Blinding Trust (Mitchell Family #7)(38)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“Are you asking because Colt is away, or because Ty is staying at the house?” I didn’t mean it to come out defensive, but I guess she took it that way.

“You just seemed off, that’s all. I know real love when I see it and you and Ty both have that with other people. If I was afraid of that, I would have just come out and asked you.”

I hugged her. “Mom, I’m sorry. I guess I’m just not used to Colt being gone. We’ve always traveled together. Plus, this problem that I’m having with Noah is just driving me crazy inside. Just tell me it will all get better?”

She kissed my cheek. “Oh, honey, it will. You just have to take it one day at a time. Boys will be boys.”

“Thanks for having us over, Mom.”

“If my nephew gets on your nerves too much, you know where to send him,” she teased.

“Yes, I have a couple good ideas where to send him.”

We both laughed as I exited the house and joined the crew on the golf cart.

When we got home and tucked both of my girls into my bed, I knew I had to make that phone call that I had procrastinated about. Ty was busy watching basketball on television, so I snuck out onto the porch and called Colt.

Darlin’, I was startin’ to wonder if I’d have to hop on a plane for you to talk to me.

It might of helped.

Listen, you got the wrong idea about them girls.

Is that what you’re calling me about?

No. I’m callin’ you because somethin’s happened and I wanted you to be a part of the decision, but since you didn’t call me back, I had to make it on my own.

What kind of decision? Don’t tell me you’re leaving Noah there with them.

Of course not, Savanna. What kind of parent would I be to do that. At this point, I don’t even want to be here, but the kid is having a good time. That’s what I needed to talk to you about. Zeke is puttin’ Noah in his next music video and…

He what? How could you allow something like this, Colt? How could you subject our son like this? We said we didn’t want him in the spotlight. You promised everything was going to be okay!

It is. I’ll be with him the whole time. He’s so darn excited about it that I didn’t want to disappoint him.

Well, you’ve sure disappointed me. I thought we were a team, Colt. If it was that important you could have called Ty or your mother to get in touch with me. Instead you just went ahead and signed him over to the devil himself.

Savanna, stop being so dramatic. He’s goin’ to be fine.

He will never be the same innocent kid again. Don’t you get that? You put him right into the spotlight and I don’t know if I can forgive you for that. I don’t know if I can forgive you for making me feel like I have no say in his life. He’s my son too, you know.

I never said he wasn’t! Damn, would you just calm dow…

I hung up the phone and turned the damn thing off. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to the man who had put my baby out there for the whole world to see. He was no longer my sweet, protected little boy. I was more than angry.

Ty looked over at me when I walked back into the house. “Don’t plan on going to sleep anytime soon. We’re getting drunk!”

Chapter 20

Colt

I tried to call her throughout the day and she just wouldn’t answer the phone. Yeah, I probably could have called Ty’s phone, but I hated that he was even there.

Why was he really there, anyway?

I appreciated his help on the ranch, albeit I feared something bad was going to happen. In all the years that I’d been with my wife, they’d never stayed together alone. Was I wrong for thinking that something could happen? Being so far away was making me doubt my wife. I hated feeling that way about her and about our love for each other.

When I couldn’t get ahold of Savanna, Zeke worked things out so that Noah didn’t have to shoot his scenes until Friday. When we arrived back at his place, everything seemed to go back to normal. Piper was lounging out by the pool and the chef was preparing dinner. The house had been cleaned, even all the bedding. To anyone just walking in, it would seem as if nothing had ever happened.

After my heated argument with my wife, I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling for a good while. My wife was furious with me and that was never a good thing. She could be moody and hardheaded, but she was usually right when we fought. Savanna had a way of working situations out in her head and being able to come up with practical solutions that work out for everyone involved.

If Noah hadn’t been so darn adamant about the video, I would have had time to reach out and get her opinion. I was digging myself into a deeper hole. It all started with Zeke and now I was on a downhill spiral.

I heard a knock on my door and in came my son. He was wearing his pajama shorts and a new t-shirt that we’d picked up when we were out. I sat up right away. “What’s up, buddy?”

“I heard you yellin’ on the phone. Were you talking to Mom?”

I patted the spot next to me and waited for him to sit down. I couldn’t tell the kid that his mother was completely against him being in the video. He didn’t need another reason to put that wall up. “She’s havin’ a hard time bein’ away from us.”

“She’s mad at me, isn’t she?”

She was, but I couldn’t tell him that. “No. Your mom is just feelin’ like we’re leavin’ her out. She misses us.”

I thought he was about to say that he missed her too. Instead he turned around and got an excited look on his face. “Why ain’t you havin’ fun here, Dad? This is the coolest place I’ve ever been.”

“I’ve had fun this week, but I miss your mom and your sisters. One day you’ll see how our life ain’t so bad.”

“When I grow up, I want to live in a place just like this.” Yep, he said it. As much as I wished that I’d never heard it, I think it will be etched into my mind for the rest of my life.

I patted him on the leg. “Son, I hope one day you can appreciated the real meanin’ of home. It ain’t about appearances, it’s what fills it that counts the most.”

He look around the room. “You mean the furniture?”

“No! I mean the people. A house is not a home until it’s filled with real whole-hearted love. It can’t be bought with any kind of money.”

He shook his head and let out an air filled laugh. “Yeah, I think I’d rather have this.”

I was disappointed in him, but he wasn’t even eleven years old yet. How could I expect him to know the things that I’d learned through growing up?