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He tried to hug Wayne back, but Wyatt wasn’t used to casual hugs from his extended family. And then he was transferred over to Rose, who hugged the life out of him while she seemed to be holding in sobs. When she pulled back, a few tears had tracked down her cheeks but her eyes blazed with joy.
She cupped his cheeks in both hands, fingers lightly trembling. “I never dreamed I’d get to meet you. My very first grandbaby.”
That did it. Wyatt couldn’t stop a few tears of his own from falling, overwhelmed by all the instant acceptance and affection, not used to such open displays of emotion from his own family. The Gibsons weren’t huggers or criers, or very big on family traditions outside of Christmas morning and Easter dinner. This was brand-new territory for him.
“It’s a true pleasure to meet you both, too,” Wyatt said once he could speak. “As your grandson.”
The floor creaked, and Wyatt wasn’t surprised to see Brand get a big hug from Wayne, plus a slap on the back. Hugo was grinning at no one in particular. Wyatt couldn’t see Jackson’s face, because his back was to Wyatt. He knew Jackson was happy for him, though. Now that Wyatt was part of the Woods family, so was Jackson.
Something they still hadn’t dropped on the elder Woodses.
“Oh my goodness,” Rose said to Brand as she fluttered to his side of the table. “I can’t wait to tell your brothers and sisters. What a surprise!” She threw her arms around Brand. “Oh, sweetheart. You must have been so shocked to learn the news.”
“Shockedis a very small word for how I felt, Mom.” Brand smiled at Wyatt over her shoulder. “But after I sat with it, I realized how wonderful of a shock it was. I gave up on living an authentic lifeandbeing a dad a long time ago. But Hugo helped me be me. And now I’ve got my son back. I couldn’t ask for a bigger miracle.”
“Good man,” Wayne said. “Our children are blessings, no matter how long we’re estranged from them.” And since Wayne apparently missed nothing at his dining table, added, “I’m so grateful to know this exciting family news, but I have to admit I’m a touch surprised Jackson doesn’t seem shocked at all.”
“Because Jackson helped unravel the whole thing,” Brand replied. “And he’s become someone very special to Wyatt. We all wanted Jackson here tonight.”
“Someone very special.” Wayne’s sharp gaze landed on Jackson. “How special exactly?”
Wyatt held his breath.
Jackson had fought against a familiar pang of wistfulness as Wayne and Rose Woods came together to easily welcome Wyatt into their family, embracing him with love and joy. The kind of love and joy every child deserved from their parents. The kind he’d only ever observed from a distance until now. While he hadn’t been included in the celebration, he was bearing witness to it and that was enough.
Until he was suddenly the direct focus of everyone in the room, especially Wayne, whose joy was slowly disappearing under a cloud of suspicion. Wyatt was still behind Jackson, so he had no idea how to respond to Wayne’s question. And since everyone else involved except Hugo was standing, Jackson stood, too. Moved around his chair to Wyatt, close enough their arms brushed. Rose and Wayne stood together by Brand, all three watching.
Then Wyatt slipped his hand into Jackson’s and said, “Jackson’s extra-special to me because I’m falling in love with him. And he loves me. And I needed you both to know that so you know exactly who I am.”
“You’re in love,” Wayne repeated. “Are you outta your mind, Jackson? You’re twice that boy’s age. You’re older than his own damned father!”
“Age is just a number when it comes to love,” Wyatt said. His voice was softer, a young man intimidated by an elder, and Jackson didn’t like that.
“That’s easy enough to say when you’re only twenty years old and have hardly any life experience.”
Wyatt bristled.
Jackson squeezed his hand tighter, working to keep his own temper at a low sizzle. They both knew this wouldn’t be easy. “With all due respect, Mr. Woods, Wyatt has been through a lot. I’ve gotten to know him pretty well these last two months, and I can tell you he’s a man who knows his mind. He did the pursuing here, not the other way around.”
“I’d hope you’d be mature enough to stop things before they started.”
Brand opened his mouth but Jackson held up his hand. This wasn’t Brand’s fight. “I understand that you’re still battling with some old, ingrained beliefs about men loving men, and I’m not here to fight with you about that, or about our age difference. Only to say that I love and respect your grandson, and while we’ve had our differences, we’re working through them like mature adults. Wyatt isn’t a child. He’s a grown man who’s actively reaching for what he wants. He came here to find his father and he did. Neither of us expected this when we first met, but we wanted it and have made it work.”
Jackson had said his piece now, so he didn’t object again when Brand spoke up. “I know this is a surprise, Dad, and I admit I was a lot taken aback when I found out. But I’ve seen them together this week. I saw the way Jackson watched over Wyatt in the hospital. I support them.”
Those words shouldn’t have surprised Jackson as much as they did, and he sent Brand a silent thank-you with his eyes. Brand nodded.
“Well, this is all a touch unusual,” Rose spoke up. “I think it’s something your father and I will have to sit with and think about. But who you date, Wyatt, does not change the fact that you’re part of this family. I lost one of my boys for far too long, and I won’t lose anyone else.” She side-eyed her husband, who didn’t respond. He simply put his hands in his pockets and looked off to the side.
Jackson got the feeling Rose demurred to her husband in most things, but not when it came to her children and grandchildren.
“And just think, Mr. Woods,” Hugo said in a charming, almost teasing tone. “You’ve got that grandson you always used to talk about.”
Brand groaned. “Oh Lord, don’t go there yet. Wyatt needs to go at least three days in a row without scraping, slicing, bruising, or tripping himself before there is any discussion of that. He’ll burn down the barn.”
“You know, now that we know they’re related, the clumsiness really reminds me of Rem.”
Wyatt smiled and seemed to relax as the tension levels in the room dropped. Wayne looked more thoughtful and less wound up, and Rose seemed pleased to have kept the peace. Hugo and Brand were both smiling. Jackson was still a touch miffed at Wayne for insinuating he’d taken advantage of Wyatt in some way, but he also understood the man’s POV a little.
