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"It sounded that way." He flipped the page back to her final words, reading them once more. "My dad did love me unconditionally, and I was happy. He never let on how much pain he was in, and there had to have been pain. His mother had kept secrets from him. The father he thought was his father had walked away when he found out he wasn't. And then Hank was the cherry on top of terrible parents. It's what Ellie said. Everyone turned away from my dad when he needed them the most. He was seventeen years old when all this happened. He was just a kid."
"He had to grow up really fast," Chloe agreed. "But he made sure that his son would never experience what he went through. I know you felt anger toward him because he didn't tell you about his past, but he was trying to protect you."
Decker nodded in agreement. "He didn't want me to love any of them. He knew the kind of people his parents and in-laws were. He chose to keep me away from them. He wanted to protect me from the sting of rejection, which he felt sure would come my way." He paused. "Ellie was collateral damage, although not completely innocent, according to her own words."
"That's true. But she was also in pain. Love is complicated."
"Only because people make it that way. They hang on when every instinct they have tells them to let go."
"Fear of being alone is powerful."
"Yes." He drew in a breath and let it out. "But Ellie seemed to find some peace."
"She knew in her heart that you and your dad were okay. Should we keep looking for the letters?"
He shook his head. "Not tonight."
She gave him a compassionate smile. "I understand. There's a lot to think about. It will take time to process." She glanced at her watch. "I wish I could stay longer, but I have to relieve the babysitter in half an hour."
"That's okay."
She slid closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I also wish I had time to take the unhappy light out of your eyes."
He smiled. "You are really good at doing that. But you need to go." He gave her a kiss, then pulled her to her feet.
"That kiss was kind of quick," she complained.
"If it went any longer, I wouldn't be able to let you leave."
"I like that answer. When can I see you again? Is tomorrow too soon?"
"It wouldn't be, but I found a tile guy, and he can get started on Monday if I get the tile and one bathroom prepped before then. He only has this week to give me for work, so I have to take him when I can get him. The good news is that the bathrooms will be done in a week. But you may not see much of me for a few days."
"So good news and bad news," she murmured. "I appreciate how hard you're working. Just don't work too fast."
Her words were loaded with meaning, and she looked like she wanted to take them back as soon as she'd said them. His chest tightened. He knew that conversation was coming, but he couldn't have it now.
"I better go," she said, moving to the door.
"I'll walk you to your car." He didn't want to say goodnight, which made him worry that if saying goodnight felt this bad, how was saying goodbye going to feel? Fortunately, he didn't have to do that yet.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Decker talkedto Chloe off and on by text for the next four days, his days packed with construction work that had to be done while he had the manpower. But when she invited him over to dinner on Thursday, he was thrilled to finally see her again.
When he arrived at her house, she came out the door before he could ring the bell, putting her arms around him and kissing him with a pent-up need that shook him to the core with how much he wanted her.
"Damn! You pack a punch, you know that?" he asked, when they finally came up for air.
"So do you. I've been thinking about that for four days."
"I've been thinking about doing more than that for four days," he returned.
"Me, too. But all that will have to wait until later." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house.
Stepping inside, he felt like he was coming home, especially when Leo ran down the hall to greet him with a big hug. These two people were fast becoming very important to him. He'd never really felt like he had a home. They'd stayed so many places that no house had ever felt more than temporary. But this was what a real home felt like. It was warm and filled with love and laughter and life. It also smelled good. He sniffed. "Are we having cake for dinner?"
"No," Chloe said with a laugh. "But you have a good nose. Leo and I are making cupcakes for his school tomorrow. The kids are putting on a talent show. It will be very cute."
