However, you’re also going to have to make sure he
doesn’t think things are being orchestrated for that
purpose. He still has to feel as though he’s in control for a while longer, Dare, especially with this. Right now, telling you that he’s your son is very important to him.”
Dare nodded. It was important to him as well. He slumped down on his back beside her and looked up at the stars. “I think I have an idea.”
“What?”
“The brothers and I, along with Jamal, had planned on
going to the cabin in the North Carolina mountains to go fishing. AJ knows about it since he heard us planning the trip, so he won’t think anything about it. What if I invite him to come along?”
Shelly raised a brow. “Why would you want to take AJ with you guys? I’d think the six of you had planned it as a sort of guys’ weekend, right?”
“Right. But I remember AJ mentioning to Thorn that he’d never gone fishing before, and I know that Thorn came close to inviting him. The only reason he didn’t was
because he knew we would he playing poker in addition to fishing and Storm’s mouth can get rather filthy when he
starts losing.”
Shelly nodded. “But how will this help your situation with AJ? The two of you still won’t have any privacy.”
“Yes, we will if the others don’t come. After AJ and I arrive, the others can come up with an excuse as to why they
couldn’t make it.”
Shelly raised a doubtful brow. “All five of them?”
“Yes. It has to be a believable reason for all of them though, otherwise AJ will suspect something.”
Shelly had to agree. “And while you and AJ are there alone for those three days, you think he’ll open up to you?”
Dare sighed deeply. “I’m hoping that he will. At least I’m
giving him the opportunity to do so.” He met Shelly’s stare. “What do you think?”
Shelly shrugged. “I don’t know, Dare. It might be just the thing, but I don’t want you to get your hopes up and be
disappointed. I know for a fact that AJ wants you to know the truth, but I also know that for him the timing has to be perfect.”
Dare nodded as he pulled her into his arms. “Then I’m
going to do everything in my power to make sure that it is.”
Thirteen
D are hung up the phone and met AJ’s expectant gaze.
“That was Chase. One of his waitresses called in sick. He’ll have to pitch in for the weekend and won’t be able to make it.”
He saw the disappointment cloud AJ’s eyes. So far since arriving at the cabin they had received no-show calls from everyone except Thorn, and he expected Thorn to call any minute.
“Does that mean we have to cancel this weekend?” AJ
asked in such a disappointed voice that a part of Dare felt like a heel. “Not unless you want to. There’s still a possibility that Thorn might show.”
Although he’d said the words, Dare knew they weren’t true. His brothers and Jamal had understood his need to be
alone with AJ this weekend and had agreed to bow out of the picture and plan something else to do.
When AJ didn’t say anything, Dare said. “You know what I think we should do?”
AJ lifted a brow. “What?”
“Enjoy the three days anyway. I’ve been looking forward to
a few days of rest and relaxation, and I’m sure you’re glad to have an extra day out of school as well, right?”
AJ nodded. “Right.”
“Then I say that we make the most of it. I can teach you how to fish in the morning and, tomorrow night we can camp
outside. Have you ever gone camping?”
“No.”
Dare sadly shook his head at the thought. When they were kids his father had occasionally taken him and his brothers camping for the weekend just to get them out of their
mother’s hair for a while. “We can still do all the things that we’d planned to do anyway. How’s that?”
AJ was clearly surprised. “You’ll want to stay here with just me?”
A lump formed in Dare’s throat at the hope he heard in his son’s voice. He swallowed deeply. If only you knew how
much I want to stay here with just you, he thought. “Yes,” he answered. “I guess I should be asking you if you’re sure that you want to stay here with just me.”
AJ smiled. “Yes, I want to stay.”
Dare returned that smile. “Good. Then come on. Let’s get the rest of the things out of the truck.”
The next morning Dare got up bright and early and stood on the porch enjoying a cup of coffee. AJ was still asleep,
which was fine, since the two of them had stayed up late the night before. Thorn had finally called to say he couldn’t
make it due to a deadline he had to meet for a bike he had to deliver. So it was final that it would only be the two of
them.
