“I’m not sure he likes me enough to go to that length for me.”
“You’re wrong. He cares about you. A lot. More than he’s cared about anyone else. I’d venture to say he’s in love with you, but he’s just too damn pigheaded to admit it. At least not to me and Pip, and Lord knows the two of us have tried to get it out of him.”
“So why did he push me away? Why would he tell me about his condition and then immediately end things?”
“Because he’s got it in his head that once his vision goes, he’ll be a burden to everyone around him. He already thinks he’s imposing on me just by living with me while his cabin gets rebuilt. He’s a proud man, Maverick. He doesn’t want to weigh anyone down. Especially you. That’s what I meant when I said he’s protecting you, son.”
“But I don’t see it like that. He wouldn’t be weighing me down. I want to be with him. Period. Regardless of his medical condition.”
A smile appears on his face. “Thought you might feel that way.”
“So what do I do?” I plead. “He won’t even talk to me.”
“Fuck words.” Clancy scoops up the letters and gives them a vigorous shake. “Words don’t mean anything. They don’t change anything. But actions do. If Jackson isn’t listening to you, do something toproveyou’re not going anywhere. That you’re willing to fight for him.”
It’s the kick in the butt I never knew I needed.
I’ve been so stuck on being hurt by him not opening up to me, it never occurred to me he might have been doing it to protect what we had. To make it last longer. All while dealing with the fact that his whole life is about to change forever, in a way I can’t even begin to imagine. I don’t even have anything in my own life to compare it to.
I have to dosomething. I have to find a way to get through to him so that he knows how I feel about him and that his condition doesn’t change my feelings one bit. I’ve proven him wrong once before when he doubted I could run the sanctuary. Looks like I’m going to have to do it again.
Clancy leans back in the recliner. “Sorry for barging in all dramatic. It’s an emotional time. I’m not usually one to meddle.”
“You’re fine. Sorry for being rude to you. Are you running a fever, by any chance?”
Wrinkles appear on his forehead. “A fever?”
“Yeah. That thing you said about not being one to meddle. I think you might be hallucinating.”
“Cheeky fucker,” he says with a good-natured grin. His phone starts ringing, so he reaches into the front pocket of his jacket and takes it out. “Hey, Verity.” He listens for a moment, then leaps to his feet, clasping his hand over his mouth. “I’ll be right there.” He ends the call and stares at me with wide eyes. “It’s Sibella. She’s gone into labor.” He starts flapping his arms around, clearly overwhelmed.
“I’ll drive you,” I say, getting up.
“Okay. Yes, yes. That would be great. Thank you.” His gaze falls to the letters.
“Take them. They’re yours.”
“Are you sure? They belonged to your grandfather. He kept them. All these years, I thought he hated me.”
My heart clenches, hating what Clancy and Grandpa Rick went through, that they weren’t able to live authentic lives and be together. It makes me even more determined not to suffer a similar fate with Jackson.
“I’m sure he’d want you to have them. Now, come on. Let’s go. Your great-grandkid is on the way.”
35
Jackson
Sibella unleashes a torturous wail as another contraction strikes. Tim is by her side, his face the same shade of white as the knuckles Sib is clinging to. Verity is on her other side, smartly keeping her hands away from her sister’s deathly grip, wiping down her forehead instead. I know all of this because Chris is keeping me updated on what’s happening from a safe distance, our backs pinned against the wall of the hospital room.
“All I’m hearing is wailing. When do we get to the beautiful part?” I mutter to him.
“Think it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.”
“That’s literally the worst thing you could have said right now.”
Sib screeches, “Where the fuck is the doctor?”
“He’ll be here once you’re fully dilated, baby,” Tim replies, and I can just imagine the deadly glare she shoots him when the next words out of his mouth are, “Just telling you what the nurse said. Sorry, baby.”
