Page 45 of The Handy Men
"You're going to wait a week to meet your son? After all this time?"
"No." Dean sighed. "I don’t know."
“Paige will understand."
Nodding, Dean gripped Jack’s shoulder. "I know. Paige will. But what about everyone else?"
"Who cares?"
"Brendon might when he's older."
Jack cursed.
"And you saw the way Paige’s parents looked at us. Do you think they'd be doting
grandparents? What if Paige doesn’t want to be a mother?"
"How the hell should I know?" Jack growled. "I just found out about him two minutes ago."
"Me, too. I'm a little thrown. One minute we were talking about mortgaging the house, and the next minute we have to start saving up for college."
"We've got a few years on that one," Jack said drily. His heart was aching. If Brendon had been his biological son, there was nothing that would keep him from him. Hell, he'd probably jump off the ferry and swim to shore. It hurt that Dean wasn't as excited as he was.
"This is going to change our lives. All of our lives."
Jack nodded. "A baby does that. Tell me you're good with all of this. Please tell me he'll be in our lives."
"Of course. Of course." Dean went around the table and hugged Jack. "You need to give me a moment to let the news sink in. I never thought Stephanie would keep the baby from us. I'm not sure I can forgive her for keeping my son a secret."
"You have to forgive her," Jack said. "For Brendon's sake."
Dean held up his hand. "I just want to make this easy on all of us. You, me, Paige, and Brendon. I need some time to think." Dean got up from the booth and walked back on deck.
Jack wondered if he'd been too hard on him. He couldn't wait to break the news to Paige.
Grabbing a beer from the snack bar, Jack noticed that Barbie had come inside without Paige's ex-husband. He frowned at her, not sure if he should thank her or be pissed that she had hurt his girlfriend.
She bought a bag of chips and a soda and sat down. Jack took the seat across from her.
"I'm married," she said, politely.
"No you're not," Jack said. "You're engaged. I know this because I'm invited to your wedding."
"Are you a friend of Fred's?" She brightened up and gave him a curious look.
"I'm one of Paige's boyfriends."
It was worth outing himself to see the look in her eyes. "I guess you didn't get the RSVP yet, but my husband and I are taking Paige to your wedding."
Barbie looked like she didn't know what to say.
"I'm glad," she said after struggling a bit.
"Are you? Because Fred seems to have a huge problem with it."
Leaning forward, she said in a low voice, "He has an unhealthy obsession with his ex-wife."
"I think my husband and I can help with that."
