Vengeance (Oak Grove Suspense Book 1) (6 page)

“Well, that’s rude.” I shake my head. “I don’t understand how anyone could not want to be with you.”

“You’re biased, though. Maybe I make a horrible boyfriend.”

“I doubt it. You were a great boyfriend.”

“No, a great boyfriend wouldn’t have broken up with the girl he loved unconditionally.”

“You did what you thought was the best. Let’s not dwell in the past. We have a fresh start. Let’s just start over.”

“Okay, sounds perfect.” He gives me a quick peck to the lips as Tracy arrives with my menu and a cup of coffee for Ryan. “Tracy, this is my girlfriend, and mother of my son, Shayla. Shay, this is Tracy. Best waitress
Ray’s
has.”

“Nice to meet you,” I tell her.

“Girlfriend? Didn’t you just move to town yesterday?” she asks me.

“Actually, I moved here on Thursday.” I figure she’s questioning Ryan’s declaration.

She rolls her eyes. “So you move here two days ago and you’ve already snagged the town’s hottest bachelor?” She mumbles. “You must be giving it up.” Ryan hears her.

“Listen, Tracy. Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve known Shayla since we were kids. We have a fifteen-year-old son together. This isn’t new, this has always been.” Tracy looks offended as she turns and storms off. “Sorry. I don’t know what her problem is. We can go somewhere else.”

“I don’t want to cause you problems. We can stay.”

“It’s not causing me any problems. She’ll get over it. She doesn’t have a say in what I do. I literally see her once a day, in here; I order and leave.”

“She obviously thinks she has some sort of claim to you.”

“Nope. You’re the only one I want to claim me.” He winks and kisses my lips softly.

I sigh. “We need to talk about the girlfriend proclamation. I told you I wasn’t ready for a relationship right now.”

A clang breaks us out of our bubble. Ryan turns, eyebrows scrunched together with an unsatisfied look on his face. “Tracy, I’m not sure what’s going on, but I think we need to have Melody as our waitress.”

“Whatever,” Tracy snaps as she rolls her eyes.

A few moments later, Melody comes to the table and apologizes for Tracy, takes our order, and doesn’t stare at Ryan like he’s a piece of meat. Our lunch is smooth from that point forward. We talk mostly about Dylan and how he did at tryouts. They went well, but I knew he’d do well. He’s as good as his dad, if not better, when it comes to sports. We also talk about my schedule at the hospital and clinic, we don’t, however, mention anything about our relationship.

“So, you don’t stay at the hospital all day?” he asks, taking a big bite of his sandwich.

I take a drink to clear my throat before answering. “No, well sort of. The clinic is right off the hospital in the medical complex. I do consultations there, but mostly I do emergency surgeries.”

“So you work in the ER?”

“Yeah, but only when they need a possible surgery. I stay in the OR wing.”

“What days do you do consultations?”

I pull out my phone to view my schedule. “I’ll print this out for the fridge at the house and you can have a copy if you want. I’m basically working four twelve hour days, though at times it turns into sixteen hour days or longer. I’m on call once a week, on one of my working days. I have three days a week off, unless I need to fill in for someone. It’s a pretty set schedule.”

“Do you have days that are just in the clinic?”

“Yes, unless I have a patient in the hospital or emergencies. I do surgeries on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursdays and again if there’s an emergency. Tuesdays and Thursdays are clinic days. I work my clinic schedule on Thursdays around my surgeries that day. I have off Friday to Sunday. On occasion I might have to work a weekend.”

“That seems like a pretty good schedule.”

“It was one of my stipulations on taking the job. I didn’t want to miss any of Dylan’s games.”

“You’re a good mom.”

I blush at his compliment. We’ve never addressed me being a mother directly. I mean, we both know, we’ve just never talked about what it has been like for me being a single mother.

“Thanks. I think you’ll be a good dad. You’ve been great with him so far.”

He doesn't say anything for a few moments, then looks up with a glisten in his eyes. “I hope so.” I squeeze his hand in assurance.

We leave the diner and head back to my house. “Thanks for lunch. Will you be done in time for dinner with us?”

“Yeah, Dylan is going to ride home with Tyler from down the street. I meant to tell you earlier.”

“Is he on the team?”

