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Chapter thirteen
Patrick
We continued to practice shooting for an hour every day for the next two days, with me teaching Ariella different foot positions. The weaver stance, where one foot is in front of the other, was the most comfortable for her, so we continued practicing with that. When she hit all fifteen targets without missing a shot, I knew she could handle herself.
“When we first started doing this, I didn’t understand why everyone enjoyed it so much,” Ariella tells me.
“And now you do?”
“Yes! It’s such a rush, holding that much power in your hands. I can hear my father speaking in my head.” She lowers her voice an octave, “Young lady, remember that power is to be used only for good, and never let it go to your head. Never wield it for personal gain, but only to help those unable to help themselves.”
“That’s good advice.”
She nods. “It is. Though I’m pretty sure he was referring to using my position and words, not a Glock.”
Her excitement is adorable, and it takes all my willpower not to kiss her right then and there, but I don’t. She must have been thinking the same thing and noticed my hesitation.
“It’s been days since you last kissed me, Patrick. Why?” she asks shyly.
I tilt her chin up, and she closes her eyes, expecting a kiss that never comes. “Look at me, Ari.” I won’t continue until she opens them; when she does, they’re glistening. “I want to kiss you more than I want to breathe, Ari, but I can’t. Not yet. Not when we have so much to discuss first. I’m not ready to go down that path again until we have a clear destination in mind. You lied to me for years and kept my son from me.”
“But…”
“Let me finish, please. In my head, I understand why you felt the need to keep the secret. I may have even done the same thing in your shoes. You had noble intent, and I get that. But my heart still hurts from that decision, and it will take time for that wound to heal. Just know that I’m trying, okay?”
“Do you still love me?” she asks, no longer looking at me.
“Yes, Ari. I still love you. I never stopped. But that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to be hurt and upset. When this is over, you still have a responsibility to Cothena, and your people may not accept me as your husband. What then? Would you give up everything to be here with me if they don’t? You will need to figure out the answer to these questions before this can go any further. I will not be kept from my son, which means you will have to come clean to your parents and your people.”
I hug her gently and hold her until Alex shouts from the top of the porch, “Time for dinner! Grandma made my favorite! Macaroni and cheese! And guess what? It’s not from a box!”
Alex runs back inside after his announcement, and we turn to follow him. When we get to the bottom of the steps, she says softly, “I don’t have all the answers, Patrick. But I can promise you one thing. I will never keep Alex from you again.”
“Thank you.”
As promised, dinner is homemade macaroni and cheese, loaded with bacon. Along with it, my mom also roasted a few chickens and steamed green beans. When everyone is finished, Ariella and I clear the dishes, but Savannah and Jessie offer to wash and dry them.
We head into the living room, where Jerry sits in a chair, the laptop in front of him. My parents are on the loveseat, leaving the longer couch available for the three of us.
“You know, Jerry, it’s not necessary to keep your eyes glued to the screen. The detection systems will alert us if anyone crosses the perimeter.”
“I know, but it’s better than watching the romance novel playing out in front of me,” he says deadpan.
My dad barks out a laugh, and my mom sniggers. I roll my eyes and ignore the comment. I plop down on the sofa, Alex sitting beside me and forcing his mom to sit on his other side. I give her a wry grin but don’t ask Alex to move. I’ll soak up every ounce of attention that he gives me. I’ve missed too much already, and I refuse to miss any more.
“How have you two been married all these years, and your parents never knew?” my dad asks Ariella.
“My father knew. Cothena doesn’t recognize marriages performed in the Bahamas the same way that the United States does. Although Patrick and I waited until marriage to consummate, my mother wouldn’t have seen it that way. She would have forced me to marry Kiernan regardless of my vows and possibly taken extreme measures to ensure Patrick stayed away for good.”
I look down at Alex, wondering if he should be listening in on this conversation. When Ariella notices, she says, “Alex knows what’s at stake. I had to tell him everything when he overheard Kiernan and me talking about you a few years ago. Nothing said here should be news to him.”
“How come you never declared your marriage when you returned from that assignment, Patrick,” Jessie asks as she and Savannah enter the room.
“I was going to, but when I saw that Ari had eloped, I didn’t see the point. Before we said our vows, she had explained that Cothena wouldn’t accept the marriage. It didn’t matter to me if anyone other than my parents knew. My vows were said before God and a priest. A piece of paper didn’t change my promise.”
Savannah tilts her head, curious. “When you told me the story of you and Ariella, why didn’t you tell me then that you were married? You let me believe that you two had an affair.”
I shrug. “People think whatever they want. Would you have believed me if I told you I was married and been hiding that for more than nine years?” I ask her.
