecca,
”
he cleared his throat and said sheepishly.

Leo stood up from his seat and walked up to him to shake his hand.
“
Hey Jackson, what
’
s up?
”

“
Not a whole lot buddy. Hey, would you mind giving your mom and me a moment?
”
Leo looked confused but nodded and went to man the register. Rebecca stood there for a moment not wanting to allow any excuses or pleading to change her mind about what was best for her and her son, but she felt bad that he was just standing there alone waiting on her.

She took a seat at the back of the shop as another customer came in for a simple cup of coffee. Hopefully Leo could handle it okay because she was probably about to get into the middle of something very difficult.

“
Rebecca, I know how everything must seem right now. It isn
’
t an ideal situation, but if she is pregnant, she
’
s only a couple months along. There is no reason to make any rash decisions right now. We have no idea what she
’
ll end up deciding to do. She
’
s a model, a shallow one to be honest. She may not even want to be a mother. Can we just pretend like for now nothing has changed?
”

Appalled, Rebecca shook her head.
“
First of all, I don
’
t really like the way you
’
re suggesting that you
’
d be okay with her killing or giving up your child. I would hope that even if she wasn
’
t mature enough to handle it, you would be.”

“No, Rebecca, that’s not what I was saying at all. Damn it, this has been a shock to me, so maybe I’m not expressing myself well. I would never want her to kill or give up my child. I’m just saying that she is very self absorbed, and she may get to make a lot of decisions that I won’t have a say in. That scares the crap out of me, to be honest. Roma is not the person I would want in charge of a baby, especially mine.”

“Let
’
s be honest. You got involved with a young, beautiful girl. You say she
’
s shallow, but what does that make you if you got involved enough with her to get her pregnant? I am clearly not the right woman for you. You may feel excited now, experiencing something different, but you have a ‘type’ it seems, and that type is not me. Besides, if she does decide to keep it, she can offer you something I can
’
t; a whole family. My family is broken. Leo is not your real son, and I will always love a man that
’
s no longer with us, no matter how I feel about you. She
’
s free to love you fully and give you your own child.
”

“
Rebecca, I am not in love with Roma. I am in love with you. I know it would be rough, but I feel like you are worth fighting for.
”
Rebecca was floored by his confession of love. This was not how she pictured a man telling her he loved her; amidst a fight about him knocking up some model. She began to tear up, and she couldn
’
t take it anymore. In her heart, she knew it was love, although she couldn’t understand how it happened so fast. Was she being silly and immature herself?

“
I
’
m sorry, Jackson, but I can
’
t put my family through that kind of thing. I should never have gotten involved with you. Our lives are very different, and it just isn’t a good fit. I had an amazing time with you, and I appreciate all you have done for us. I have a coffee shop to run now.
”
She wiped her eyes and headed back for the counter without another word. She hoped he
’
d get the idea that he was dismissed so she could be free to break down the way she knew she would any minute now.

Luckily, with a tear welling from his own eye, Jackson slinked out of Jolt without another word.

“
Mom! I can
’
t believe you just did that! He told you he loved you, and you just let him walk away like that? Why did you even bring him into our lives if you were just going to chase him away?
”
Rebecca could hear Leo
’
s voice crack as he yelled at her, and it broke her heart to know that he was holding back tears just as hard as she was trying to.

“
I know you don
’
t understand, Leo, but it
’
s for the better. It
’
s not the kind of life either of us would want.
”

“
Mom, I understand perfectly. I heard you. I get it; some girl showed up and said she was pregnant with his baby. You know, mom, girls in the city did this all the time. They
’
d say they were pregnant to trap some guy. I’ve seen it on movies and talk shows. Sometimes, they were pregnant, but it was usually someone else
’
s. She
’
s a model right? She
’
s probably a slut or a gold-digger.”

“Leo! That’s a terrible thing to say. We don’t generalize people just because of their profession...” Rebecca chided, pointing her finger at her son.

“Either way, you could chase her away instead of him. Whether you want to admit it or not, you love him too. Why do adults have to make things so hard?
”
Leo stomped his way up the stairs, and Rebecca tried to breathe and carry on with her work. Customers were starting to come in for the morning rush, and she had to pull it together.

***

When Jackson got back to his mother
’
s house, another surprise was waiting for him. His sister Addison came flying at him for a hug as soon as he walked in the door.
“
Addison, I thought you weren
’
t going to be here for another few days! What
’
s going on? Is my favorite brother-in-law here?
”

She elbowed him in the side.
“
You mean your only brother-in-law right? And no, it
’
s just me this time. He
’
s just really busy. I was actually on my way when I called this morning, but I wanted to make sure everyone was cool with it first.
”

“
Why wouldn
’
t we want you here, sis? We could always use another girl in the mix, right Mom?
”
Their mother smiled as she walked past with a basket full of laundry.

“
Well apparently I
’
m not the only new woman addition here. I here that Aaron has a new belle and that you, sir, are about to get a family. That
’
s so exciting, right?
”

Jackson could tell by the smile and jumping for joy that she wasn
’
t exactly clear on the details.
“
It
’
s not really like that, Addison. Roma
’
s my ex, and it wasn
’
t even serious. She just kind of showed up here this morning and ruined breakfast and my relationship with an amazing woman. I was even going to move here for her. I
’
m not sure what Roma wants, I mean she
’
s got plenty of money, and she doesn
’
t really seem to be the motherly type.
”

Jackson realized looking at Addison that she was suddenly mad.
“
I would think you
’
d be a little more sensitive, Jackson. It takes two to get pregnant, and she
’
s probably scared to death. She just doesn
’
t want to be alone in this, I
’
m sure.
”
Addison stormed upstairs.
“
I
’
m going to take a shower.
”
Jackson and his mother exchanged confused glances as she slammed the door.

“
What
’
s going on with her, Mom?
”

Mrs. Parker shook her head.
“
She just got here a few minutes before you did, and she hasn
’
t said much. I think her marriage is a little on the rocks. She
’
ll talk about whatever is going on when she
’
s ready.
”

Jackson nodded and then heard a knock on the door. He went to open it to find Leo standing on the doorstep. This morning was really full of surprises.

“
What are you doing here, Leo? I don
’
t think your mother would want you to be here right now. Does she even know you left?
”

Leo shrugged and stepped into the house.
“
I overheard the basics of what
’
s going on, and she didn
’
t like my opinion. We fought, and I decided to ride my skateboard here. I actually wanted to talk to you about it.
”

“
I don
’
t think that
’
s a good idea, Leo. I mean, this is a pretty grown up problem.
”