“Yeah. You might not remember his parents, they were in my grade. Sam and Julie Winters. I think Julie’s maiden name was Porter.

“Is she Debbie Porter’s older sister?”

“Cousin, but yeah, that’s her. They’re good friends of mine. Tyler’s a good kid. He’s a year older than Dyl.”

The silence stretches in the car, it’s a bit uncomfortable. I want to say so much, but know it’s not the time for anything I could bring up. I settle with, “I should let you get back to work.”

“Yeah, I should check in.”

“Thanks for lunch.”

He kisses the back of my hand. “Of course. I love spending time with you. It’s like no time has passed, but at the same time, it’s like an eternity. We have so much to learn about each other.”

“Yes, we do. Be safe, I’ll see you at six for dinner.”

“Sounds good, Shay.” He leans over and kisses me. I can’t help wrapping my fingers in his dark wavy hair and pulling him closer to me. “Keep that up and I won’t be going back to work.” He winks as I giggle at him. I feel like that love sick girl from so long ago. It’s a nice change for my heart.

“Bye,” I whisper as I jump out of the car and head up to my house. I stop on the steps to wave and blow him a kiss. He returns it before backing out and heading down the street.

Ryan

A year ago, if you would’ve told me I’d be dropping Shayla off after a lunch date, I would’ve laughed in your face. A year ago, I hated her. I was too consumed with anger and guilt to see anything good in my life. Anger with myself, my dad, heck, even my mom, took over my life, and everything else was not important enough for me to give a second thought. I couldn’t believe they’d keep something like this from me. In my mind, Shayla was the enemy. I was dead set on getting my kid no matter what it cost me. I wanted to hurt her for the hurt she’d caused me. Remembering that first phone call now, well, let’s just say it makes me feel like total scum.

I angrily pace back and forth
in my childhood bedroom. I had come home to interview for the chief of police position. A position I would have never taken if it hadn’t been for my mom. She was sick, cancer, and even though my brothers and sister were close, most of them have kids and families. They tried to take care of her, but I could tell it wore on them. I loved my job with the FBI, but I couldn’t keep it and help at the same time. This was the only reason I came back to this backwards town. I hated this place so much when I left at eighteen. I haven’t come back here since. My parents always flew to me. I didn’t even come back for my dad’s funeral. I was on a case, undercover. No excuse, I guess, but that’s the one I used. He was my dad and I loved him, but we didn’t get along. Everyone knew that. So, here I am back in the town I hate, looking at the house next door to the house Shayla lived in until her parents died. I had no idea when the realtor told me about the perfect house for me, that it was the one beside her old one. 

The house was perfect. It was one of the smaller houses on the block, three bedrooms. Everything I needed. It was at the end of the street, woods surrounded the back and one side. I could purchase the wooded lot too. It was really perfect. That was until that dumb, gossipy tramp, Sarah Davidson opened her mouth and told me I was a father and my son was fourteen years old. Fourteen! In her defense, she had no clue what she’d just done. She never mentioned me as the father. I didn’t say another word to her though. I just stormed out of the house and straight to the Thorns.

“Ryan?” Mr. Thorn addresses me.

“You knew?”

Sighing, he pulls the door open and waves me in. “Gale, Ryan Jacobs is here.”

“Oh dear,” Gale mutters as she comes around the corner.

Looking around the room, I notice pictures of Shayla growing up, then of a little boy. I grab the one closest to me. There’s no denying he’s mine. He has the same black hair, bright blue eyes with the annoying ring of navy around the outer edge that I have. He even has a dimple in his left cheek as I do. My legs feel as if they’re about to give, so I collapse onto the chair nearest me. I look up to them with angry tears burning my eyes. How could she do this to me? I thought she loved me.

“Ryan,” Mrs. Thorn starts, but I interrupt.

Shaking my head angrily, I ask, “Why would she do this to me? I thought she loved me.”

“Oh, sweetheart. She did love you and she tried so hard to find you. We would’ve helped her, but she refused to tell us who the father was. We, of course, suspected you, but she was in the system so long, and some of that time we didn’t see her. We didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize her placement with us. It was wrong, I know, but we only did what we thought was best for her and Dylan.”

“Dylan?”

“Your son,” she answered kindly.

