Chapter 17
What do you want for Christmas, Ben? Have you given it any thought?” Cole asked Saturday evening as he balanced himself on a ladder propped against the side of Ana’s house.
Cole glanced across the expanse to where Ben held the last of the lights in preparation for Cole to attach.
Gage had come into the rental building around one o’clock as Cole requested, and he’d brought Ben home to work. During his visits, he’d noticed a few things around Ana’s small home that needed TLC. He and Ben had spent the last four hours or so on repairs, and since none of the issues were problematic, they’d knocked them out in quick order.
“Not really,” Ben said in response to the question.
Cole attached another light and hoped Ana’s love of Christmas lights still held true even after all these years.
When they’d dated, he couldn’t count the hours he’d spent driving her around the island and Wilmington to see the displays, though a part of him now realized Ana’s requests could have been her sweet awareness that dates cost money, and he didn’t have a lot of it at the time.
She’d never complained that he hadn’t taken her to the nice restaurants in the area or even that they didn’t go out every weekend like their friends so often did. Their dates had focused on spending time together, either on the beach or at his house, which now that he thought about it, reenforced Ana’s statements about how hard a time she’d had accepting his choice of careers.
Why hadn’t he understood that back then? At the time, the military had seemed like the perfect answer to his desire to provide both a career, steady income and housing for the girl he wanted to marry. “What about your mom? Has she mentioned anything she might like?”
Ben smirked.
“You’ve got it bad, man.”
Cole grinned, willing to take the teasing because it was true. “You wait. When you find a woman worth the effort, you’ll see how it is.”
The words had no sooner left his mouth when Cole remembered Ben’s interest in a girl who’d so recently chosen his best friend instead. “Sorry, Ben. I wasn’t thinking when I said that.”
“It’s okay. They’ve already broken up.”
“That was fast,” Cole said with a grunt as he moved along the house with the light clips.
“Yeah, she dumped him for another guy in our class. He’s rich, and she’s posting about how he’s taking her on his family’s ski trip.”
“Hate to say it, Ben, but it sounds like you dodged a bullet. Know what I mean?” Cole glanced down to see Ben nod.
“Yeah. I know. I see it now.”
“Glad to hear it.” Cole descended the ladder, and Ben helped him move it over to do the last few feet. “Your turn again. Climb up and finish, would you?”
Cole had noticed the way Ben perked up each time Cole showed him how to perform one of the repairs. Ben seemed starved for male attention, and Cole made a mental note to ask his brothers to spend a little extra time with the boy when they could. “Have you ever gone skiing? Or your mom? Think that’s something you’d both like to do?”
“I guess, though getting her away from her store isn’t easy. I’m surprised she left this weekend. If it wasn’t for it being Quinley, I don’t think she would’ve.”
“They’re that close, huh?”
Ben fit the next set of lights into the clips just like Cole had shown him.
“Quinley was Mom’s roommate in college, and after Mom dropped out the next summer because of me, they got an apartment together off campus so Quinley could help.”
“Your grandparents wouldn’t help?” The boy’s silence drew Cole’s attention, and he noticed Ben’s face twitching as he struggled to control his emotions. “Geez, I didn’t mean to throw you another grenade, Ben.”
“It’s okay. It just proves how much they suck. They wanted her to give me away at first.”
Cole sucked in a breath, hoping Ben would keep talking and fill in all the missing details Ana had glossed over or purposefully neglected to share. When Ben didn’t continue, Cole said, “Your mom told you that?”
The sun had started to go down, but there was plenty of light left to see Ben’s pale face coloring up like the red sky forming in the distance.
“Not exactly. Just one of the things I’ve…heard.”
“I’m sorry. No one needs to hear that. I hope it gives you some comfort that your mom kept you and raised you, right?”
“Yeah. Especially since the sperm donor told her to abort me.”
While Cole processed that news, Ben finished the lights and climbed down off the ladder. They both walked backward across the small yard to get the bigger picture of their handiwork.
“You did a great job,” Cole told him.
“You did most of it.”
“Not true. I only did the gable peak because it’s the highest. How about now we go grab a bite to eat somewhere? You hungry?”
An hour later, they’d scarfed down an entire pizza between the two of them and played some of the old-school pinball machines the restaurant had to offer before heading back to Ana’s house.
They played video games in the living room for an hour more before Ben tossed the controller to the cushion beside him and stood.
“I’m out.”
“Giving up already? It’s only eight.”
Ben rubbed his eye and shrugged. “Not feeling it. I’m just going to go to bed and watch videos.”
Cole glanced at his watch. “Yeah, probably a smart move. You’ve got an early morning tomorrow. Gage is going to have you packing suitcases downstairs all day.”
