My heart thumped like it already knew.
“This is Jacob.”
He stepped forward before I could breathe, stretching out his arm with a wide smile.
“Bruce,” he said, as if we were already familiar. “It’s really good to finally meet you. Turns out we share a daughter!”
He laughed too hard, like he needed the room to accept him. My stomach twisted.
His handshake was firm, practiced—like he’d learned it in a room full of men trying to sell themselves. I shook anyway.
“Nice to meet you,” I managed.
Nancy looked between us.
“This is my biological father,” she said. “He wants to rebuild our relationship. That’s why I invited him tonight.”
The living room noise faded into a distant hum. My throat tightened, my chest hollowed.
Jacob’s smile stayed fixed, but his eyes flicked to Nancy, checking if he was doing it right.
“I know this is a lot,” he said. “But I’m grateful to be here. Nancy’s told me so much about you.”
Nancy’s gaze stayed on me.
“Dad,” she said quietly. “I think Uncle Mark needs help with the cooler.”
Bless her.
I nodded too fast and walked away, past the snack table, past my sister’s glittering eyes, past the expensive-looking gift on the coffee table.
In the kitchen, I crouched, scooping ice back into the cooler even though Mark was already on it.
“Bruce,” Mark said, lowering his voice. “Seriously, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said.
“That didn’t sound fine.”
I shoved a handful of ice into the cooler, wincing at the sting in my palm.
Mark glanced toward the living room. “Is it because of the guy by the window?”
My shoulders tightened. “Don’t.”
“I’m not trying to start something,” he said. “I’m asking because you look like you’re about to bolt.”
“I’m not bolting.”
“Good,” Mark said gently. “Because Nancy would notice. And then she’d pretend she didn’t. But she would.”
That hit harder than it should have.
CONTINUE READING...>>
To see the full instructions for this recipe, go to the next page or click the open button (>) and don't forget to share it with your friends on Facebook.