After loading up the supplies in the kitchen after Thorn’s
call, they’d gathered wood for a fire. Nights in the
mountains meant wood for the fireplace and they had
gathered enough to last all three days. Then, while he left
AJ with the task of stacking the wood, Dare had gone into the kitchen to prepare chili and sandwiches for their dinner.
They hadn’t said much over their meal, but AJ’d really
started talking while they washed dishes. He’d told him
about the friends he had left behind in California, and how he had written to them. They hadn’t written back. He’d also talked about his grandparents, the Brockmans, and how he had planned to spend Christmas with them.
Now, Dare glanced around, deciding he really liked this place. It had once been jointly owned by one of their
cousins and a friend of his, but Jamal had talked the two men into selling it to him and had then presented it to
Delaney as one of her wedding gifts. It was at this cabin
that Delaney and Jamal had met. While she was out of the country, Delaney had graciously given her brothers
unlimited use of it, and all five had enjoyed getting away and spending time together here every once in a while.
Dare turned when he heard a noise behind him and smiled. “Good morning, AJ.”
AJ wiped sleep from his eyes. “Good morning. You’re up early.”
Dare laughed. “This is the best time to catch fish.”
AJ’s eyes widened. “Then I’ll be ready to go in a second.” He rushed back into the house.
Dare chuckled and hoped his son remembered not only to get dressed but to wash his face and brush his teeth. He inhaled deeply, definitely taking a liking to this father
business.
Dare smiled as he looked at the sink filled with fish. AJ had been an ace with the fishing pole and had caught just as
many fish as he had. He began rolling up his sleeves to
start cleaning them. They would enjoy some for dinner
today and tomorrow and what was left they would take
home with them and split between his mother and Shelly. Maybe he could talk Shelly into having a fish fry and inviting
the family over.
His gaze softened as he thought how easy it was to want to include Shelly in his daily activities. He suppressed a groan thinking of all their nighttime activities and smiled as it
occurred to him they had yet to make love in a bed. He had to think of a way to get her over to his place for the entire
night. Sneaking off to make love in her backyard under the stars had started off being romantic, but now he wanted
more than romance, he wanted permanence…forever. He wanted them to talk and plan their future, and he wanted her to know just how greatly she had enriched his life since she had returned.
He shifted his thoughts to AJ. So far they’d been together over twenty-four hours and he hadn’t brought up the topic of their relationship. They had spent a quiet, leisurely day at
the lake talking mostly about school and the Williams
sisters. It seemed his son had a crush on the two tennis
players in a big way, especially Serena Williams. Dare was glad he’d let Chase talk him into taking tennis lessons with him last summer; at least he knew a little something about the game and had been able to contribute to AJ’s
conversation.
Dare sighed, anxious to get things out in the open with AJ, but as Shelly had said, AJ would have to be the one to
bring it up. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard his son enter the kitchen. He had been outside putting away
their fishing gear.
“You did a good job today with that fishing rod, AJ,” Dare
said smiling over his shoulder. “I can’t wait to tell Stone. The rod and reel you used belongs to him. He swears only a
Westmoreland can have that kind of luck with it,” he added absently.
“Then that explains things.”
Dare turned around. “That explains what?”
“That explains why I did so good today—I am a Westmoreland.”
Dare’s breath caught and he swallowed deeply. He leaned back against the sink and stared at AJ long and hard,
waiting for him to stop studying his sneakers and look at him. Moments later, AJ finally lifted his head and met his
gaze.
“And how are you a Westmoreland, AJ?” Dare asked quietly, already knowing the answer but desperately wanting to hear his son say it anyway.
AJ cleared this throat. “I—I really don’t know how to tell you this, but I have to tell you. And I have to first say that my
mom wanted to tell you sooner, but I asked her not to, so