Tears spill down my checks. I’ve never in my life felt so many emotions at once. Hurt, anger, joy, confusion, and a slew of others I can’t even begin to pinpoint.

“How long have you known?” I ask after I’ve collected myself.

“Since she graduated from med school, so about six years. She only told us then because Dylan had asked about his dad.”

“I don’t understand why she wouldn’t have tried to find me. I mean, I get while she was in the system, but she would’ve been out by the time he was two or when you guys adopted her, right?”

“I think you need to ask her that. She would never tell us what happened. But please know, she did what she thought was best. It killed her not to tell you. I would find her rocking him and crying her little eyes out. It was heartbreaking to watch.”

I shake my head and halfheartedly chuckle. “Shay was always the stubborn one.”

Mrs. Thorn laughs. “Oh, that is definitely true and that son of yours gets that from her too.”

I smile knowing a little about him helps. “Can I keep this?” I ask motioning to the picture in my hand.

“Of course. Would you like Shayla’s number? She’s told us several times if you ever showed up to give it to you if you wanted it.”

“Please. I don’t know if I’ll call. I need to get this …” I trail off not knowing what to say.

Mr. Thorn squeezes my shoulder. “We understand, son. Take your time. We won’t mention it to her. You both need to work through this on your own.”

I’m shocked he’d do that for me. “Thank you.”

Nine months pass and I never call. Well, I dial her number a few times, but I never push send. Then one day, I don’t know what made me do it, but I push send and she answers.

“Hello?” Shayla answers. I’m frozen. I can’t respond. “Hello? This is Doctor Thorn; do you need help?”

“Dr. Thorn?” I say. She’s a doctor. She made it, just like I knew she would.

“Yes, this is she. May I help you?”

I don’t know what brings on my anger, but I lash out. “Yeah, you can tell me why I was never told I was a father!” I yell.

“Oh, no! Ryan?”

“Of course, it’s Ryan.” I mock her with as much disdain I can muster. “This is the lowest thing anyone could ever do. I never thought you’d be capable of something so evil, Shayla. You let me go for the past fifteen years, totally unaware. How could you do that?”

There is silence, then, “Excuse me. I’ll be in my office, but only get me if there’s an emergency. This is important.” I hear walking and a door shutting. “Ryan?”

“I’m here.” I’m breathing heavily, my adrenaline pumping wildly.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t even tell you how sorry. I tried, in the beginning, to contact you.” Her voice shakes as she speaks.

I’ve scared her. Good. I know she had tried; I ignored her calls but she still should have tried harder to get a hold of me. She shouldn’t have given up so easily.

“That’s why you kept calling?”

“Yes.”

My anger starts to deflate, but is still very much present. “It wasn’t because you wanted me back?”

“No … I mean, I did, but I accepted you didn’t want me. I just wanted you to know about your son.”

I snort. Didn’t want her. If only she knew how wrong that was … is … was. I’m so confused right now.

“Dylan?”

“Yes, Dylan James Thorn.”

“James?” My middle name as well as her birth father’s name.

“Yes.”

Something about knowing that I’m represented in his name causes the rest of the anger to fall away. I’m still upset, but I’ve had nine months to process, to accept. I honestly wasted those months. I should have gone straight to her, but she was married and Dylan was happy. Even though, at first, I wanted to rip him away from her, I couldn’t do that. My siblings and mother made sure I didn’t do anything rash or stupid. I step out on my back porch and stare at the treehouse in the backyard of Shayla’s old home. A couple of kids, a boy and girl were playing, screaming, and chasing each other. They remind me of a more innocent time.

“The treehouse?” I ask, as the memory of us hits me.

“What?”

“It had to have been in the treehouse. That was the first time.”

“Yeah, I mean, there was only twice, but I figured the first. The math works.”

“Sorry I yelled.”

“Don’t be. I deserve it.”

I shake my head. She’s always taken the blame, even when we were kids. “Don’t do that. We’re both at fault. It’s overwhelming.” We’re both silent as the minute’s tick by. It’s uncomfortable at best. When I can’t take it anymore, I ask, “Does he know about me?”

“Yes. Gale sent me a yearbook so I could show him a picture. It’s black and white, but it’s all I have.”

