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Simon chuckled. Then he shifted his attention straight ahead, his focus going internal again, to memories, I guessed. “Ever since that weekend, I’ve felt like maybe Janet was put in my path for a reason. To give me perspective. To help me get my act together. To ultimately help me steer my life in the right direction.” He let out a quiet, self-effacing laugh. “I don’t know if that even makes sense, but that’s what I’ve thought. And then I found out about you last week, and I can’t help but think her life was likely just as irrevocably changed as mine was. More so. Because she came away from our time together with you.”
My throat went thick with emotion again, this time not with grief but with…I didn’t quite know what.
“It’s as if that weekend wasn’t random,” my father said, then shook his head. “I probably sound like a crazy old man—”
“You don’t.” My voice came out rough. “My mom did her best not to let me ever feel like a mistake, but once I was old enough to understand more, it was always in the back of my mind. I knew she loved me. She loved me more than anything, so I don’t want you to question that.”
“I’m certain of it.”
I tried to put my thoughts into words, to let him know the gift he’d just given me by telling me more about his connection with my mom. “What you just explained helps me to see it as…more.”
“Itwasmore. I mean that.”
He made it sound like my conception was the result of a brief but powerful connection between two people who were never meant to be together long-term but who were absolutely destined to come together for that brief period. And that…that rearranged a part of my own story. In a good way. A very good way. I wasn’t sure I could explain it to him adequately, so I just said, “Thank you. For sharing all that.”
A warm smile spread across his face. “Your mom was special. Never doubt that I recognized that from the second she told me her name.”
“That’s something we can agree on. My mom was special.”
He stood. “We have a lot more to talk about, but I’d rather do that when we don’t have a zoo in the other room. What do you say? Are you ready to get to know your family?”
I glanced down at Juniper, who slumbered on, then picked her up, car seat and all, knowing she was due to wake up any minute. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
CHAPTER13
KNOX
Simon led me to the noisy part of the house. There was a big family room straight ahead, which was open to a dining room with a giant table. A breakfast bar separated the dining room from the kitchen. All three rooms were crowded with people, about a third of whom I knew at a glance.
“Want me to introduce you all at once?” Simon asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll just make the rounds and do it gradually. I’ll start with those familiar faces.” I pointed at Ava, who stood nearby with Hayden, Everly, and another woman.
“I’ll see if Faye needs more help.” He pointed to the kitchen where there were several women plus Cash.
“Hey, man of the hour,” Ava said as I walked up to their group. “And surprise baby of the year,” she directed toward the carrier.
“Hi, half-brother.” Hayden gave me a hug. “Hi, adorable niece,” she whispered to Juniper.
“Hi, Knox,” Everly said, slipping an arm around me to pull me into their group protectively. I didn’t know if she even realized what she was doing, but I appreciated the small but welcoming gesture.
“I’m Sierra,” the fourth woman, a taller brunette with her hair in a ponytail, said, holding out her hand.
I shook it. “Nice to meet you. Let’s see, Cole is yours, no kids?” Holden and Chloe had gone over the couples with me on the drive in.
“Nailed it,” she said. “It’s good to meet you. Congratulations on fatherhood.” Her gaze lowered to Juniper, and she got that what-a-cute-baby expression.
“Thank you. It’s a lot to get used to.” I laughed, mostly because that was the biggest understatement of my life. “How are you ladies?” I hefted the car seat up to the arm of the chair next to me to rest my arm and bring Juniper closer.
“We’re basking in our auntie-ness,” Hayden said. “Or at least I am.”
“How can we not?” Everly said. “I’ve gone from zero to two, one niece and one nephew, in just a few months. Auntie-ness is awesome.”
“Pretty sure we have the cutest niece and nephew ever,” Ava said.
“I don’t know. My nephews are super cute,” Sierra said.
“Hey, your nephews are my nephews,” Hayden said.
