Justin tilted his head.
“I’ve taken a number of decisions from him in the past fifteen years, and now I need to start giving them back. I don’t feel strongly either way. He can take your name, but I’d prefer if it was his decision.”
Justin’s heart thumped in his chest. Moments like these she surprised him, shocked him. He’d thought Max taking his name would be a battle that he’d have to wage on all fronts. But Aubrey was telling the truth—he could see it in her eyes.
“That sounds more than fair.”
“Excellent.” Aubrey walked toward the front door. “Well then, I suppose we should go and ask him.” She appeared to be a hummingbird ready to zip away.
“Thank you,” Justin said and stood. He’d waited. He’d been very patient, not even asked when they could go and meet his son. Now, in this instant, with the time upon them, his heart cracked against his ribs and his entire body thrummed with an excitement that even the most lucrative deal he’d closed hadn’t created within him.
“I’ll drive.” Justin scooped up his keys and walked to the door.
“Good,” Aubrey said. “Because I can’t seem to concentrate on much other than the fact that my son is about to meet his dad.”
Justin grasped Aubrey’s arms in his hands. “I was telling you the truth when I said we’d work this out together. We will. All three of us.”
Aubrey nodded, the sadness again in her eyes, the sadness that pulled at his heart. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss, meant to be chaste, ignited. He could spend the rest of today and all of his life kissing Aubrey. They pulled apart and looked into each other’s eyes.
“I’m not certain that we should share this with Max,” Aubrey said. “I’m afraid it might be confusing to him. I mean, it’s confusing to me.”
“Understood. But Aubrey, it’s not confusing to me. I want you both. Not just Max, but you too. I want you both in my life.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I …”
“We were meant to be together. Max is meant to be a Travati, and so are you.”
“Justin … We … It’s been years.”
“Yes. Yes, it’s been years, but we worked side by side and then you left and neither of us found another person. Now Max, our son, has brought us together again. My God, Aubrey, how many damned signs do you need? I made a billion dollars listening to my gut—it’s never wrong. And after last night and today, I know without a doubt that we are meant to be a family. You, me and Max.”
“I … I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, Max gets to decide if he wants my name, you get to make the same decision.”
She was stunned. Shocked. But the sadness was gone from her eyes. Justin kissed her once more. He was sure, he was certain, he knew exactly how he wanted this to end, with a family of three. Him, Aubrey, and Max together. Now he only needed to convince his son and the mother of his son that his vision for their future was the best one for all of them.
Chapter 13
How did one meet their fourteen-year-old son, a nearly formed adult whom they’d never before met? Justin wasn’t one to become nervous. He’d worked hard, found success in school and then in his company. He, with his brothers, had managed to build an empire from nearly nothing. He was the oldest Travati, the one who guided the family and ran Travati Financial. An unfamiliar sensation clutched his belly as he wound around the long gravel road that led to Camp Willow.
“Next left.” Aubrey sat on the edge of her seat, the seat belt strap across her chest fighting to keep her in place.
What would he say? How should he say it? What exactly had Aubrey told their son about him?
Anger tightened his chest. Difficult for him to think that he’d not had the opportunity to meet his son in nearly fifteen years. For a moment he wanted to hurl insults at Aubrey, recriminations and disdain. What if he had died? What if he’d never known Max nor Max him?
“What kind of conversations did you have with Max about me?” He glanced from the road. “Aubrey?”
“I didn’t say much.” She turned toward the passenger window. “Until just before camp. I … We …” She turned her face back toward him and her lips turned down with an impossible look of sadness. “I tried to avoid the topic, and that worked until he went to Dad and asked him.”
Roy, the stern-faced man who’d saved him from the woods.
“Let me guess, your father answered his every question.”
“As best he could. But Dad didn’t even know the whole truth. No one did. I kept the fact that I hadn’t told you about Max to myself.”