I nod. We had tons of pictures, but they’re all at my mom’s.

“I want to talk to him.”

“Okay, let me talk to him and I’ll see what he wants to do.”

I snort, anger flaring again. “How about you let me talk to my son, because I have that right. You didn’t list me as the father, but I have blood right to him. I’m sure any judge would agree.”

“You’ll not take my son from me,” she snarls.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get to know
my
child. You took what wasn’t just yours.”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t talk to him. I said I’d let him decide. He’s not a child. He’s fourteen.”

A knock on my car window startles me out of my thoughts. I was so horrible to Shay.
I don’t know how she forgave me, but by the next phone call, I’d calmed down and we talked. She told me about her divorce and moving home. I decided to wait to talk to Dylan. I wanted to be sure I was calm. I didn’t want him to hate me if I was caught off guard and said something out of anger. I look up at my knocker and smile.

“Son, what are you doing?”

“You’ve been sitting in the car for over thirty minutes. I thought you were practicing with us today. The guys are getting restless. He pointed back to the field.”

“Sorry. Just thinking. Actually, I have to head to the station; I just stopped by to check on you. Is Matthews not here?”

“No, he’s here. He just thought you needed something. I’m still okay to ride with Ty, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. I told your mom. She said dinner’s at six.”

“Okay. I’ll be back. Practice is over at four.”

“Good. I’ll come to Monday’s practice. I have some paperwork to finish so I better get going.”

He nods. “You sure you’re okay? Mom’s okay?”

I smile. “We’re both fine, buddy. I’m just a little distracted, that’s all.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at home then.”

I nod, smiling, before backing out of the parking spot and heading to the station.  I still can’t believe that I’m where I am now, my son in my life, Shay in my life again. I hate myself for not getting my act together sooner, but I’m going to make up for that. If it’s the last thing I do.

~*~

I’ve been working in my office for about an hour when May, my assistant, pokes her head around the corner.

“You have a phone call on line three. A Special Agent Marsh?”

I smile and nod. “Yeah, thanks. Shut the door, please.” She does as I ask and I pick up the phone. “Harry! How’s it going, man?”

“Same as always. I finally popped the question to my girl.”

“No kidding! Man, congrats. That’s awesome.”

“Thanks. It’s going to be crazy big. You should come. How’s life in Podunk?”

I laugh. “Ah, it’s not bad. Now anyway. At first, it was miserable. My mom was sick, finding out I have a teenaged son, finding a house. It’s been crazy.”

“Whoa, now. Back that up. You have a teenaged son?”

“Yeah. Nothing like finding out something like that through your realtor.”

“Shayla?” He asks, his voice still shocked.

I clear my throat. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about Dylan and Shayla, but a part of me wants to keep them for myself, but he is my best friend and I haven’t spoken to him in over a year. He’d been on a case when I left and other than the quick email on a case I’d been on, we hadn’t had time to chat.

“Yeah.”

“What in the world? I just can’t comprehend why she wouldn't tell you.”

Sighing, I tell him, “She tried to tell me. I was too stubborn to listen. Then my dad and her social worker had her scared to death. She thought I’d go to jail if she told, which could have been possible. I had turned eighteen when we had sex the first time. And cliché as it is, she got pregnant from that.”

“Wow. I can’t imagine. I bet you were pissed at her.”

“Yeah, I went through a big angry phase. I hated her for a while, but then we really talked. I don’t blame her for what happened. She was trying to protect me and our son. I wish I’d come home during the past years, but that was my choice.”

“She’s lived there this whole time?”

“No, she lived up north about six hours from here. She moved back after her scum of an ex broke her heart.”

“How’d your parents not know?”

I snort in disgust. I still haven’t forgiven my father. “My dad did know. He scared the crap out of Shay so she never told a soul. Made it seem like it was a boy in one of the homes she was in. Her adoptive parents figured it out, but she didn’t confirm it until a few years ago. There’s no denying he’s mine. The boy is my twin.” I laugh.

“That’s awesome. Congrats, Papa,” he laughs.

I smile. “Yeah, man. It’s been great. I never thought of myself as a father, but hearing him call me dad, it’s been … life changing really.”

“I bet. Hey, I hate to ruin all this happy talk, but I called with some info for you.”