The Texas Tycoon's Baby(40)

“Here it goes,” Jeremiah said, speaking for Chet, too, because they both knew what they needed to do next.

It was just hard to cross the room, say hello, as if everything was wonderful.

Chet felt someone else looking at him from across the way and he knew it was Mina. He met her gaze, inhaled at the zing of it.

One thing was certain—he needed to take care of his relationship with his biological father before he could be good for anyone else.

And when she smiled at him, so comfortingly, so naturally, something lifted within Chet, buoying him, making him think everything would be okay because she believed that he could do this.

Chet and Jeremiah made their way through the tables, which had started to clear out after the dinner itself had ended. By the time they got to Eli’s table, the waiter had brought a plate of enchiladas, plus rice, beans and tortillas.

Jeremiah took hold of his father’s shoulder, squeezing it. “Dad.”

It was obvious that they were still working through years of hard times between them, but when Eli reached up to grip Jeremiah’s hand, it was enough. Chet could tell by the smile on his brother’s face. Even Tyler looked touched as he stood behind Eli’s chair.

Eli peered up at Chet, and he saw that his biological father’s eyes weren’t red with drink. They were clear tonight.

Thank God.

Chet sat in the chair next to Eli. “We were all hoping you’d make it here in time.”

And he didn’t just mean that it was good to see him at this dinner—it was nice to finally know that Eli had found himself in a better place altogether, in time for his son’s wedding.

Finally in the place he needed to be.

“Chet,” Eli said, his voice cracking.

Chet glanced at his brothers, and they understood that it was time to leave Eli and his new son alone. That it was time to start the next phase of forgiveness, if they could manage it.

When they were by themselves, Eli spoke first. “How’re things at the Utah resort?”

Starting off slow. Okay. That was fine.

“Perfect,” Chet said. “No need for you to even think about it.”

“I’m retired from the Group now, anyway. But it’s tough, after all those years of knowing every detail about every project. I’m sure Tyler feels the same way, now that he’s cut himself loose from the Group, too. But it looks like the business is in good hands with you and Jeremiah at the helm.”

“It is. You can depend on it.”

Eli went quiet, obviously fresh out of the beating-around-the-bush talk.

“Dad,” Chet said, hesitantly. “I really am glad you’re here.”

At the word Dad, Eli’s head had snapped up. One corner of his mouth twitched, his eyes going hazy.

Chet had never seen Abe, his “other father,” cry. He’d been raised to think that men didn’t do that.

Just thinking of Abe’s lessons made Chet promise that he would remember what his first dad had taught him over the years, even as Chet moved on.

But an emotional snag remained. By forgiving Eli, would he be trading one father for another? Was he spitting on the memory of the man who’d raised him?

Brushing that aside for now, he put his hand on Eli’s forearm, and the older man’s eyes welled up as Chet’s own gaze went bleary.



Mina left the restaurant with Ally, Zoe and Ally’s aunt Jessica, but she didn’t say goodbye to Chet. He was still with his biological father, and it was clear that they shouldn’t be interrupted.

And that was the best news Mina could’ve imagined.

She couldn’t stop smiling, even though there was a scratching in her throat that brought a little happiness/sadness to the sensation.

“Mina,” Ally said in her refined, gentle voice as they got to the limo parked in front of their restaurant. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. It’s just the whole business with Eli…”

Aunt Jessica, a spitfire forty-year-old who looked more like a carefree thirty-year-old, put a hand over Mina’s mouth. “Not tonight, okay? Y’all can talk about maudlin matters after we’ve drank and danced and made a bride-to-be fool out of Ally, and not a minute before.”

Zoe laughed as they climbed into the limo. “Sensitive as always, Jess.”

Jessica tossed back a lock of her sun-kissed brunette hair. “Honey, I’m the party mistress, and I take my task quite seriously.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Ally saluted.

But she wasn’t so obedient when Jess pulled out a bag from under a limo seat, giving her niece a sparkly princess crown, a sash that read, “Kiss me!” and a glowing green wand.

Ally’s crown was crooked as she sat back in the seat and the limo pulled forward. “This is degrading, Jess.”