Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
S ummer hadn’t been able to eat anything this morning.
She was afraid if she did, it would come right back up.
She dressed carefully, wearing a shirt Chance had complimented her on because it brought out the deep turquoise hue of her eyes.
If he planned to break up with her this morning and wouldn’t listen to reason, she was going to keep her head high and look damn good as she walked away.
She came downstairs, knowing Autumn and Eli had already left for work.
She drank a cup of water because her mouth was dry and then went to her car.
Usually, she turned on an oldies station and sang along to whatever tune played, but today her spirits were low, and she drove in silence to Blackstone Ranch, the windows down since it was such a pretty day.
When she arrived, she took three deep breaths, letting them out slowly. She had done everything to prepare herself for the worst. Summer couldn’t begin to wonder what Chance might say, but she loved him and was willing to fight for him.
It was odd to ring the doorbell since she usually just walked right in. Moments later, he opened the door, a grim look on his face.
“Come on in,” he said, and she warily stepped into the large foyer.
He closed the door and stood a moment, looking at her, almost drinking her in as if he were memorizing everything about her.
That confirmed what she suspected.
They were over. Whatever she said wasn’t going to make any difference.
“Say it,” she said sharply. “You called me over here to look me in the eye when you told me, so do it. Tell me you don’t love me anymore. That you aren’t going to marry me.”
His apologetic gaze met hers. “Summer, I don’t want to marry you.”
Even though she thought she’d prepared herself, she almost crumpled at hearing those words. But instead of sorrow, she allowed anger to boil inside her.
“I thought I knew you. Apparently, you aren’t the man that I thought you were.
Did the idea of settling down with me turn your stomach so sour that you couldn’t handle it?
Have you gone back to catting around like you used to?
You used me, Chance. Badly. And now you’re tossing me and everything we had away.
Throwing away our love. I gave you my heart. My body and soul.”
Summer glared at him, daring him to speak. To offer some kind of explanation. He merely remained grim-faced.
“I’m sorry that I hurt you, Summer. Whether you believe it or not, I did love you.”
Past tense.
Nausea filled her at that realization. “Well, you certainly have an odd way of showing it,” she said harshly. “I didn’t know you could love someone and turn it off as easily as turning off a faucet.”
Anguish filled his eyes. “I still love you,” he admitted, his voice breaking.
Her mouth opened, but nothing came out of it. She could only stare at him.
“Something has happened,” he said, his words suddenly coming in a rush. “Something I didn’t know about. I had no control over it. But I had to step up and do the right thing.” He swallowed hard. “But it’s my problem. Not yours.”
He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. “No, it’s not a problem. It’s a blessing. Still, it’s going to change my life. Turn it upside down. And I can’t ask you to go through those kinds of changes with me.”
She shook her head. “Chance, you’re talking in riddles. Nothing makes sense. You say you still love me? I love you. We can get through anything. Together.”
“No. I refuse to thrust things on you. The life that we had planned together, Summer, isn’t the one that we would have.”
Chance reached and took her hands, and she could feel him trembling.
“I want the best for you. I want you to have someone who makes you happy. Who can devote himself to you. Who can give you the life you’ve always dreamed of.”
He released her hands. “I’m no longer that guy.”
Her anger returned. “You’ve told me you love me, yet you say we can’t be together. Because things have changed. Why won’t you share with me what has changed? Maybe I would be happy with that change. Maybe I love your thick skull so much that I want to go through this change with you.”
He looked at her wordlessly, his eyes filled with tears. “I can’t. I can’t do that to you. I have obligations now to meet. A priority bigger than you.”
Before she could demand an answer from him, movement caught her eye. Summer looked over his shoulder and saw a little girl, no more than two years old, heading toward them. She had hair black as a raven’s and the Blackstone gray eyes.
Chance had a daughter.
He must have seen she was distracted and looked over his shoulder. Hurriedly, he went to the girl, who was obviously his, and scooped her up.
“Daddy! I make a cake,” she happily told him.
“That’s wonderful, sweetie. I’ll come try some in just a minute. Go back to the kitchen and stay with Maria now.”
Chance set her down, but the little girl took a step toward Summer. She knelt so that she would be on the child’s level.
“Hi. I’m Summer. What’s your name?”
“Daisy. Daisy Blackstone.”
Summer reeled at the words but kept a smile on her face. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Daisy Blackstone. I’m a friend of your daddy’s.”
“Daddy’s my friend. And Teddy,” the little girl added.
“Oh, do you have a Teddy Bear?”
Daisy nodded enthusiastically. “I show you.”
She ran from the room, and Summer slowly came to her feet.
“I gave you my heart, Chance Blackstone. Loved you with everything I had. Shared my hopes and dreams with you. Yet you kept this secret from me.”
Summer began to tremble. Chance reached out to touch her, but she jerked away.
“You said your life was changing. I assume Daisy and her mother will be coming to live at the ranch. That you’re marrying her instead of me.” She swallowed. “Or are you already married?” she accused.
“It’s not what you think, Summer.”
“What am I supposed to think, Chance?” she said angrily. “You leave town on some mysterious business. You tell me to cancel the appointment we have with Judge Stowe. Either you’re already married to Daisy’s mother and you can’t marry me, or you’ve decided to marry your baby mama instead of me.”
Chance looked at her pleadingly. “Let me explain.”
“You really are going to explain? Now? I’ve been begging for an explanation. I went days without hearing from you, hoping to get one. Now, I’m here and all I’m getting from you are half-truths.”
Daisy ran back into the room, a shabby Teddy Bear in her arms. She came to a halt, looking back and forth from Summer to her father, sensing the tension between them.
