Chapter Seven

CORD

“Thanks, Albert,” I said, shaking my attorney’s hand in the lobby of the police station.

“No problem, Cord,” he replied. “Since Miss Hartley didn’t want to press charges, there was no reason for them to hold you any longer. I’ll make sure PR is on this right away to head off the media.”

“I can’t even believe I’m in this situation,” I muttered as I ran a hand through my hair. It was sticky and matted since I hadn’t showered in the past two days. My whole body ached after tossing and turning on the god-awful cot in my cell. How did anyone get any sleep on those things? The mattress, if one could even call it that, was barely thicker than a piece of notebook paper, and the springs squeaked if I barely moved a muscle. I felt more exhausted and worn down, physically as well as emotionally, than I had in my entire life.

“Well, that’s what you have us on retainer for,” Albert chuckled. “Dickse, Dickse, and Whiting, LLC, are here to make all the bad stuff go away, especially for our most esteemed clients such as yourself.”

I made what I hoped was an attempt at careless laughter, even though I didn’t find any of this remotely amusing.

“Need anything else before I head back to the Big Apple?” Albert continued, hitching the strap of his black leather messenger bag higher up his shoulder.

“No,” I said. “I just want to forget this unfortunate incident ever happened.”

“Good luck,” he said, wiggling his bushy dark eyebrows. “Sure you don’t want to cut your trip short and jump on the same flight? I don’t know how you made it as long you did living out here in Hicksville, USA. I actually saw a guy in an cowboy hat riding a horse up on the road! I would have been here a half hour earlier if my driver could have gotten around him.”

“The rules are different in Texas, my friend,” I said, this time with a genuine smile.

“I’m beginning to see that,” Albert replied. “In any case, hope you enjoy the rest of your visit, and try not to get yourself in any more trouble, okay? My boy has a Little League game tomorrow, and I don’t want to miss it.”

“I’ll do my best,” I said. “Tell Scottie I said good luck.”

“Will do.” Albert signaled to his driver, who was waiting by the door. “You want a ride anywhere before we head back to the airport?”

“Nah,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll walk from here to my mom’s place. I need to stretch my legs.”

“Okay,” he replied. “At least the sun’s on its way down, so it will be cooler out there now than it was a high noon.”

I followed him and the driver out of the building and we parted ways as they headed for the parking lot adjacent to the station. Turning in the opposite direction, I headed up to 3rd and turned right. I took a deep breath, smelling the familiar scents of the Texas prairie, the grit of earth and soil along with the sweet lushness of green and growing things. I stopped at a fence line that bordered the edge of a ranch and leaned my elbows on top. The sun was indeed nearing the horizon and I gazed out over the rolling hills where brown and white spotted cows lazily chewed stalks of grass, their tails swishing back and forth with contentment. Overhead, streaks of orange, pink, and purple crisscrossed the sky, and I spotted the twinkle of a star.

My eyes grew watery at the beautiful sight. My home, the placed I’d wanted to come back to and where I’d hoped to raise a family. But Sami… I still couldn’t believe her sudden about-face after I left for college. My mother had tried to soften the blow, but I’ll never forget how I felt when she called and let me know that Sami had gone to see her and explained that she’d met someone else but didn’t have the heart to tell me herself. I buried myself in my studies to avoid dealing with the pain. But now that I was home again, now that I’d seen her again, the heartbreak felt just as raw as it had that day six years ago.

I wiped my face with my hand. I’d give Nate a call tomorrow, let him know that I’d be wiring him the funds first thing Monday. There was no way I was going to convince Sami to fall in love with me again. It was clear she didn’t want anything to do with me.

Stuffing my hands into the pockets of my chinos, I continued on my way, turning into the entrance of the community of newly-built homes where I’d purchased the house for Mami. She still said it was too big for just one person, but I was happy that she’d gotten a cocker spaniel to keep her company. Everyone needs a companion.

Up ahead, a blue Toyota Camry approached from the other direction and parked at the curb next to a two-story house. I spotted a cool-looking treehouse in the backyard, visible over the fence line. I would have loved to play in something like that as a kid. Whoever lived in that house was a lucky boy or girl.

The driver’s side door opened, and a mass of honey-blonde curls appeared—Sami.

I stopped in my tracks and watched as she jogged around to the other side and opened the door to the rear seat. She leaned inside for a minute, and then a little boy hopped out. He turned around, giving me a view of his face. Time at once stood still. It was like looking in a mirror when I was that age, probably around five or so. His dark brown eyes met mine and he grinned, revealing a gap in his front teeth, and waved. I waved back in slow motion.

Sami leaned into the car again and took out a bright green duffel bag. As she did so, she glanced over her shoulder and our eyes locked together. The duffel bag promptly dropped from her arms and landed onto the pavement with a thud.

The front door of the house opened and none other than Jake stepped onto the porch, followed by a very pregnant woman.

“Hi, Uncle Jake and Auntie Heather!” the boy called. “I brought my set of checkers for Ashley and me to play.”

A little girl in pigtails rushed out of the house and down the sidewalk.

“Yay!” she said, looping her arm through the boy’s. “I’m so glad your mommy said yes to letting you sleep over tonight!”

Mommy?

I stood staring at the scene in front of me, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of me. I could barely breathe.

Jake and Heather followed the line of Sami’s gaze to me.

“Jake,” said Heather. “Why don’t you go and get Camden’s bag, and we can all go back inside for dinner. The pizza’s already ready.”

Jake looked at me, Sami, and back again with confusion written all over his face. He jogged down the sidewalk and picked up the green duffel.

“We’re here if you need anything, okay?” he said to Sami, patting her on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” she said quietly.

Jake retreated up the sidewalk with the overnight bag and followed his wife and the kids into the house. The door closed behind them with a soft click.

“Sami?” I asked as soon as we were alone, taking a step forward. “Is he…is he…”

Tears started spilling down her cheeks. “Yes,” she whispered. “You just met Camden, your son.”

I strode forward, closing the distance between us as my own face became wet with tears. When I reached for the mother of my child, the woman I’d never stopped loving, she threw herself into my arms and we both broke into sobs.

“Why?” I said, my voice cracking with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me? Don’t you know I would have come home?”

Pulling back, Sami looked at me in surprise. “I was there, Cord! I went to see your mother when I found out I was pregnant, and she called you! She told you about the baby and said that you didn’t want anything to do with it, or me, ever again.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “That never happened. She never called me. I didn’t know.”

“Oh my God.” Her hand flew to her mouth and her body shook as sobs overcame her. I tightened my grip around her waist, knowing she would have fallen to the ground if I wasn’t there to hold her up.

“Can we go somewhere?” I asked, catching sight of a sudden movement in the window of the house.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Come home with me?”

“I’ll drive,” I said as my heart soared.