Bordering On Love by Natasza Waters

Author:Natasza Waters [Waters, Natasza]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-07-31T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

I vy sat on the porch swing, serenaded by crickets. Long shadows crept across the lawn as the sun slid behind the majestic mountain range. Rocket, the family’s German Shepherd with a belly full of dinner, snoozed a few feet away. Dad had retired to his room and Jackson was in the bath.

Normally, moments like these gave her time to breathe, but not tonight. Ivy sat in silence, her heart heavy. Her thoughts centered on Cole instead of the busy Fourth of July celebration tomorrow.

Didn’t she have a right to be nervous? Last night, Cole had suggested they go to his place. She’d lashed out to hide her insecurities and used a cheap reason to protect herself instead of admitting the truth.

Cole’s elusive mannerisms screamed raw sex appeal. Women loved the chase and he’d let plenty catch him for one night. But she knew him better than any of those women. His values never wavered. Straightforward. Always honest.

For the last seven years when he’d work at the farm, she’d hidden her attraction to him. Whenever she’d caught wind that he’d hooked up with a woman, she’d bury her jealousy. Cole had never flirted with her, and she’d believed her crush was one-sided, until last month.

After telling him last night that she didn’t think he could be faithful, he’d tossed in the towel. Cole accepted her words as gospel and walked away.

Tears swarmed in her eyes. She’d hurt him. Rehashing what she’d said, Ivy realized her accusation was a death blow. A statement of his character. Cole prided himself on his integrity. The type of man who never broke his promises.

Soon, she’d hear gossip from friends about a new woman in his life and her heart wouldn’t recover this time. She buried her face in her hands and tucked her knees to her chest.

“Mom?”

She sniffed and quickly swiped her tears away. Jackson, her beautiful blond-headed boy, smelled like shampoo and stood barefoot next to the porch swing in his Batman pajamas.

“What is it, honey?”

Jackson crawled onto the swing and leaned into her side. “Why are you crying? Did Grandpa yell at you?”

She choked on a laugh. “No, Grandpa didn’t yell at me. I said something and hurt someone’s feelings that I care about.”

His big blue eyes gazed at her. “Was it Cole? He was really sad when he left.”

She gulped in air between her tears and nodded sharply.

“Don’t you want him to be my dad?”

Ivy’s heart shattered into a million pieces, and she wrapped her arms around her boy and pulled him onto her lap. Why hadn’t she just been honest with Cole? Told him she was insecure because she hadn’t been with man in so long. Admitted that she compared herself to those loose but gorgeous women he’d taken to his bed and found herself lacking. Instead, she’d attacked him. Blamed him for something he hadn’t done and trashed his character.

She swept her son’s moist bangs from his eyes. “He’d be a great dad and he loves you.”

Jackson nodded his head in agreement.

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