she told you,” Terry said. “I never suspected anything when Brian would tell me to go home early. I’m so sorry. You would always get home after I’d left for the day, so I never thought to say anything. I figured you knew.”
Her face creased with worry and pain. Stacey’s revelation was almost as agonizing for Terry as well as for him. It hurt Jake to think Terry might take on the blame for any of this. As far as he was concerned it all rested with Brian, and to some extent himself.
“It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.”
She wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry it had to be this, but I’m sure you’re glad to finally know the truth.”
Was he? He accepted Terry’s hug. “I guess we’ll have to see how she feels in the morning. I don’t want to push her. I’ll call her doctor and see what she suggests as the best course of action.”
“You look wiped out. Try and get some sleep.”
No way would sleep come, Jake thought, and even walking back to his room seemed an insurmountable task.
A strong arm slid around his shoulder. “I’ll take care of him. Don’t you worry ’bout it.”
He allowed Shea to steer him out the door and down the hall to his suite. “C’mon. Let’s get you into bed.” Without asking, Shea took the card key from his wallet and pushed him gently inside. The door clicked shut, and Jake roused himself enough to about-face and hold on to Shea’s shoulders.
“Stay with me?”
Shea’s eyes glimmered. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t be upset if you wanted to be alone and think.”
He stripped off his clothes to his briefs, shuffled to the bed, and fell in. “I’ve spent the past two years doing nothing but, and it hasn’t turned out too well for me. I want to not have to think about anything except holding you.”
“Then you got me.”
After shucking off his clothes, Shea slid in next to him. Like Stacey did with him earlier, Jake curled into Shea’s chest, his only desire to feel a human touch. To be held. Without speaking, he closed his eyes.
* * *
When Jake awoke, he was alone. His heart sank, but he scolded himself, figuring Shea would have work to do on the ranch and couldn’t spend his morning lolling around in bed. A quick glance at the clock showed the time to be a little after six, and knowing there was no sleep left for him in his bed, especially since it smelled like Shea and sex, Jake rose to take a shower, deciding that afterward, he’d wander around and enjoy the fresh morning air.
Ten invigorating minutes later he left his bathroom, and came face-to-face with Shea walking into the room, holding a tray of coffee and muffins.
“Oh, you’re awake. I wanted to bring you this for when you got up. I figured you’d need it after last night.”
Touched by his thoughtfulness, Jake took the mug handed to him and drank. The whiskey spread its warmth through him, and he hummed his pleasure.
“This is perfect. Thank you.”
Shea smiled and waved. “C’mon and take a load off.”
He chuckled and swiped a lemon-poppy-seed muffin before taking a seat on the sofa. Shea sat next to him, and they sipped their Irish coffees in quiet contentment.
“How’re you feeling this morning?” Shea hoisted Jake’s feet up and proceeded to give him a foot massage. “You didn’t even move when I left the bed. I figured you were totally worn out.”
“Oh God, that feels amazing.” Jake rested his head on the sofa cushion, his thoughts swirling around like dry leaves in the wind. “I guess I’m just processing everything. Looking at the positives and the negatives. What will Stacey be like this morning? Will she continue to talk, or will she retreat?” The muffin crumbled under his fingers. “If that happens…I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Wanna know how I see it?”
“Sure.”
“You’ve been on autopilot for so long, you don’t know what normal even looks like anymore. You put Stacey’s needs ahead of your own because you tried to be a superdad. But that little princess don’t care about nothin’ ’cept havin’ her daddy with her. And I bet when you were married, you were the one always goin’ along with whatever your ex wanted.”
Heat flooded his face, and he winced. “Guilty as charged. It was all part of wanting to be that perfect family you saw on television. Eating dinner together, going to movies, and having