Blinding Trust (Mitchell Family #7)(21)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“Yeah. I wish I could remember her. I only know she was pretty because I have pictures.”

“Your mother was a looker. When guys walked by her their heads would turn. She had big dimples on both of her cheeks and even when she wasn’t smilin’ you could tell they were there. Her eyes were light and beautiful and her hair had never been colored. It was naturally blonde.”

“Was she prettier than Mom?”

It was a weird question and I felt uncomfortable answering for the first time. “They are very different, but both very beautiful.”

“What if you had to choose?”

“Noah, you know that this question has no right answer. If I say Savanna then you get your feelin’s hurt. If I say your mother, all Hell would break loose if she found out. Your mother and I were more friends than lovers. We lived together and got along just fine. I wasn’t her forever and she wasn’t mine. I know you don’t remember this, but your mother was getting married. Her new husband was trying to adopt you.”

“So I wouldn’t have been a Mitchell?”

“Well, he found out he couldn’t do it without my permission and that meant your mom had to tell me about you. I learned that she was planning on introducing us right before her accident.” I hoped he was old enough to understand the things I was telling him. If Savanna came home and things were worse with Noah, I wasn’t sure what could happen.

“Would you have said yes? Would you have let him adopt me?”

“Are you kiddin’ me? You’re my only son. I loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you. I’d never let anyone else be your father. I know you would have had a step-dad, but I wanted to be your father. I should have been there when you were born.”

He leaned over and hugged me. “I’m glad you’re my dad.”

It was a touching moment until Christian came walking out into the garage with GI Joe in a dress and my cell phone in her hand. “Okay, Mommy. Here’s Daddy.” She handed me the phone. “Mommy wants to talk to you.”

I covered the phone with my hand. “What happened to Joe?”

“He told me that he wanted to be a princess.” She was brushing the little hair he still had.

I shook my head, thinking about my daughter turning my beloved GI Joe g*y. Poor Joe!

Hello.

Hey, babe. I just wanted you to know that I won’t be home until late. Ty’s making a big dinner for the family and they also wanted me stay.

How about you just stay another night and drive home in the mornin’ I don’t want you out on the roads so late.

Are you sure? I miss you and the kids.

Give Addy a kiss for me and I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you, darlin’.

I love you too. Tell the kids I love them. See you in the morning sometime.

She sounded relaxed and I didn’t even care if I had to get the kids ready for school the next morning. Maybe her time away had helped.

Noah was looking at me when I hung up the phone. “Mom says she loves you and she’ll see us all tomorrow.”

Noah smiled and I saw love in his eyes again.

Chapter 11

Savanna

I was reluctant, at first, about going to visit everyone in North Carolina. With all of the drama happening with Noah, I hated leaving. Still, I needed a break from it all. Colt, being Colt, offered to take Christian to her friend’s birthday party and Noah to his game. Addy was so excited about seeing her cousins that she totally forgot about her sister not being with us.

I think once I hit the North Carolina state line, I felt like I could breathe. When I pulled into the farm, I actually felt excited.

After sending a text to Colt, letting him know we had arrived safe, I could hardly keep Addy from busting out of her booster seat. “I want to see Cammie and Callie, Mommy. Hurry!”

“Just a second, honey. We aren’t at their house yet.”

She looked around and pointed. “There they are!”

Sure enough, the girls came running out of the barn toward my vehicle.

With Addy being drawn away from me, I headed toward the house to see my family. Loud music was coming from inside as I entered, I found out why.

Ty and Conner where standing in the living room. They had spiked their hair and put on black makeup all around their eyes. They both wore black ripped up outfits and in their hands were cardboard guitars. The music was something that I’d never heard, but I noticed the CD sitting on the table and saw that it was Zeke’s band. As the two of them continued to jam out and play the air guitar, I walked over and turned off the stereo.

Laughing filled the room. “Pretty rad, huh?” Ty stood there like he was famous.

Conner just kept smiling. I knew which one of them thought this little bit would be funny.

Ty came up and tried to hug me, but I pushed him away. “You are an ass!”

“Miranda gave me permission to sign your tit.” He pulled out a black sharpie from the front of his pants. I cringed as I watched him open the cap with his teeth. “Left or right?”

I backed away from him more. “Get your nasty ass pen away from me!”

“You really are against famous people. Some people would kill to have me sign their tits.”

“Where are the girls?” I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore him.

Ty lifted up his shirt to display his abdomen. “You want me, don’t you?”

“Stop it!”

He cornered me in the room. “Conner is into pregnant chicks, but I have room for a groupie like you.”

I took my knee and brought it up between his legs. He did this thing where he laughed and moaned at the same time, as he hunched over and tried to catch his breath. “You can’t take a joke, Van! You suck!” Ty grabbed himself between the legs and held his hand there as he walked toward the kitchen.

The house filled with female voices as Miranda and Amy came walking in. Amy looked like she was about to burst at the seams. They each walked up and hugged me at the same time. “It’s good to see you.”

Miranda turned around and took a look at Ty and Conner. “I told you both not to do that!”

“We couldn’t help it, sis. It was a kickass idea!”

“You both are asshats!” Amy pointed at them and shook her head.

Miranda’s scorning did nothing to make Ty wash off the makeup and change his clothes. In fact, he and Conner walked around for the rest of the day like that.

I spent the night in the guest room at Ty and Miranda’s, while Addy chose to stay with her cousins. Even though the mattress wasn’t as soft as mine, it was a great night’s sleep.