Do you take this rebel - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,58

he threw his arms around Cole and hugged him. “I can’t wait till we’re a real family.”

Cole sighed. Would the bond being formed a few hours from now ever be that clear and that simple?

“Cole, can I ask you something else?”

“Anything, pal.”

“Do you think maybe I could have a baby brother? I guess it wouldn’t be my real brother, but almost, right? That would be so cool. I’d even take a sister.”

For the first time since he’d put this plan into motion, Cole realized the full ramifications. Jake, if no one else, was expecting a real marriage, complete with brothers and sisters. How in heaven’s name was he supposed to get around that? For the last week he’d been moving ahead with caution, taking one day at a time. Now with a single innocent question Jake had forced him to gaze into the future.

“I think maybe we’d better discuss that another time,” Cole said, aware that his voice sounded vaguely choked up. He cleared his throat. “It’s a little soon to be talking about babies.”

He heard Cassie’s muffled gasp and realized she had arrived just in time to hear his comment. Even out of context, she had obviously guessed the general direction of the conversation.

“It certainly is,” she said, stepping into the room and giving Cole a questioning look.

“Jake’s looking ahead.”

“Obviously.” She sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned her son over. “Sit with me. We want to talk to you.”

Jake went to her readily. “What about?”

“There’s something you need to know before Cole and I get married today.” Her gaze sought Cole’s and held. “A long time ago he and I were very good friends.”

“When you were kids, right?” Jake asked.

“Exactly. We were very young and for a long time we were just good friends, but then we fell in love.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“That’s right,” Cole said. “But then some things happened and we were separated. I didn’t know that your mom was having a baby.”

“You mean me,” Jake guessed.

“Exactly.” He took a deep breath, then added, “I didn’t know that she was going to have my son.”

For a minute Cole’s words hung in the air. Jake looked from Cole to his mother and back again, a puzzled look on his face.

“Cole is your father,” Cassie explained quietly. “But he never knew that until a few weeks ago.”

Cole reached out to touch his son’s cheek, but pulled back before making contact. “Nothing could have made me happier, Jake. I am very proud that you’re my boy.”

Jake swallowed hard, clearly struggling to comprehend the announcement. “You’re my real dad?” he whispered at last. He looked at Cassie. “He is? For real?”

She nodded. “He really is.”

“Oh, wow,” Jake said, awestruck. “Then we really are gonna be a family. I’m gonna have my mom and my dad.” He bounced up. “Does Grandma know? I’ve gotta tell her.”

He raced out the door, then turned around and ran back, throwing himself at Cole before taking off again.

Cole met Cassie’s gaze and allowed himself a faint smile. “He seems to be taking it well.”

“You’ve just made his dream come true. He’s finally got his real dad in his life.”

But, gazing into her despondent eyes, Cole had to ask himself if the price he and Cassie were paying for uniting Jake’s family was too high.

Chapter Thirteen

The ceremony went off without a hitch. Cassie actually managed to say her vows around the lump in her throat. She hadn’t been able to meet Cole’s gaze, though. It would have been too hard to look in his eyes and not see the love shining there that every bride had a right to expect on her wedding day. Just thinking about what was lacking had her blinking back tears as the minister pronounced them man and wife.

Then there was that awkward moment when Pastor Kirkland had announced that Cole could kiss the bride. She had stood there waiting, panicked that he would refuse and embarrass them both. But finally he had lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. It hadn’t been a passionate kiss, but it had lingered, and there had been heat in it, more than she’d had any right to expect.

Her friends made every effort to pretend that this was a perfectly normal wedding. Lauren had outdone herself to turn the garden into a perfect setting. She had had exotic flowers flown in, along with a designer wedding dress. Cassie had almost wept when she’d seen the delicate lace and organza confection. Never in