Gage had specifically requested Ben’s work hours for Sunday checkouts, adding in that Ben could keep any tips he received if he’d take on the early-rising hours and be ready to work by five so the travelers could get on the road.
Holiday checkouts were lucrative thanks to those who loved to bring a carload of stuff to the beach but didn’t want to haul it up and down flights of stairs in rental homes and motels that didn’t have elevators.
Cole had thought it an odd service to offer when Gage had brought it up a few years back, but Cole had been blown away by the number of people who prepaid the fifteen-to-thirty-minute time blocks at premium prices just to not have to cart it all out themselves. “Night, Ben.”
“You good? My mom changed the sheets on her bed and stuff. She said you could sleep in her room.”
Cole considered the offer. Hard. But he seriously doubted he’d get any sleep if he chose Ana’s bed. “Couch is fine. Trust me, I’ve slept on worse than this when I was deployed.”
Ben stood there a long moment as though trying to come up with a convincing argument, then shrugged.
“I’ll go get a blanket from the closet.”
Cole cleared off the game controllers and then kicked off his shoes.
His phone pinged, and Ana’s name appeared, asking how things were going.
Great. Heading to bed.
So early?
A working kid is a tired kid. Gage wants him at work by 5 to help with checkouts. Having fun?
A dress fitting, Broadway play, brunch, LOTS of shopping and now drinks and dancing.
Cole smiled at his phone, liking that Ana shared the details of her day with him.
Dancing huh? What are you wearing?
Three little dots appeared before disappearing. And…reappeared again.
Cole Blackwell…
Cole grinned. Ana knew he flirted and was trying to sort it out in that gorgeous head of hers.
Show me.
Nothing. Not even a dot.
Come on, Ana. Show me how good my girl looks, he mused.
His phone chimed, and Cole sucked in a breath, taking in the image of Ana in a little black dress, her makeup sexier, smokier, hair curled and hanging down around her shoulders in a way that made his fingers twitch with the need to sink into the length and tug.
“Here’s a blanket and a pillow off my mom’s bed,” Ben said, dumping them on the arm of the long couch.
Cole dropped his phone face down on his stomach. “Uh, yeah. Thanks, Ben.”
“Night.”
“Goodnight.” The moment the teen’s door closed, Cole lifted his phone and saved the photo before using his fingers to enlarge the image.
Ana looked beautiful, sexy. Breathtaking.
Suddenly remembering he hadn’t commented on the pic, he swiped the screen to text her.
Please tell me Quinley’s rich fiance has you covered with security.
Come to think of it, he should’ve asked that question first. Before Ana got on that plane.
Yes, Dad. We have security.
He smirked.
Good because my girl is hot.
Not yours. FRIENDS.
Mmm. Agree to disagree. MINE.
Cole waited for an immediate response from Ana declaring how she didn’t belong to anyone but herself or her son, but nothing appeared.
Seconds ticked by, and with every one, the tension in his body grew as he waited for her to argue the fact.
Hope surged in slow, lapping waves. Was she not going to fight him on the claim?
Don’t I get a pic?
A rumbling chuckle emerged from him, and his ego soared at the fact she wanted an image of him—and she hadn’t argued his claim. Progress was sweet indeed.
He flipped to his camera roll, but all recent images were of his family, the Atlantic, or something to do with the limo and businesses.
He scrolled a little more and found a group of pictures taken his last week in the military. An impromptu basketball game with Jonesie and some of the guys.
Someone had snapped photos since they’d known it was the last time Cole would be active duty.
And since it was probably the best eye-candy photo he had of himself, that was the one he sent her.
And then he waited once again.
Would she stake a claim on him? Comment on the fact he was shirtless and sweaty, with his dog tags gleaming in the sun and fatigues riding low on his hips after a hard game?
Three dots appeared after a very long pause.
Sweet dreams, soldier. Q wants to dance. Thx 4 watching Ben.
Cole grinned. Ana hadn’t staked a claim, but he had a feeling he wouldn’t be the only one having sweet dreams.
* * *
Cole opened tired eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed, stilling for a moment until his brain kicked in with where he was and why.
He’d stared at Ana’s sexy-beautiful photo for a long time after her last text, letting himself indulge in a few fantasies where he was the one bumping and grinding on the dance floor with her wearing her LBD.
Once Ben had gone to bed, Cole had settled in on the couch and turned the television to a sitcom but paid it little attention, thoughts consumed by Analise before he’d dozed off.
Now his phone rang, and as he picked it up, he realized he’d missed a text from Brooks to call immediately.
Which was apparently why Brooks was now taking matters into his own hands by calling him.
Cole scraped a hand over his face and rubbed away the cobwebs. “Hey. What’s up?”
“It’s almost 9 p.m. Do you know where your children are?”
