Chapter 14
Fourteen
“People protect what they love.”
—Jacques Cousteau
Max found a stump to sit on and put through the call to the number that was still in his phone from seven years ago. Why hadn’t he deleted it? He couldn’t say.
“Max. Hi.”
“Hey.”
“Thank you so much for calling.”
“No problem,” he said, even though that was a huge lie.
She laughed. “I’m sure it was a big problem for you, and I’m sorry about that. I wasn’t sure how best to reach out…”
“He loves the truck. Thank you.”
“I’m so glad. I was hoping he didn’t already have it.”
Max didn’t tell her that the reason he didn’t already have it was because it was ridiculously expensive. “I talked to him about how you want to see him, and he said he’d be okay with that.”
“Oh my goodness, Max. I’m so glad to hear that. I wasn’t sure if you’d allow it, or if he’d want it. I just didn’t know.”
“I want to be clear. We’re talking a visit, nothing more than that. I want to do what’s right for him, and from what I’m told, letting him decide is the right thing.”
“I understand.”
“Do you, Chloe? Do you understand anything about what the last seven years have been like for me since you disappeared?”
It occurred to Max right in that moment that women tended to disappear from his life, and why was that exactly?
“No, I can’t possibly know, and I’m sorry I did that to you.
All I can say in my own defense is that I wasn’t well mentally.
I’m better now, but it’s been a long journey.
I’m not looking to upset your life or Caden’s.
I swear to you, that’s not what this is about.
I just want to see him and for him to know… ”
“What?”
“That I love him. I always have, and I always will, and that I’m sorry for what I did.”
He could hear the tears in her voice and felt like a monster for being so hard on her, but who could blame him for still being upset? “He’s a wonderful kid, and he’s happy. I won’t let anyone or anything mess that up.”
“I won’t mess it up. I promise. When can we get together?”
“Next week?” He’d already decided to stay in Houston until Tuesday. “Wednesday or after is good for us.”
“Wednesday it is. I can come there in the afternoon if that works.”
“He gets out of school at three. I can pick him up and meet you at our place. We live at my grandfather’s house now. Do you remember where that is?”
“I do. Your grandfather… Did he…”
“He’s fine. He lives with my parents now.”
“Oh good. I remember him as such a sweet man.”
“Yes, he is.”
“I’m glad to hear he’s well. And the rest of your family?”
“Everyone is good. They’re all married and have tons of kids who are like siblings to Caden.”
“And you? Are you married?”
“No.”
“Oh. Well… I um… I’m engaged.”
“Congratulations. I need to get back to work. I’ll see you at my house next Wednesday around three thirty?”
“I’ll be there, and, Max… Thank you so much for this.”
“You’re welcome.”
He pressed the red button to end the call.
“Who was that?” Colton asked when he emerged out of the trees, eating a protein bar. He never stopped eating.
“Chloe.”
Colton stopped dead in his tracks. “How’d that go?”
“Fine, actually. She’s going to come see him next week.”
“Damn, my life is boring compared to yours.”
“Be thankful for that.”
“I am. Every day. My biggest issue this week was Coop putting slime on Molly’s hair at school and how the dye in the slime turned her hair green.”
“No way!”
“Yes way, and so now I’m paying for a very expensive hair salon to fix it, and Coop is doing extra chores to reimburse me—after he apologized to his cousin.”
Max snorted with laughter. “Thank you for sharing that. I need a good laugh after talking to her. And you wonder why I don’t want to leave Caden with you guys.”
“I don’t wonder.”
Max laughed again. “You know I love your wild children.”
“They’re pretty wild and pretty awesome, but I worry about the teenage years.”
“As you should.”
“If I think it’s a shit show now…”
Smiling, Max shook his head. “I can’t even imagine that.”
“I’m sure Lucy will leave me to deal with them alone.”
“Would you blame her? That’s why she keeps her place in the city.”
“I know! We joke about that a lot.”
“She’s not going anywhere. For some reason none of us can fathom, she loves you and your feral brood.”
“I’m very lucky she does, and I have a feeling you’re about to get lucky like that, too.”
“I’m ready, but I worry that Caden isn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“He flat out told me he doesn’t like Lexi.”
“He said that?”
“Yep.”
“Aw, he’s worried he’ll lose you to her.”
“He’ll never lose me to anyone.”
“You have to keep telling him that. It’s just been you two for his entire life. Ease her in slowly so he doesn’t feel threatened.”
“It’s just so weird to hear him say he doesn’t like someone.”
“He can tell she’s different, and that has him on edge. Keep telling him he’s the most important person in your life and he always will be. That’ll matter to him.”
“When did you get so smart about these things?”
“Dude, I was always smart about everything. Just took you a while to realize the asset you have in me.”
Again, Max snorted with laughter. He did that a lot during his workdays with the always-entertaining Colton.
“Did you or did you not get laid last weekend because of me?”
“I refuse to dignify that with a response.”
“Which means you did. Do you need my address to send me the thank-you note you owe me?”
“You’re so insufferable.”
“Thank you. Lucy tells me that every day. You’ll make sure Dad and Gramps know that the matchmaking torch has been passed to a new generation, right?”
“If you insist.”
“I insist.”
