When Cole shrugged, Cassie continued. “I love you, Cole. You know I do, but I love our family more. I won’t let you bankrupt us for a man you haven’t seen in thirty years.” Cassie took a ragged breath.
“I’ve always dreamed about having a father,” Cole admitted. “When Cass was pregnant with Laurel, I remember feeling so ill-equipped to be a father myself. I mean, Mom was great, but I didn’t know if I would fuck things up like he did with us.”
Carson set a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I was the same way. Truman was too. His father was a hands-off kind of guy, so he didn’t have much of a role model to follow either. When we brought the babies home from the hospital, we were too busy trying to keep them and ourselves alive to worry about what kind of parents we’d be. Remember?”
Truman nodded. “When they got to the point of holding their own bottles and sleeping through the night, I mentioned being worried I wouldn’t be a good father, and I remember Carson telling me to look at our three babies. Our kids were happy and healthy because we made sure their needs came first. All these years later, it’s still the case.”
“I’m not sure what I want from Corny,” Carson admitted. “I was twelve years old when he left for good. I remember how Mom would cry at night when she was alone in her room and thought we were sleeping. That went on for months after he left. Then—” He took a shuddering breath. “—when Mom got sick. I called him so many times, and he never responded. He missed her funeral and showed up a few days later, wanting to know what Mom left him in her will.”
“I didn’t know he was here after Mom died.” Cole looked at his brother as if Carson were a stranger.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“So how come I don’t feel protected?” Cole shouted. “You lied to me and shut me out of making decisions for myself. How can I ever forgive you for that?”
“I don’t know,” Carson admitted, tears glinting in his eyes.
Jace raised his hand in the air as if he were about to order more wine. “I may have a solution to part of your problem if you want to hear it.”
All eyes turned to Jace. Cole nodded while Carson kept his eyes on his uneaten pizza.
“What if I pay back the scam money? Along with the hospital bills associated with Corny’s dialysis and surgery. Hell, I can foot the bill for the baby’s birth and Martha’s care, too, if need be. You all know the kind of money my father left me. What’s it for if not to help my family?”
Carson cleared his throat and wiped his misty eyes. “That’s very sweet, Jace. Ordinarily, I would wave off your help, but Truman and I don’t have the resources to pay this debt or the hospital bills that are going to rack up.”
“Who’s going to donate a kidney?” Cole asked. “You? Me? One of our kids? What if he decides to leave town after the surgery? What if he doesn’t want to be my father? What if he abandons the baby like he abandoned us?” The pain in Cole’s eyes was raw and devastating. Ronan wished he could hug his friend but felt glued to his seat.
“I don’t know, Cole.” Carson grabbed his napkin and dabbed his eyes. “I can’t answer any of those questions. I’m putting my foot down at the kids giving Corny a kidney. None of them are old enough to understand the physical ramifications of what they’re doing.”
“I agree,” Cole said.
“I suppose the next thing is to get tested to see if one of us is a match. I’m not sure I’d do it. Does that make me an awful man?” Carson blinked back unshed tears.
“Would you give me a kidney?” Ronan asked.
“In a heartbeat,” Carson said.
“Me too,” Cole agreed. “You’ve always been here for us and our kids. Mom loves the hell out of you, and I’ve seen the way you hug her in those rare moments when you’re able, and I know you love her as much as your own mother. All Corny ever gave our mother was pain, but does he deserve to suffer or die for that?”
No one had an answer to that question.
“Is he really sick, Ten?” Carson asked. “You seemed to be the only one of us who could pick anything up from him.”
“I have a hard time reading my mother, and it was the same with David when he was alive. I’m sure that the shock of seeing him after all these years, combined with how close you are to the situation, is the reason you’re not getting a clear read on him. I can see how sick he is. For a man in his early sixties, he reads much older, thanks to the way he abused his body over time. It could be that the kidney is the first of many health issues in his future.” Ten shook his head. “I hate to be the one to tell you that.”
“Is he out to con us in any way?” Carson pushed his plate away with a sour look on his face, as if the thought of food was making him nauseous.
“Not where it comes to his health. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you he and Destiny are dining on lobster tails tonight.”
“I figured as much.” Cole sighed. He looked toward the pool, where the kids were finishing their pizza and laughing at something Wolf said.
“As far as I see things, we don’t need to make any firm decisions tonight,” Ronan said. “You both need to get blood tests to see if you’re even a match. You might not be.” He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. “Cisco, are you going to arrest Corny?”
“Not right now. If Jace is serious about paying back the money Corny stole, I’ll get in touch with the DA handling that case and see what can be worked out. Just a warning that you might have to hire a lawyer to act on Corny’s behalf. I doubt he has one on retainer.”
Jace turned to Fitzgibbon, who nodded. “I am serious. I can wire the funds tomorrow if need be. Same goes for getting Corny a lawyer. He’s going to need an apartment too. The Hawthorne Hotel is expensive.”
“Yeah, it is.” Carson sighed. “Jace, we’ll set up a payment plan to get you back all the money you’re spending on our father.”