Hearing Brooks repeat his version of the old commercial that used to run on television during their younger years left Cole bolting upright. And the reference of children meant— “Ben?”
“Bingo,” his brother said in a droll tone.
Cole growled out a curse. “He snuck out. You’ve got him?”
“Yeah, I’ve got him. We’re at the gas station off the loop to Wrightsville. I was on my way back from a tow when I spotted him. Something’s up with him, though. Ben won’t tell me what’s going on, but he says he’s not going home. I can shove him in the cab, but— I think you need to come figure this out.”
Cole muttered curses and scrambled off the couch to find the shoes he’d toed off.
Growing up, his mama had a strict rule about cursing, citing that there were too many boys in the house, and if she let one, she had to let all of them say the bad words.
If his mama heard him now, Cole knew he’d live the rest of his days with soap in his mouth.
Ana had trusted him to keep Ben home safe and out of trouble. But just when he thought he’d been doing a halfway decent job, what had Ben done? “I’m on my way.”
Cole ended the call on his way out the door. He jumped in his Wrangler and tore out of Ana’s driveway, the Christmas lights he and Ben had hung twinkling in his rearview and mocking him as he sped out.
He hit the highway, then turned right on Golden Road, shooting down the side road as fast as he dared to try to save time.
He rolled into the parking lot of the gas station in record time to see Brooks parked off to one side.
Ben sat on the sidewalk outside the station, his face pale as he stared back at Cole when he slammed out of the Jeep.
“Cole, I gotta go, brother. Just got another call for a dead battery. Can you handle this?”
“Oh, I’ll handle it all right.” Cole jerked his head toward the Jeep and ordered Ben to get in.
Ben walked slowly that way, obviously reluctant and looking like someone had kicked his puppy.
“I’ve already got his bike strapped down. He can get it when you bring him to work tomorrow.
“Thanks, Brooks.”
“No problem. Hey—go easy on him.”
Cole couldn’t hide his surprise. “Seriously?”
“I know, I can’t believe I’m saying it either but— Something’s off with Ben. Something big. Don’t explode until you figure out what’s going on.”
Cole turned his head to see Ben climb inside the Jeep. Unlike the night when Ben had taken the limo and mouthed off with every breath, this Ben was…quiet. Eerily so. “Yeah. Okay.”
Brooks had already gotten into the tow truck and shoved it into gear before Cole moved. He took a few deep breaths along the way to calm the fear-born anger fogging his senses.
He got in and sat there waiting, hoping, Ben would speak.
When Ben didn’t, Cole inhaled. “What gives, Ben?”
Ben didn’t respond.
Cole pressed a palm to his eye socket and rubbed hard. “You’ve got nothing to say? You just took ten years off my life with this stunt. You do know you could’ve been killed riding in the dark, right? And that isn’t even the worst thing that could’ve happened to you.”
Ben glanced at him, obviously confused or oblivious, and Cole sighed. “Ever watch the news? Ben, kids like you go missing every day. They get taken and sold, and they don’t—” He broke off and wiped a hand over his mouth to stem the string of curses that fought to emerge.
“I’m sorry,” Ben said, finally breaking his silence.
“Where were you going?”
Ben leaned his head back against the seat rest and closed his eyes. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Is this about that girl you liked? Your friends?”
“No.”
Cole fought his frustration. “Then why did you sneak out on me like that?”
“I didn’t plan to, but I thought you wouldn’t take me if I asked. And I wouldn’t get another chance if I waited.”
“Another chance to do what? Get yourself killed? Arrested? What?”
“To see him!”
Cole felt like his brain would explode with the bits and pieces of information Ben fed him. He wasn’t in the mood for twenty questions. “To see who?”
“My father, okay? The sperm donor,” Ben said tightly, the words thick with tears. “I was going to see him.”
Shock flowed through Cole. Of all the responses, he hadn’t expected Ben to say that. And even though he knew he needed to get them going, Cole stayed put, unwilling to break the flow now that Ben was finally talking.
“I just— Mom never goes anywhere and leaves me behind. Ever. I knew this was my only chance.” Ben swallowed hard. “I know I shouldn’t have snuck out, but I had to so I did. Did you tell my mom?”
“Not yet.”
“Do you have to? Can’t this just be between us?”
Cole’s low grunt revealed his thoughts on that. “I can’t keep something like this from your mom, Ben, even if it lands me in the doghouse for letting it happen on my watch.”
Which it would. Ana trusted him to keep Ben safe, and when he thought about all the things that could’ve happened… Another string of curses sounded in Cole’s head, and he groaned. “You could’ve been killed, Ben. Taken. Just like that,” he said, snapping his fingers.
High traffic, distracted drivers, and bicycles weren’t a great mix. And to have made it from the southern side of Wilmington to that gas station was a good ten miles in the dark. So much for thinking he and Ben had built some kind of friendship or trust.
