The Secret Son's Homecoming

“So,” Kathleen said once he was out of sight. “Tell me, Connie...how long have you been dating my son?”

* * *

By the time he had the second hunk of firewood in his arms, Jonah figured that bringing Connie to his mother’s home was up there with some of the stupidest things he’d ever done. Because he knew from the look in his mom’s eyes that she was imagining all kinds of things—most of them focused on Connie being the first girl he’d brought home in nearly five years. Of course, like any mother, she had the matchmaking bug. And she wanted grandchildren...she’d made that clear on countless occasions. And yeah, maybe one day he’d find someone and raise a family. Maybe. One thing was for sure—he’d do a damned better job being a father than J.D. ever had.

By the time he returned to the living room, Connie was alone.

“Did you get the third degree?” he asked and dumped the firewood.

“Yes,” she replied. “It took several minutes of fast talking to convince her that I am not your girlfriend.”

He grinned. “That’s better than I expected. But in her defense, I don’t make a habit of bringing girls home to meet my mother.”

Something flashed in her eyes—something that had everything to do with the attraction that pulsed undeniably between them.

“So, why did you bring me?” she asked, brows up.

Jonah managed a shrug. “I don’t really know.”

She smiled. “I figured you’d be the kind of man who knows exactly what he’s doing at every moment. Or at least, that’s what you want people to think.”

Jonah’s mouth curled at the edges. “That sounds like more criticism.”

“It’s an observation,” she said, still smiling. “I see you, Jonah. I see what’s underneath your arrogance and resentment. You’re actually a lot nicer than you make out.”

Jonah grimaced. “Nah... I’m not.”

She chuckled. “It’s not a flaw, you know. Or a weakness.”

“It just feels like one, right?” he offered and shrugged a little. “Anyway, I’m sorry if my mom gave you the third degree.”

“She thinks you’re afraid of commitment.”

“Wary,” he corrected. “There’s a difference. I guess she’s in the kitchen making tea?”

She nodded. “She loves you a lot.”

“I know,” he said. “It’s mutual.”

“You’re lucky. No everyone gets that.”

There was pain in her voice, and it gave him an odd ache inside. “Didn’t you?”

“Not in the way you did,” she replied. “My parents were...are...hard to get close to. They’re career focused. Archaeologists,” she explained when he frowned. “The truth is, I spent most of my early childhood living on one excavation site after another, but when I was eight they sent me back here to live permanently with my grandparents. They parented me the best they could when they came back in between trips, but since they’d never planned on having kids, most of the time they were a train wreck. At the moment they’re in South America somewhere, but I don’t hear from them very often. I’m very grateful that I had my grandparents.” She sighed, then took a breath, and when she met his gaze, her eyes were brighter than usual. “I don’t know why I told you that.”

“I’m not judging. Just listening.”

“I know,” she said and dropped onto the sofa. “You’re good at it. It’s very annoying.”

Jonah laughed softly. “Some people think it’s charming.”

“Some women, you mean?” she suggested. “You’ve probably had women standing in line for you since you hit puberty.”

“Not quite,” he admitted. “I was something of a geek in high school. And puny. And I had braces.”

“That paints quite a picture. I imagined you were the quarterback with cheerleaders hanging off your every word.”

“No. A computer geek. I didn’t really discover girls until college.”

“Did you make up for lost time?”

Jonah’s blood quickened. “I did my best. What about you? Were you the most popular girl in high school?”

She shook her head. “Not by a long mile. Book nerd.”

“No high school boyfriend to take you to prom?”

“I didn’t go to prom. I left high school at end of my sophomore year.”

Surprised, he asked the obvious question. “You didn’t graduate?”

“I was homeschooled by my grandmother. She used to be a teacher. I started working at the hotel before graduation and J.D. offered me a full-time job when I got my diploma, but he insisted I get a college degree no matter what. So I achieved my BA through online courses.”

“Why didn’t you go to school and college the usual way?” he asked quietly.

She shrugged casually. Too casually, he thought. But she replied. “I just didn’t fit in at school. But I was determined to get an education.”

Admiration settled behind his ribs. It was a harder road than he’d had, that was for sure. Jonah had spent his elementary years at private school and high school years at the best educational facility Portland had to offer. J.D. hadn’t neglected his financial support on his secret family. It was everywhere else that he’d failed in the parenting department.

His mother returned a few moments later, carrying a tray and looking delighted, and he knew he was in for a load of questions the next time he visited alone. As he looked around the room, he realized how much change had occurred in the house since she’d moved in a few months earlier. There were pictures on the walls now, and a large framed landscape above the fireplace. And a few plants were scattered around the room in heavy ceramic pots.

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