Zach stared at her as she watched him. Not sure what she had just said, he blinked as his mind tried to process her sentence. “I’m sorry, what?”
She wrapped her arms around her chest and swallowed. “Jesse is Isaac’s son. I found out I was pregnant a month after the funeral. I’d already left. I…” She let out her breath. “I thought it was best to keep it a secret. I’m so sorry.”
Stunned, Zach moved over to the bench in the flower garden and sat down. “Jesse…is Isaac’s son.” He cradled his head in his hands as his mind registered each word.
His brother had a son. He had a nephew. His parents had a grandson. And Danielle kept that from them.
Why?
When he turned to face her, she was gone.
All he could see were the lights from around the backyard, glistening off of her dress as she ran into the house and disappeared.
Zach knew that he should stand up and go after her. He knew that no matter what, he still loved her. But he couldn’t gather his thoughts together enough to make his feet do anything. It was like he was cemented to the ground. The shock of finding out that a piece of Isaac still existed was hard for him to process.
He was going to sit there, on that bench, until the world made sense again. Then he’d go after her.
Chapter Sixteen
It had been a mistake. Danielle knew it had been a mistake to tell Zach, but for some reason, she felt lighter. Like this giant secret that she’d been holding onto was gone. She could breathe. Her steps felt lighter.
Even though her confession had pretty much obliterated her relationship with Zach, the truth was out there. Isaac’s truth was told. She could finally heal from the pain and anguish that holding onto that secret had brought her.
She was free.
Once she got into Bucky’s house, she made a beeline for Thomas and literally dragged him away from the food table. He was startled, but when he saw her face, whatever her facial expression told him was enough to get him moving.
He held onto his plate and headed toward the front door.
Once they were in his van, Danielle let out the breath she’d been holding. It wasn’t until they were down the winding roads, back to Atlanta, that Thomas turned to her.
“Everything okay?”
She chewed her lip as she turned to smile at him. “No. But it will be.”
Thomas cleared his throat as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Is it that Zach guy? You guys have something going on?”
Danielle sighed as she entwined her fingers in her lap. “Yes,” she whispered. “But it’s over. I’ve done something that I’m pretty sure he’ll never forgive.”
Thomas snorted as he shifted in his seat. “I doubt that.”
“It’s bad, Thomas.”
Thomas glanced over at her and she could see the pain in his gaze. “You’re an amazing catch, Danielle. He’d be a fool to let you go.”
Her stomach lightened at his words, making her feel bad that he may have gotten the wrong impression about her availability. “So are you, Thomas. You’ll find the right girl.”
Thomas snorted. “I don’t think the right girl exists for me.”
Danielle reached out and rested her hand on his forearm. “She does. Trust me. Don’t give up.” She let out her breath as she leaned back in her seat. Unfortunately for her, the right guy
existed, he just hated her right now. Which she didn’t blame him for. She had just dropped a huge bomb in his lap. She doubted he’d ever forgive her.
It didn’t take long before Thomas had pulled up in front of her building and let his van idle. After a quick hug, Danielle told him she’d see him on Monday and slipped from her seat. After closing the door, she waved at him as he drove away, and then turned to head back inside.
The darkness of the sky surrounded her and she glanced at her phone. Ten o’clock. Hopefully Jesse was asleep. She didn’t have the energy or perseverance to be a mom right now.
Just as she pulled open the front door to the building, a hand reached out to stop her.
