Chapter Twelve
Caroline gripped her father’s hand, barely believing she wasn’t dreaming. Watching him yawn, she patted his hand.
“Dad, you need to sleep. I’ll come visit tomorrow,” she promised.
“I’m afraid if I close my eyes, you’ll only be a dream,” he confessed. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered. You resemble your mother and have my eyes.”
“Maybe we can go to Mom’s grave and let her know I’m home. It might let her rest easier,” she said, rising from her seat.
“She’d love it,” he said, yawning again.
Caroline leaned over him and kissed his forehead like he did when she was a child. “I’ll return tomorrow. Jameson will bring me, won’t you?” She turned to ask him.
“If I’m not available, I’ll ask one of the team members to bring you,” he assured her.
Caroline rose and took Nancy’s hands. “Thank you for caring for him. I appreciate your kindness.”
“It’s lovely to meet you. He usually sleeps until nine. It takes me about two hours to get him up and dressed. Why don’t you join us for lunch?”
“I’ll bring dessert,” she offered. “We have a lot to catch up on.”
Jameson led her to the truck and lifted her inside the cab. Her arms looped around his neck, and she kissed him.
“Thank you, Jameson. I don’t understand why you kept it a secret from me. You act as if I might get mad at you for finding him. It’s the best gift ever,” she exclaimed.
“I’m glad it made you happy,” he said quietly. “So you have a nickname.”
Caroline smiled. “Yeah, my dad said my hair resembled spun honey. All my closest family calls me by my nickname.”
“I like it, it suits you,” Jameson said. “Do you mind if I steal it?”
“Do you want to use it as your call sign?” she asked teasingly.
“Real funny,” he laughed. “May I call you Honeybee?”
“Yes. I’m surprised. My dad never liked white houses. He said they need a personality. He always picked yellow because he said, ‘Who can feel gloomy in such a cheerful home?’”
“I didn’t know,” he said.
“How could you, silly. What a great day. Did you see how Garrett stared at Riley while she walked up the aisle to him? She positively glowed. Then, to end the night, you take me to see my dad, who I thought died. You sure know how to show a girl one helluva good time,” she quipped.
Jameson smiled.
Caroline took his hand and held it tightly, somehow feeling like Jameson didn’t feel as thrilled as she did. Something seemed to bother him, but he refused to talk about it.
“Will you take me back tomorrow? I’ll have to do some research, but we used to drive to a bakery and pick up a pie for Sunday dinner. I don’t know if it’s still open. Rebecca gave me a computer to use for research. I’ll see if it’s still open and surprise him.”
Jameson shut off the engine and helped her out of the truck. He seemed to move slowly up the porch while she punched in the code.
The door swung open, and she invited him inside. “Can I get you something to drink? I’m thinking of putting on a pot of coffee. I don’t think I’ll ever fall asleep tonight.”
“Coffee sounds good,” he said softly.
They entered the kitchen, and he pulled the cups from the cabinet while she took out the cream and sugar.
“It took me a week to figure out I like my coffee with cream and sugar. Cain refused to let us have anything except black. He said it’ll only make us fat.”
“He’s an asshole,” Jameson growled.
“I totally agree. He’s a grade A asshole,” she said, pouring the coffee into cups. She poured cream into hers and handed him the carton. “I remember you liked it the same way. When you came to the bar in the morning, you always fixed it there.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said, seeming distracted as he picked up the beverages and brought them into the living room. He sat down on the couch, and she joined him.
Taking her hand, Jameson stared at it as he stroked it with his thumb.
“I have more to tell you,” he announced.
She turned her body toward him, expecting him to tell her the last six years of her life were all a bad dream.
“My mother named me after my father as a joke to fool everyone. You see, he was married to another woman, Victoria. Like you, he held her prisoner inside his mansion. I grew up in a sterile house where he’d visit in the evenings, and I’d get sent to my room with staff to watch over me.
He spent most of his time with his eldest son, Phillip, grooming him to take over his business. ”
“How awful. I can’t imagine how you must’ve felt,” she said, gazing at him.
“My mother died when I turned ten. They found her in a car months later, burned to death. A few years later, my older half-brother died, and my father turned to me to carry on the family business. I got caught up in finally receiving a small bit of attention. He convinced me a young woman named Kassie caused his financial difficulties, and he believed she killed Phillip.”
“Oh, no,” Caroline said. “I’m sorry to say this, but your dad’s an ass.”
Nodding, Jameson continued. “I joined a team in Serenity to guard the young woman with the intention of making her pay. While I lived there, Matthew and Kassie taught me the true meaning of family. They cared about me, and I lied for months, giving my father information. When he decided to make his move, I stopped him from killing Kassie, her friend Samantha, and their kids. My father shot me in the stomach and left me to die on the kitchen floor.”
“Oh, Jameson, how awful,” she sympathized, gripping his hand.
“You see,” he said slowly. “My full name is Jameson Stanton. I’m the son of James Stanton, who kidnapped you from your father.”
Caroline sat stunned for a minute before she leaped from the couch, backing up. “What?”
“I’m Jameson Stanton. My father sold you to Cain.”
She backed up farther. Fear filled her as she searched for an exit. Her stomach rolled with nausea.
Jameson rose slowly. “It’s the reason why I stayed away from you. I didn’t know until you told me your story.”
“I need you to leave,” she said, shakily. “I can’t be around you right now.”
“I’ll leave. Do you want me to call Rebecca or Rachel? What about your therapist?” Jameson asked, growing worried as he watched her skin turn three shades of white, and terror showed in her eyes.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want to see anyone. Do the others know?”
“I told Julio, Garrett, and Matthew after you told me,” he confessed.
“You’ve known for weeks, and you didn’t say anything,” she said breathlessly.
“I needed time to think. We spent so much time together while I watched over you. I started having feelings—”
“Stop. Please, Jameson. I can’t hear anymore,” she pleaded.
Jameson nodded. “Remember what I said earlier. I only wish you the best.”
She stared at the door, giving him the hint that their conversation had come to an end. Jameson walked out and got into his truck. He knew she’d feel this way, but why did it have to hurt this much?