CHAPTER 20 (2)

Tessa smiled fondly at Kathy and Tyler. “They were easy babies. Great kids.”

Kelsey shifted next to him, and between them, where no one could see, she squeezed his fingers. Even as wound up as he was over

her, the gesture relaxed him.

“People were always so kind,” Tessa continued, speaking more easily with Sally than she did with anyone but the twins. “Especially

the man who gave me a job the first day I was in Modesto. I used the last of the money I had for one night at a cheap motel. There

was a coffee shop across the street, and I went in to ask for work. The waitress said they weren’t hiring. But there was a man eating

at the counter. He said he needed a receptionist if I was interested. And even when I told him I was pregnant, he didn’t retract the

offer.”

“You’d finally found a safe haven,” Sally said in a gentle voice.

“It was a miracle,” Tessa agreed.

Sally wasn’t looking at Ares, nor had she been speaking directly to him, but her message was clear nonetheless. In the world of his

childhood, kids were left alone for hours. They suffered abuse—physical, verbal, and more. But Sally and George’s house hadn’t just

been a haven for Ares—it had been equally as miraculous as Modesto had been for Tessa.

Yes, she’d made a terrible choice between him and the twins, but if she’d come home for him first, would any of them have made it

out? Or would they all have ended up rotting in that squalid neighborhood, buried by his father’s fists?

* * *

Kelsey was impressed by Tessa’s story. She’d beaten the odds, and the twins had grown into extraordinary people.

If only she hadn’t left Ares behind.

“I’ve worked for Hudson Crate’s company ever since,” Tessa was saying.

“He sounds like an amazing man,” Sally said.

Beside Kelsey, Ares sat still as a stone. His expression was just as unreadable. Kelsey wondered if the thought of Tessa immediately

getting a job in Modesto with an understanding boss bothered Ares. Because if she was settled, if she could easily have come back

for him, why hadn’t she?

“Hugh and his wife were wonderful,” Theresa said softly. “They’re both gone, and we all miss them so much.”

“They were like our grandparents,” Kathy said with fondness brimming over. Tyler agreed with just a smile.

“After the twins were born,” Tessa went on, “they knew I was juggling the job and child care, so she would often babysit, and he let

me bring the kids in with me. I also needed to keep borrowing money from them.” She glanced at Tyler and Kate, who smiled

encouragingly. “But I paid it all back.” She took a deep breath, one that didn’t seem to do much to center her before she said, “I don’t

know how I can ever pay you both back for what you did for Ares.” Her voice was watery, tears obviously close.

Kelsey felt Ares stiffen beside her. Aching for him, she gave the only thing she could with everyone around them—a gentle brush of

his shoulder with hers.

Sally patted Tessa’s leg. “My dear, we’re the ones who have to thank you. It was a privilege to have him.” She looked at Ares with

deep emotion shining in her eyes. “We love him with all our hearts.”

“We love all our boys,” George said in agreement.

“Look at all those games on the shelf,” Kathy said, clearly afraid that they were about to degenerate into a tear-fest. “You must have

a lot of grandchildren.”

Ares tensed once more, and worry flickered on Sally’s face as she glanced at him. Kelsey knew they were thinking about the same

thing. Keira and her pregnancy lies. All the grandchildren Sally didn’t have.

Fortunately, George jumped in to save them all. “We have one wonderful grandchild from our foster son Perseus. Zeus is nearly six.

We adore him. But Sally and I love to play games in the evening.”

“When you’re not bingeing on Sons of Anarchy,” Kelsey teased, hoping to lighten the mood. “You even got me addicted to it.”

“When you’re done, you’ve got to try The Walking Dead,” Sally said like an overexcited teenager.

Ares groaned like any son would when embarrassed by a parent, and everyone laughed. Everyone but Tessa, who was carefully

watching the interaction between Sally and Ares. Not with jealousy, but with regret.

It was clear to Kelsey that Tessa wished she could have been the mother Ares needed. But could Ares understand that?

“Why don’t we play a game?” Sally suggested. “How about Skip-Bo?”

“Do not let her con you into playing that,” George said. “She wins every time.”

Sally shrugged. “What can I say? I’m lucky at cards.”

“How about Yahtzee?” Kelsey said, spying the game on the shelf.

“We used to play that a lot,” Tyler said.

Tessa smiled. “It was thrifty entertainment.”

“And Tyler liked it because he always won,” Kathy put in. “Even though I’m the numbers girl.”

“Well, you’ll all have some stiff competition with this one.” George jerked his thumb at Sally. That was one of the things that Kelsey

loved about the Beischel—the way they teased with such love in their eyes.

They cleared the food remainders off the table, and while everyone was preoccupied with carrying things to the kitchen or sifting

through the games on the shelf, Kelsey drew Ares aside. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine.”

She growled at him, “You know I hate it when you say fine like that.”

He laughed softly, and she felt a tingle low in her belly. “I’m not going to lie and say this is the easiest social gathering of my life.

But it’s a heck of a lot better than last Sunday.”

She wanted to lay her head on his chest, as if listening to his heartbeat would confirm his feelings better than his words could.

“Did it bother you to hear about Tessa’s experiences bringing up Kathy and Tyler in Modesto?”

“A little.” She appreciated his honesty a great deal. Especially knowing what it cost him. “But it also cleared up a few things.”

She smiled at him. “I’m so glad you feel that way.”

When he returned the smile, she wanted so badly to kiss him. Right then and there in the middle of Sally and George’s living room.

With everyone watching. Soon, she hoped. Soon, leaning in to kiss him in front of everyone would be as natural as breathing.