“But I wasn’t. You don’t have to tell her and freak her out.”
“She trusted me to keep you safe and I didn’t.”
“I’m fine. She doesn’t need to know! That’s why I did it now, while she’s gone. I didn’t want to hurt her. If Brooks hadn’t ratted me out, you wouldn’t have known anyway.”
Cole struggled to maintain an even-keel because Ben’s words were true. He’d fallen asleep on the couch under the impression Ben was asleep in his bed. At least safely ensconced in his friggin’ room.
Cole wouldn’t have known about Ben’s stunt if not for Brooks—or until the police showed up at the door should something have happened to Ben, and they’d been made aware. “Does the sperm— Does your father know you’re coming to see him? You’ve talked to him?”
Ben shook his head. “No. Remember earlier today when you asked me what I wanted for Christmas?”
“Yeah.” Cole also remembered the way an expression had flashed over Ben’s face before Ben had shrugged.
“Ever since then, all I’ve thought about was if I could have anything, it’d be to see him. Just once. And with my mom gone, I could do it without hurting her.”
“She’d have found out one way or another,” Cole said.
“How? I wasn’t going to talk to him. I just wanted to see him. I’ve seen pictures of him online, but it’s not the same thing.”
Cole leaned back in his seat, wishing he had some magical insight that might help Ben navigate the landmines in his life. “You were going to his house?”
Ben’s shoulders slumped, and he wiped a hand over his face again.
“No. To karaoke night.”
“You have some deep desire to sing the hits to him?” Cole asked dryly.
A slight smile formed on Ben’s lips before he shook his head.
“Nah. I found him online a while ago. He— His social media is all open, and I’ve been…watching him. He’s a real estate agent and a total egomaniac because he posts everything. Like anyone cares what fancy food he’s eating or how many million-dollar houses he’s sold. He goes to this place for karaoke when they have it, and he said he’d be there tonight to sing.”
“So you thought you’d just ride over there and do what?”
“Nothing. I wasn’t going to talk to him. What would I say? ‘Sorry you didn’t want me but here I am anyway’? I just wanted to see him, and I didn’t want to hurt my mom. She wouldn’t understand.”
No, she wouldn’t. Ana wouldn’t be able to see past her hurt.
Cole felt his anger—at least a portion of it—deflate in the face of Ben’s revelation. Ben had seen a chance to get what he needed as his father’s castaway son, and he’d taken it. He’d just done something stupid in the process. “You should have come to me instead of sneaking out. If something had happened to you…”
“Like you really care.”
Cole’s low growl had Ben lifting his head, eyes widening in surprise.
“I do care, Ben.”
“Because of my mom,” Ben shot back.
“Because of her and because I care about you. Come on, Ben, if I didn’t care what happened to you, I’d have pressed charges, tossed your ass in jail and walked away. It would’ve been a lot easier than this.”
“You only agreed not to do that because of my mom.”
“I did it because we all screw up sometimes. Maybe knowing your mom held some weight, but I definitely wouldn’t have offered to keep an eye on you for the weekend if I didn’t care. Ben, you’re a good kid. You just make crappy decisions sometimes, and taking off on your bike like that was one of them.”
“Wouldn’t you want to see him?”
The question left him floundering. “I…I don’t know. Maybe?” That was a tough call, and he struggled to decide. “I guess, like you, I’d be curious.”
“Does that mean…you’ll take me? There’s still time. He might not have sung yet.”
“Ben...”
“Please? I know I screwed up, and I’m sorry. I really, really am, but I didn’t think you’d take me. I won’t ever do anything like this again. I promise. I just— I just want to go there tonight. Will you take me?”
Cole watched as Ben’s face turned red, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. The boy’s expression revealed his desperation and desire to know something about the man who’d sired him.
But if he did this…
“We don’t have to stay long. Just until he sings. I won’t talk to him. I won’t do anything. I’m not even sure why I want to go so bad, but I do. I need to.”
Cole shifted his attention from the teen breaking down beside him to the clear night sky and the traffic moving along the busy junction. Turn left and they’d go home and be done with the night. Turn right and he risked every bit of progress he’d made with Ana when she found out.
Because the truth of the matter was that she might not forgive him for this. Ana wanted nothing to do with the man who’d abandoned them. Who’d wanted her to abort the pregnancy. Cole couldn’t blame her. But her son needed to do this for some inexplicable reason, and Cole respected Ben’s desire to protect his mom from the fact.
But as the silence stretched…Cole came to his own realization. He had to be the man Ben needed. The friend or father-figure— he had to help Ben tread the shark-infested waters he was so determined to jump into.
Cole muttered a curse and shoved the Wrangler into gear. “Where to?”