A Family for Christmas Read Online Free Page B

Liz’s sigh ed. It carried a depth of regret. “I’m sorry. Jack, I never intended for you to find out this way, but it wasn’t my decision to make. I wanted to tell you from the start, but Rachel was so adamant. That’s why I was hoping to have you come to dinner after the holidays. You needed your family around when you found out. Oh, Jack, I’m sorry I wasn’t there, but I promised Thelma.” It felt like an eternity before she asked, “What did Rachel have to say?”
    As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t blame Liz. This had been Rachel’s decision. “Not much. Not that I could blame her. Sammy was there. It wasn’t the right time.”
    “What are you going to do?”
    He parked the SUV in front of his house, but didn’t get out. He was shell-shocked. With difficulty, he pushed aside his resentment toward Rachel.
    “For the moment, nothing, but I warn you, Liz, if Sammy is my son, I have no intention of losing another second with him.”
    “You’ll want a paternity test?”
    He struggled to bring his chaotic thoughts under control. “Yes . I guess. That’s the obvious choice. How else will I know the truth?”
    Liz’s silence was alarming. There was something more to the story. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not right now. She needs you, Jack. They both do.”
    “Need? I doubt that. At least, Rachel doesn’t. She’s moved on. Found someone new. Married. She hasn’t spent the last five years missing me and regretting my father’s interference in our life. She doesn’t need me. She has—had someone else to love her.” The thought of Rachel with another was like a knife to his heart.
    As much as he’d regretted letting his father convince him that annulling their brief marriage was the best thing for Rachel as well as Jack, maybe his father had been bright. Perhaps they were too young back then to make a marriage work.
    “Maybe it’s time for me to let go of that dream.”
    “No. Jack, you’re wrong. I’m telling you if you give up now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
    His heart wanted to believe her, but it was logic that won out in the end. “I’m sorry. I want to believe that , but Rachel doesn’t seem to share your point of view. She’s so determined to blame me that I can’t help but wonder if coming back here was a huge mistake.”
    “Oh, Jack. No. Rachel has always been so stubborn. She’d never ask for your help but she needs your strength desperately. Sammy needs you. Please don’t let them down.”
    “I don’t want to let anyone down, but Sammy doesn’t even know who I am and Rachel is determined to keep it that way. What if he’s not my son? What if I force Rachel into letting me into their li ves only to learn Sammy isn’t my son. I don’t think I can…”
    “Oh, yes you can, Jack Bryant. You have no idea how much you’ve grown since coming to God. You a strong man now. You can handle my daughter’s stubbornness.”
    Jack wasn’t nearly so confident. Seeing Rachel again had shaken his foundation. Discovering he might actually have a son, well, he had no idea how to react to that.
    As always, Liz seemed to read his thoughts. “You’ll make a great father. Even if Sammy isn’t your son, you’ll be the father he needs. The husband Rachel wants. She never stopped loving you, Jack. She’s just been hurt. Seeing you again will have reopened those old wounds.”
    A great father? He had no such assurances. Jack had no idea what a good father should look like. His certainly hadn’t been any shining example.
    For so long now, he’d believed if he could just see Rachel again, explain how foolish he’d behaved back then, show her he was a changed man, everything would be okay again. He hadn’t planned on her falling in love again. Marrying someone else. Having a child. Had he made a terrible mistake by listening to Liz and coming back to Austin?
    “Perhaps my father was right all along. Rachel and I