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Summer wiped away a fresh wave of tears. There were a lot of “pleases” in those texts, but what she loved most was that he asked her to come home, meaning to him.
So she did.
She turned the car around and got back on the highway headed back into Carmel. She berated herself for doing exactly what her mother always did, running away instead of facing a problem head-on. That wasn’t Summer’s way, yet she’d walked out instead of claiming her place in the family and in Cody’s life. She let him drive her away when she knew deep down that was not what he wanted.
He was scared.
And now that she’d called him out on it, he regretted it.
“What were those noises? Is he calling you?” Lucy asked.
“He texted me and asked me to come home.”
“You bet your ass you’re going back, so he can apologize and you two can work this out, because I’ve never heard you this happy about anyone. You knew this wasn’t going to be easy—nothing is—but what you two have is worth fighting for.”
“I know that. And I’m pretty sure that’s how he feels, too.”
“Good. But you should still make him grovel.”
Summer found a smile and a laugh. “I just want him.”
“You deserve to be happy. I think if you two work this out, with him, you will be.”
“You are the best friend I could ever have.”
“I know. Right back at you.”
“Love you, Luc.”
“Love you back, babe.” They ended the call, Summer knowing that no matter what, Lucy always had her back.
Summer couldn’t wait to see Cody, but she also wanted to reconcile with Miranda and Natalie and see if there was a way for them to finally come together as a family.
Chapter Fifty
Nate stared at his wife and two daughters, completely taken aback by what had just happened. He read the worry in Miranda’s eyes. He hated to see Haley so distraught, tears rolling down her cheeks. Natalie folded her arms across her chest, looking defiant but also remorseful.
And then there was Jessica. She stared back at him, regal as always, but the pain and sadness got to him, despite his best efforts to remain angry.
Summer didn’t need that added turmoil in her life.
Maybe Jessica understood that her string of bad decisions had culminated with Summer not feeling like she belonged with either of them, and that’s not what Jessica ever wanted.
Jessica breathed in, then simply said what he needed to hear. “‘I’m sorry’ will never be enough, Nate. I know what I did. I know what it cost you. There were a thousand different moments where I could have told her the truth, and all those moments were when I thought to myself,If only Nate were here to see this.” Tears rolled down her cheeks unchecked. “I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t deserve it. I know you love her. I know I kept that from her, just as I kept her from you. I wish I could go back and change it. I didn’t do it out of malice. It’s just... I made a stupid decision, andthen things went too far and it felt like I couldn’t turn back. By the time I was older, wiser, but still so scared of losing her, I felt like I couldn’t fix it. I felt like you’d take her and she wouldn’t want to be with me anymore. That was the lie I told myself. Because that’s not true. We can love more than one person.”
“I know what you mean,” Natalie interjected.
Nate stared at his daughter, who held Jessica’s gaze.
Natalie turned to him and Miranda. “I thought she’d take Cody and he wouldn’t love us anymore. I didn’t want to lose him, so I did something stupid and thoughtless and I pushed him away all on my own. I didn’t mean it.” Tears streaked down her face.
Haley, always the loving one, went to her sister and wrapped her in her arms.
Jessica met his gaze again. “There’s a lot of love here, Nate. She needs this. She needs you. I’m so sorry. I’ll leave you with your beautiful family.” She headed for the door.
Nate called out, “Jessica, wait.”
She turned to him.