Quickly, Summer composed her features and smiled brightly at the child. “Is this Teddy?” she asked, dropping to her knees again. “Why, I had a Teddy Bear when I was a little girl. About as old as you are. Do you know how old you are, Daisy?”
“I’m two,” the girl said happily. “Two,” she said again for emphasis, holding up two fingers.
Maria appeared, looking stricken. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Chance. Daisy, come back with me. Let’s finish your cake. You still have more of the bowl to lick.”
“Okay,” Daisy said happily. She skipped toward Maria and then turned and looked at Summer. “Bye, Summer.”
Her heart ached. “Bye, Daisy.”
After Maria and Daisy had left, she looked at Chance. “I guess there’s nothing more for us to say.”
Summer turned and opened the door, running down the stairs and to her SUV. She put her hand on the handle to open it when Chance’s hand covered hers.
“Don’t go,” he pleaded. “Not like this.”
She stood there, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. The scent of leather and cologne invading her senses.
“I have to,” she said, her voice breaking. “You don’t trust me enough to tell me the truth. Back away, Chance. Please. Let me go.”
Summer meant physically, but she also meant the words emotionally.
She needed to be freed so that she could start the process of cutting Chance from her heart and life.
She had no place in his life anymore. It was going to be hard enough to see him around town with his new wife and child.
She would also have to see him on holidays and other family get togethers.
After all, her brother was married to his sister.
It would be impossible to avoid him completely.
The thought of no longer having Chance in her life shattered her heart.
“Let me go,” she said again, her voice but a whisper.
Dropping his hand from hers, he took a step back. She escaped into her car. It took three times before she could get the seatbelt buckled. Her eyes were filling with tears as she started the car. She had to get away from here. Now. Before she fell apart in front of him.
Summer put the car into gear and looked up, only to see Chance standing in front of the SUV, blocking her way.
She kicked the car into reverse and pushed hard on the gas pedal, the vehicle quickly moving back.
Though she turned the wheel to move forward now, Chance had rushed to the side of the car.
“Open the door, Summer. We’re not done yet.”
She refused to do that and hit the gas. He ran along beside the car, yelling at her to stop. She didn’t let up on the gas, and the car sped away, leaving him behind.
Summer then heard him call out, “Don’t be a coward!”
His words infuriated her. Riled, Summer slammed on the brakes. She threw the car into park and unbuckled her seatbelt, leaving the car and storming back toward him.
“I’m not the coward. You are!” she shouted at him. “You didn’t tell me you had a daughter. You didn’t tell me you were involved with someone else. I truly think you did feel something for me. Maybe it was love. But you already had a commitment, Chance. Not to me. To Daisy and her mother.”
He took her by the shoulder and looked her in the eyes. “I didn’t even know Daisy existed until Monday afternoon.”
His words stunned her. Summer’s jaw dropped.
“Yes,” he nodded. “I slept with her mom. One time. I never saw her after that. She thought the baby was her ex’s, and she went ahead with the pregnancy. Much to her surprise, Daisy came out as my spitting image.”
His hold on her gentled, but Summer was still too stunned to speak.
“Astrid showed up with Daisy in tow a few days ago. She’s gotten back with her ex, and she wants no part of Daisy. She filed papers with the court to terminate her parental rights.”
He swallowed hard. “Since Astrid had named me as the father on the birth certificate, she had a legal obligation to notify me. She wanted me to sign away my rights, too. Give Daisy up to the system.”
Chance looked at her earnestly. “I couldn’t do that, Summer. It was obvious she’d been terrible to Daisy. She didn’t abuse her physically, but she hadn’t showed Daisy a bit of affection. Daisy only had a couple of outfits and that one, ratty bear. No toys. No books. And definitely no love.”
Finding her voice, Summer asked, “How could someone be so cruel?”
“I wasn’t about to give away my little girl,” he said stubbornly.
“I want to teach her the ABCs and how to ride a bike. And a horse. I want to give her everything she’s never had.
Most of all, I want to love her. I want her to know she’s loved.
Hell, I fell in love with her from the first moment I saw her. ”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this? I can’t believe you’ve gone through this alone.”
Anguish filled his eyes. “I couldn’t ask you to be a part of this, babe. I have to make Daisy my top priority now. I wouldn’t want you marrying me and having to raise some other woman’s child.”
She cupped his cheek. “Daisy isn’t some other woman’s child. She’s your daughter, Chance. The woman who gave birth to her is long gone. Daisy will never see her again. Yes, she’s going to need her daddy’s love, but she’ll also need a mommy, too. I’d like to be considered for that job.”
His hand came up and touched hers. He pulled it from his cheek and laced his fingers through hers.
“Are you serious, Summer? You’d be willing to start our marriage with a third person already in it?” he asked huskily.
Tears swam in her eyes. “Absolutely. You aren’t the only one who fell in love with Daisy at first sight. Chance, I love you. With all my heart. And I already love Daisy, too, because she’s a part of you. It would be a blessing to become a family.”
“I’m sorry I pushed you away,” he apologized. “That I didn’t trust you. I had a picture of what we were supposed to be in my head. Then Astrid arrived with Daisy, and I was thrown for a loop. I knew my allegiance was to my little girl above all else.”
“I’m not so selfish that I would claim all your attention,” Summer assured him. “I understand that I won’t have your complete, full attention. But I know you have enough room in your heart to love the both of us.” She hesitated. “And more children. If you want them.”
He beamed at her. “Of course, I do. I always saw myself with you and lots of kids.” He wrapped his arms about her. “Summer Sutherland, let’s try this again. Will you marry me—and Daisy?”
Tears misted her eyes. “You bet, Cowboy.”
Chance kissed her, and all the hurt dissolved, being replaced with an abiding love that would be ever true.