Damn, but she was formidable. He never would have guessed that the teenager she’d been would have grown into such a capable, confident, independent woman. “Okay, how do you want to play it?”
She seemed taken aback at his easy agreement. Hell, she’d been a parent for almost twelve years. He’d only been one for a few days.
“Well…I’m not quite sure.” She worried her bottom lip.
“Raven.” He reached for her hand, surprised at how cold it was. “Regardless of his secrets, Fox loves you.”
She glanced down at their clasped hands, and he thought she blinked back tears. “Thanks for that.”
He tilted her face up and gazed into eyes swimming with tears. He couldn’t help himself from leaning over and lightly kissing her lips. “I’ll follow your lead, okay?”
She gave him a jerky nod. “Okay.” Taking a deep breath, she opened her door and stepped out.
They entered the cabin through an arctic entry where they shed their coats and hung them on hooks. From there they crossed into a great open room with the kitchen off to the left, and a living and dining room area with a cathedral ceiling, all covered with tongue and groove pine. A dramatic wall of windows with a pair of French doors leading to a large deck overlooked the frozen Chatanika River and glacial-topped mountain range beyond.
“Fox?” Raven hollered when they found the room empty.
“Up here,” he answered from above.
Aidan glanced up to see a loft over the kitchen area. Fox leaned over the railing and froze when he caught sight of both his parents.
“Uh…hi,” he said, obviously knowing the gig was up.
“Could you come down here, please,” Raven said.
“Sure. Just give me a minute to save my game.” He disappeared from the railing.
Aidan glanced at Raven, caught her taking another deep breath. She met his eyes for a moment and then walked into the kitchen, reached into a cabinet for a bottle of Tylenol, and shook out a few pills. Next, she filled a glass of water and returned to where he’d stayed standing. “Take these.”
He took them, speechless that with all the turmoil she was going through, she remembered his head bashing and thought to help relieve the pain drumming his skull. He swallowed the pills and downed the water, handing the empty glass back to her, where she set it on the kitchen counter just as Fox came down the stairs.
“Am I in trouble?” Fox asked, stopping midway, his hand tightening on the log railing.
Aidan couldn’t help twitching his lips. Nothing got by this kid. His kid.
“No.” Raven motioned to the sofa. “Have a seat, Fox.”
“Sounds like I’m in trouble.” He finished the trek down the stairs and sat down on a leather loveseat that had seen some use. Not so much that it was in need of being replaced, but comfortable, broken in. Raven’s house reflected the same. This was a home where you could kick off your shoes and be at ease. Except that now, none of them felt at ease. The tension in the room was rising faster than snowpack levels during a blizzard.
Raven took a seat on the opposite sofa, and Aidan joined her. She glanced at him when he sat but didn’t say anything, though Aidan knew she wished he wasn’t there. Another deep breath and she began. “I know you’re aware that Aidan is your father.”
Fox paled. “Mom—”
Raven held up her hand. “Let me speak first. Okay?”
Fox nodded, swallowing, his eyes huge in his young face.
“I’m sorry, Fox.” Her voice broke, and she stopped for a moment before continuing. “Keeping your father from you was not to punish you. I love you. You’re the most important person in my life. I should have told you a long time ago that Aidan was your father. But things were…are…complicated.”
“That didn’t make it right,” Fox said, his initial surprise gone, and years of resentment hardening his face.
“I know.” She sighed. “Someday, I hope you’ll understand why I did what I did and be able to forgive me.”
Fox glanced at Aidan and then back to Raven. “You kept me from my father, how do I forgive that?”
Raven sucked in her breath, and Aidan found himself coming to her defense even though he felt the same anger that Fox did over the choices Raven had made. “Fox, a lot of things happened when your mother found out she was pregnant.”
He snorted. “Yeah, but what kept her from telling me about you when you showed up? Or admitting to you that I was your son?” He turned back to Raven. “Were you ever going to tell me the truth?”
She clasped her fingers together, the knuckles white. “Honestly? I don’t know,” she said softly.