“Do you care if I bug out early so I can pick up Caden and spend some time with him?”
“Nah, go ahead. We’re in good shape here.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll be here.”
As Max trekked down the steep path that led to the sugarhouse, he pondered what Colton had said about Caden feeling threatened.
Caden had never seen Max with a girlfriend, and it was probably unavoidable for there to be bumps as he brought Lexi into their lives.
He couldn’t let his son turn against Lexi without giving her a chance.
When he got back to the sugarhouse, he called his mother.
“Do you mind if I pick up Caden today?” he asked her.
“Of course not. He’ll be thrilled to see you.”
“Great, thanks. I’m on my way.”
“Come for dinner if you’d like. I’m making spaghetti and meatballs.”
“Caden’s favorite. We’ll be there. Thanks, Mom.”
“See you in a bit.”
Max hung up the heavy coat he used to work on the mountain and changed into the lightweight down jacket he wore the rest of the time.
When he was on his way down the mountain with classic rock blaring from the truck’s speakers, he couldn’t wait to see his son and spend a rare weekday afternoon together.
As Max eased the truck into the pickup line, he realized it’d been a while since he’d picked up Caden at school.
His son would be looking for his grandmother’s SUV, not his dad’s truck.
When he saw Caden standing with a bunch of other kids, he gave a soft toot and watched his son’s face light up with delight.
All the hell and heartache he’d gone through with Chloe and the many challenges of single fatherhood were worth it to have his son look at him like he hung the moon.
Caden climbed into the truck and dropped his backpack on the floor with a thud. “What’re you doing here?” he asked as he put on his seat belt.
Max kept the passenger-side air bag turned off so Caden could ride in the front seat.
“Took the afternoon off to hang with my best pal.”
“Awesome! What’re we doing?”
“I thought maybe we’d check out the rest of the stuff you got for your birthday.”
“Yes!”
“And Grammy is making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.”
“Best day ever!”
Oh, to be seven years old again, Max thought.
Caden was always so happy with the simplest things, much as Max had been as a kid.
He reminded Max of himself on many a day.
It’d taken until Lexi disappeared without a trace for the blush to wear off the rose of life for Max.
That’d been his first major disappointment, one so profound that he buried her and the memories of her deep inside so he could go forward without her.
And then Chloe had happened and Caden was born, and he didn’t have time to dwell in the past when the present had required his full attention.
Having Lexi back last weekend had opened all those old wounds and exposed them to the light.
Being with her again had been amazing, especially now that he knew where she’d been and why.
He wanted the same things with her he’d wanted back then, but he needed to make his son comfortable with the idea before it went any further.
“What else do you feel like doing before dinner?”
“Can we take Daisy to the dog park? My friend Luke was telling me that his dog loves that.”
“Sure, that sounds fun.” Max drove them home to pick up Daisy. “How much homework do you have?”
“One worksheet of spelling words and no math, thank God.”
Max laughed. “I was the same way. Thankfully, Uncle Hunter was good with math and helped me with my homework.”
“Now you tell me. I need to call him for help.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Yeah, cuz you still suck at math.”
“Haha, and don’t say suck.”
“Why not?”
“It’s vulgar.”
“You say it.”
“I’m an adult.”
“I can’t wait to be an adult so I can say whatever I want.”
“You also have to work all the time to pay for everything, so enjoy being a kid while you can.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. Anything. You know that.”
“Am I going to see my mother?”
“I talked to her today, and she’s coming next Wednesday. She said she’s super excited to see you.”
“Why can’t she come sooner?”
“That was the first day we could both do it.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Are you looking forward to meeting her?”
Max caught Caden’s shrug out of the corner of his eye. “I guess.”
“It’s okay to look forward to it.”
“You don’t care if I like her?”
“No, Caden, I don’t care if you like her. Why do you think I’d care about that?”
“Because. She hasn’t been here, and I figured that might make you mad.”
Max pulled the truck into the driveway and put it in Park. Then he turned to face his son. “I was mad when she first decided she couldn’t be part of our lives. That made me really mad, but that was a long time ago, and we’ve done okay for ourselves, haven’t we?”
Caden nodded.
“Being a single parent is hard work, but it’s the most fun I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t trade the last seven years with you for anything. If you want your mom in your life, you can have your mom in your life.”
“And you won’t mind if I do?”
“Not at all, but I’ll make you a deal. If you get to have your mom in your life, I get to have Lexi in my life.”
Caden eyed him suspiciously. “Hmmm.”
“It’s only fair, right? We’re both doing the other a favor. And besides, Lexi is really nice. I think you’ll like her a lot when you get to know her better.” Max waited for a second. “Do we have a deal?”
“I guess.”
“You’ll be nice to Lexi the next time you see her and give her a chance?”
Caden nodded. “Will you be nice to my mom?”
“Always.”
“Even though you were mad with her?”
“She gave me the greatest gift of my life.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you,” Max said, giving Caden’s belly a poke that made him giggle. “Now, go get Daisy, and let’s go to the dog park.”
While Caden took off toward the house, Max stayed in the truck and thought about the conversation with Caden. His little boy was growing up, and things were changing for both of them. Max was determined that the most important things would never change, no matter what happened.