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I needed to tell Jude.
Now wasn’t the time, but I knew I couldn’t expect to keep this a secret much longer. Hell, I was lucky we’d been able to as long as we had.
It wasn’t fair to keep this from Jude. It wasn’t fair to Kendall either. She deserved more.
But it would put everything I’d worked so hard for—not to mention my relationship with my son—at risk. I worried that Jude would resent me when he found out the truth. That he’d hate me.
Jude: Are you sure you’re okay?
My praise isn’t that rare, is it?
I resorted to humor because the truth was too painful. Too explosive, especially for a text message.
I told myself to treasure this moment. I had everything—another Leatherbacks win, a good relationship with my son, and Kendall in my arms. The moment felt fragile and precious.
I watched as three dots danced on the screen, appearing and disappearing. The same pattern again until finally disappearing altogether. I had a feeling he’d been pulled into another event for the team, and I trusted him to handle it.
Kendall needed me more. Or perhaps what was scarier to admit was that I needed her.
When I was with Kendall, she made me feel like the most important person in the world. She made me feel…valued. Loved.
She made me feel complete in a way that I hadn’t felt since before my parents’ death. Because as much as my grandparents had loved Nate, Graham, Jasper, Sloan, and me, they’d been running an empire and grappling with their own grief.
Kendall shifted against me, and I held on tighter. Scared to let her go. Scared of what the future would look like.
I lay there for what felt like hours, just watching her sleep. Trying to think of ways to get Jude to accept this. Acceptus.
“Hey,” Kendall said, smiling up at me as the sun crested the horizon. “You’re really here.”
I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m really here.”
“I can’t believe you left the game early.”
“I’d do it all again to be with you.” I met her hazel eyes, hoping she knew just how much she meant to me. “Are you feeling any better?”
She nodded. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
I pulled her into me, holding her close. “Anytime,mi cielo.”
“What were you thinking about?” she asked. “Earlier.”
“Were you spying on me and pretending to be asleep?” I teased, unprepared for her question.
The corner of her mouth tipped up, and it was good to see her smile. “So…?”
“You should rest.”
She propped her head up on one elbow, unwilling to back down. Silently encouraging me to continue.
I smoothed my beard. It was due for a trim. “I was thinking about my parents.”
“What about them?” She placed her hand on my chest.
“I was just wondering how life would’ve been different if they hadn’t died in the plane crash.”
Her expression was one of compassion. “I’m sure that was… Well, I can’t even imagine.”
“It was just such a shock. And I can’t fathom how my grandparents functioned, let alone ran a growing hotel business and raised five children.”
