A Daddy for Jacoby - By Christyne Butler Page 0,66
summer vacations around the world. It all sounded perfect. Perfect for a little boy with loving grandparents.
There was no way Justin could compete. He wasn’t even sure he had the right to, even with the shift in people’s attitudes toward him lately.
During the two days before they left for Colorado and in the week since they’d been back, he’d been thanked numerous times for stopping the fight at the school dance, by adults and teenagers, whenever he ventured from the kitchen into the bar’s dining area or when out in town. He had to admit that when he’d told Jacoby why people were asking to shake his hand and offering their appreciation, it felt good when his son jumped into his arms and called him a hero.
But it couldn’t erase all he’d done in his past.
Richard Ellsworth hadn’t threatened outright to use his family history or prison record against him if it came down to a legal battle, but he made it clear that the court would do an extensive background check on all the parties involved.
He sighed and turned from the window, seeing his sister and Maggie had moved into the living room. Both women looked at him with expectant gazes.
“Do you want to tell us what happened today?” Racy asked.
“No.”
The one he really wanted to talk to was Gina, but after the way she walked out on him last week, and made herself scarce ever since, he doubted she’d be willing to listen to anything he had to say.
His sister tilted her head and Justin knew he wasn’t going to get out of this. He joined them, sitting on the end of couch. “I really don’t want to talk about this.”
“You need to,” Racy persisted, “and you need to let your family and friends help.”
“That includes me and Landon, too,” Maggie added when Justin looked at her.
Racy leaned forward. “So, how did it go with Richard Ellsworth?”
Justin gave in and told his sister and Maggie everything, from what it was like staying with the Ellsworths following the funeral, to the day Richard gave him the custody papers and the details of what they’d talked about today, minus the obscure warning about his past.
“So, now I’m trying to figure out if I should pack up Jacoby’s things.” Justin rose, unable to sit still any longer. He paced the area in front of the fireplace. “I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching since we got back from Colorado, but the bottom line is the Ellsworths can give him all the things in life I can’t.”
“You’re a great father,” Racy said. “And they’re damn lucky you are in light of the way their daughter just introduced you and Jacoby and then took off. To decide now they can raise him better—”
“They didn’t know Jacoby existed.”
“And that makes it okay?”
Justin sighed, crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know what’s okay anymore.”
“You’re not our father.” Racy’s voice was soft. “You would never raise a hand to your son.”
He turned to look at his sister. “I’ve been thinking about that, too—Dad, our childhood—over the last week. Deep inside, I know I’m not like him. Having Jacoby in my life has made it confusing and frustrating at times, but I’ve never felt anything close to anger toward him.”
“So why are you thinking about sending him away?” Maggie asked.
“Because I want to do what’s best for him. Richard and Elizabeth can provide him with a loving and stable home—”
“So can you! Jacoby has family here, too.” Racy stood. “Gage and I love him to pieces and he’s already calling Gage’s mom Nana Steele.”
That surprised him. “He is?”
“Justin, I hope I’m not overstepping my bounds, but I know how important grandparents, or great-grandparents, can be in a child’s life,” Maggie spoke up. “I’m thankful every day that Nana B. found me and is here for Anna. She’s a wonderful influence and has helped me tremendously in raising my daughter. Being a single parent is hard, but you aren’t alone. We are all here to help and the Ellsworths can, too, as his grandparents.”
“Do you love Jacoby?” Racy asked.
“More than my own life,” Justin replied without hesitation.
“Do you want him to stay?”
He placed his hands on his hips, pulled in a deep breath and went with what was in his heart. “Yes, but—”
The sound of Maggie’s daughter calling for her mom had him cutting off his words. The little girl raced up the stairs from the lower level, a frown on her face.
“What’s wrong, honey?”