“Jessi’s mother gave her the impression that you knew about the baby,” Haleigh clarified.
Narrowing his eyes at Cooper, Jebediah said, “I realize that some people in this town don’t think very highly of me, but I assure you, I would never abandon a child that was mine. Not knowingly.”
“But you were married, right?” Jessi asked. “Mama said you had a family already when you met her.”
Shame filled his eyes, but he held his newfound daughter’s gaze. “I did. And I have no excuse for my behavior. It was a moment of weakness on my part. One I guess I’m about to pay for.”
Jessi bounded out of her chair. “I didn’t come here for money.”
“Sit down, child. That’s not what I meant.” Jebediah shifted his attention back to the menacing presence at the back of the room. “How much time do I have before this hits the paper?”
“That isn’t up to me,” Cooper said. “Ask your daughter.”
“Wait. What?” Haleigh said, turning in her chair. “Who said anything about putting this in the paper?” Making this news public had never been discussed. This had been about Jessi finding her father, not ruining a man’s life.
“I’m a public figure,” the mayor stated. “This is proof of infidelity on my part. Bigger politicians have been brought down by less.”
Cooper stepped forward to lean on the back of Haleigh’s chair. “Jessi, what do you want to come out of this?”
Looking as if she’d been handed a weight too heavy for her to carry, she said, “I don’t want to bring down anyone. I just wanted to meet my father.”
“And you’ve met him,” Cooper continued. “Do you want to have a relationship with him? If you spend time together, people will wonder how you know each other. This is a small town and secrets aren’t easy to keep.”
Turning to the man behind the desk, Jessi said, “Do you want to get to know me and Emma?”
Hesitant, Jebediah said, “Emma?”
“She’s my little girl. I only had her a month ago.”
Face lighting up like an airport runway, he said, “I have a granddaughter?”
Jessi nodded.
“Yes. I would definitely like to meet her.”
Whoever Jebediah Winkle pretended to be outside this office, Haleigh knew in that moment that, in the end, he was a man with a heart. A heart much bigger than anyone would have guessed.
“I don’t see any reason to get the newspapers involved,” Jessi said to Cooper. “We’ll figure something out.” Looking back to her father, she said, “But what about your wife? What will she say?”
“Let me worry about that.” Jebediah stood and rounded the desk. “I’ll need a couple days to straighten things out, but if you’ll let me know where I can find you, I’ll be in touch.” With the beginnings of a smile, he added, “I’d very much like to meet my granddaughter.”
After jotting Abby’s phone number on a sheet of notepaper, Jessi said, “Can I hug you before I leave?”
Tears sprang to Haleigh’s eyes as father and daughter touched for the first time. As she dabbed at her cheeks, Cooper whispered, “I did not see that coming,” drawing a laugh of relief and total agreement.
When the three of them were back in Cooper’s truck, Jessi said, “Holy cheese balls. I have a dad.”
And for the second time in a matter of days, Haleigh marveled at the unexpected turns life could take. No matter what happened next, she would never again doubt the power of love.
If she didn’t have a heart attack before they reached the front door, Haleigh might actually survive the night.
“Aren’t you going to ring the bell?” Cooper asked as she reached for the doorknob.
“That would be mistake number one,” she answered. “Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way.”
This would be their first family dinner as a couple. She’d offered Cooper several chances to back out, but the poor sap had refused, insisting on stepping into the fray beside her. Such a valiant knight. Stubborn and naive, but valiant.
As they stepped into the foyer, familiar childhood smells assailed her. Lasagna. As in, the one dish her mother actually cooked with her own two hands.
“Mom?” she yelled toward the stairs. “We’re here.”
“There’s no need to yell,” Meredith said from the kitchen doorway. “I’m standing right here.”
Haleigh blinked at the sight before her. “You’re wearing an apron.”
“I didn’t want to get sauce on my good blouse.” As if this wasn’t the most uncharacteristic thing the older woman could have said, she casually turned to Cooper and asked, “Would you like a beer before dinner? I asked the young man at the grocery store for a recommendation and he insisted on an IPA, whatever that stands for. I believe it’s called Cutaway, though that seems like an odd name for a beer.”