Chapter 112

Jon carried his sleeping son down the stairs, turning back to make sure Tessa was behind him. She’d been willing to stay in their bedroom as he got the kids together to go home, but he refused to keep hiding her away like a mistress. She was his girlfriend dammit. He was as sick of hiding it as she was.

He would keep his kids out of the middle of things for now, but she was right about one thing. He was thinking about Dot’s feelings far more than he should. It shamed him to admit it, but he was so used to Tessa’s strength about the whole situation that he’d started taking it for granted.

He knew he wouldn’t have been nearly as understanding if he’d been in her shoes, but protecting his family was so ingrained that he didn’t know how to turn it off. What he’d forgotten to do was protect Tessa. It wasn’t fair, but it was a fact. He’d grown accustomed to the way she handled every situation with little to no whining even when she more than deserved a strip off his hide. Hell, a few of them.

He reached the bottom stair to find Dot talking to Lottie and Jake. Dorothea turned to him, her smile brittle when she saw Tessa just behind him. She’d pulled on one of his oversized thermal shirts against the chills that her fever had left behind. She’d tucked her hands inside of the sleeves and one into the other, hiding her hands. Jon waited for her to step beside him, making sure he moved closer to Tessa, a sleeping Romeo still curled into him so trustingly.

“Where are your parents?” Jon asked.

Her thinly arched brow rose, “You’re kidding right?”

“I assumed you’d be bringing them in,” Jon said mildly.

“I dropped them off at my house to wait for the kids when they came in from school. They didn’t need your new fling tossed in their face.”

He felt, rather than saw Tessa’s flinch. As Jake wandered his way and snuggled into his thigh, Jon ruffled his hair to calm the instinctive huddle against his mother’s harsh words. He wasn’t old enough to know what a fling was, but he certainly knew a displeased voice when he heard it. “You can think what you like, Dorothea, but when you’re in my house you’ll respect my guests, no matter who they are.” Jon’s eyes glittered dangerously. “Especially this guest as this is as much her home as mine at this point.”

Dot paled at that statement. He could feel Tessa’s eyes on him, but he didn’t dare look away from his ex-wife. She needed to know that this wasn’t just an acquaintance or way to pass time for him. Tessa was as important to him as his family, even if he couldn’t merge the two completely yet.

She reached for Romeo and tried to usher Jake toward the door. “Okay guys, it’s time to go. Daddy has better things to do-“

Jon cut her off. “Daddy loves spending time with his boys and would take them whenever they wanted to visit,” he said over her as Jake resisted the shuffle into the front hallway. Groaning a little he lifted Jake. Damn he was getting heavy. “You can come over here whenever you want, Buddy. I’m never too busy for you guys, okay?”

Jake rubbed at his nose absently and threw his arms around his neck. “Okay,” he said with a bit of uncertainty. Anger, white hot and pulsing, threatened to overwhelm him until he felt Tessa’s hand at his back. The unobtrusive pat then soft stroke eased him.

His head swiveled and the look in her soft green eyes banked the anger to a manageable level. Even mad and disappointed at him, she knew him. Knew him better than he knew himself at times. Just that little touch of support was enough.

He turned back to the door, following Dot out.

“Bye, Tessa,” Jake said shyly from his shoulder.

“See you soon, Jake,” she said sweetly, holding the door open for them to leave.

Jon linked his forefinger with her thumb for a moment as he headed toward Dorothea’s car.

“Dad?”

“Yeah buddy,” Jon said against his temple.

“Why do you and Mom have to fight?”

Jon dragged his fingers through the thick, shaggy hair at Jake’s nape and sighed. “Grownups sometimes have misunderstandings, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other.”

“But it’s okay to love each other and not be married anymore?”

He put Jake down and crouched down to his level. “I’m always going to love your Mom because she gave me so many great kids. And we’re always going to be friends, but sometimes grown ups just can’t stay together, no matter how much they try.”

“But not when we grow up, right Dad? We’ll always stay together as a family.”

Jon gathered him in. “You got that right. It’s different for Dads and kids. That’s a forever thing, no matter what.”

And just like that, he smiled big and bright. “Okay, Dad.”

Jon lifted him into the SUV, buckling him in with a quick kiss. Dorothea started to get into the car and he gripped her forearm. “We need a moment.”

“Not now, Jon,” she sighed. “I have company-“

“You had a minute for a parting shot, then you have a minute to listen to me.” Jon said meeting her brown eyes with determined blue.

She gave a dramatic sigh and let him pull her away from the car. “Alright, what?”

“Don’t give me that. If you ever say something like that in front of my kids again, I’ll have them in full custody so fast you won’t be able to call a lawyer fast enough.”

Her eyes went wide with shock. “Jon-“

“I always, always have time for my kids. You will not ever make them feel like they are a burden to me, you got me?”

“Yes, I-“

“I’m not done.” He waited for her slackened mouth to close. “Whatever you need to do to get used to the idea of Tessa and I then you need to do it.” When she started to pull away he dragged her back. “If it’s staying away from me and having me pick up the kids for visits then that’s what we’ll do. If it’s us not talking for awhile besides an update on the kids when you drop them off, then that’s what will happen.” His eyes went hot with renewed anger. “But I’ll tell you this much. You ever give me that kind of attitude again after stopping by unannounced again and you won’t like where this goes.”

Her face closed off and her brown eyes went flat.

“I understand the way you work, Dot. I know how you deal with unhappiness, but Tess doesn’t deserve to be in the middle of that.”

“What about what I deserve?”

“You lost that right the day you asked me for a divorce.”

Her eyes widened and she took a step back. “Jon, I-“

“I love her, Dorothea. It’s different than us, as it should be, but I love her more than I thought I ever could or would again. If I need to explain that to you for you to start to accept her in my life and the life of my children then I’ll give you all of the information you could ever want.”

Her voice went low with hurt, “No, I don’t need details.”

“I’ve given you time to start to deal with this and I’ll support your wishes to hold off on bringing her into the kids lives for awhile, but there’s no doubts in this. She’s here to stay. I’m planning a life with her.”

“But, it’s only been…” her voice lowered into a whisper. “It’s only been a few weeks.”

“More like a few months now, but you know it doesn’t take long. I knew I wanted you within days of knowing you, even if it took you years to accept it. She takes me as I am, warts and all. I’m not letting her get away because my ex-wife can’t deal with a new woman in my life. Unfortunately, it’s your problem, not mine.”

“That’s cold,” she said unevenly.

“It’s necessary. I won’t have you belittling the woman I love because you have a mind to be hurtful and spiteful. She doesn’t deserve it and it makes you look small. The woman I know was never that way.”

She took another step back. “The woman you knew is a far cry from the woman I am, Jon.”

“I know, and it makes me sad,” he said quietly. “Please call ahead next time and I’ll make sure you don’t need to see Tessa or that you’re prepared for it, but know one thing, Dot.”

“What?” she said with a biting tone.

“She’s not going anywhere.”