I looked over at Jefferson and smiled.

“All my girlfriends told me how lucky I was to get the most popular boy in the whole school. He played football as the star quarterback. He had big dreams of playing in college and then going pro. We dated all through high school. Our senior year, he was signed on with the University of Texas.”

When my mom glanced at Jefferson, he seemed to stiffen up just a bit.

“Anyway, I was thrilled because we wouldn’t have to leave Austin. My parents didn’t really have the money to send me to school, so I made sure I got good grades, and I ended up earning a scholarship to UT. My parents and your father were beyond thrilled. As a graduation present to your father, his parents bought him a small house close to UT. On graduation night, he asked me to marry him. I’d never been so happy in my life. I was madly in love with him and ready to start a life with him.”

I grinned and looked at Jefferson. “So, you were high school sweethearts?”

She smiled and nodded. “Yes. Your father is the only man I have ever dated or been with.”

Wow.

“Things were wonderful for the first year. I was doing well in school, and your father was beyond happy. He was playing football and getting his degree in engineering. He was preparing to take over his father’s company after he graduated UT.”

Jefferson glanced over at me. He seemed to be putting two and two together…and so was I.

“Then, I got pregnant. I was so happy and so excited, but I was also shocked as shit!” My mother laughed. “Your father was playing in a game against Texas A&M in College Station, so I decided to drive there and surprise him with the big news. I was late, and the game had already started, so he had no idea I was there. After they won, I made my way down to the sidelines where everyone was celebrating, and I saw your dad talking to a girl. I had seen her before at the home games. I’d even talked to her a few times. Angie…she was the sister of another player.”

She stopped talking as she stared out to where the cows were now grazing. She smiled slightly and shook her head. Then, she took another deep breath and let it out. “I was just about to call out his name when he leaned down and kissed her.”

Oh no! Oh god, my poor mother.

“I just stood there like a fool and watched them. It wasn’t just a small kiss. It was filled with passion. I wanted so badly to look away, but I couldn’t. When your father pulled away from her, he looked up and saw me standing there. His smile faded, and all I could do was walk back to my car. I felt completely numb.”

“Ah shit, Mom.” Jefferson reached out for her hand.

She grinned, putting her hand in his and placing her other one on top of Jefferson’s. “He called out after me, but I kept walking away. He finally caught up to me and grabbed my arm. He asked for me to let him explain. I couldn’t even think straight. The only thing I got out was that I wanted to surprise him. I said I had news to share with him. He placed his hands on my face and started kissing me. I was so lost in the kiss and the love I had for him that I just melted. Afterward, he told me how much he loved me and only me and how he had made a mistake by kissing Angie. Oh, he went on and on. I shook my head as I blurted out that I was pregnant.”

“What did he do?” I asked.

“He smiled and picked me up. He kept telling me how happy he was.” My mother smiled and let out a small laugh. “I believed him.”

Jefferson looked toward me. “Mom, did y’all ever talk about this girl, Angie, again?”

She shook her head. “No. He never brought her up, and I didn’t either. He’d promised me it was just that one time, and it would never happen again. Your father had talked me into giving up school for a while, so I could stay home with Jeff. I wanted nothing more than to become a nurse, but he said I could go back once you started school, Jeff.

“Then, one night, I decided to have my parents babysit Jeff, so I could surprise your dad with an evening alone together. We hadn’t been out in so long, and I just wanted to spend some time alone…well, you know how that is. Jeff, you were two years old at the time, and you were so full of spit and fire.” She laughed. “I just needed a break.”

Leaning back, she let the little bit of sun peeking through the branches hit her face. “Considering my last surprise didn’t go over so well, I should have known it was a mistake to surprise him. He was interning at his dad’s engineering office, so I knew where he was. After I dropped off Jeff, I called the office at lunchtime to see how his day had been going, and he told me he was going to be working about an hour later than usual that night. I thought that was perfect. I planned on dropping by the office and waiting for him, so we could go to dinner and maybe a movie. When I got there, the security officer let me in. The closer I got to the office, the more apparent it became that he wasn’t alone. When I heard laughter—his and a woman’s—my heart started pounding. I opened the door a little, and I saw him in his chair…with Angie sitting on his desk.”

I let out a gasp.

“I had the same reaction! His tie was off, and he was massaging her bare feet. I watched his hand moving up and down her leg. I wanted to throw up. I pushed the door open more and said something about her being his reason for working late. Of course, it was déjà vu. I left, and he ran after me. I couldn’t believe I was so stupid, but at the same time, he was my entire life. My heart was shattered. Again.”

“What happened, Mom?” Jefferson asked.

“He asked Angie to leave, and then we fought like we had never fought before. It just so happened that she was interning there, too, and he said he’d run into her, but nothing else had happened. The more he talked, the more upset I got. When I told him I was going to leave with Jeff and stay with my parents for a few days, he blew up. He grabbed me, and one thing led to another. Before I knew it, he had me on the sofa, and—”

I put my hand over my mouth. “He didn’t force you, did he?”

She had tears in her eyes. “No. I loved him so much. I would have done anything for him…anything to be with him. Later, I found out I was pregnant again. Things were never the same. He grew distant, but when you were born, Ellie, he seemed like he was happy again. It lasted for a few years. Then, one day, he came home, and Angie was with him. He told me he was leaving me for her, and the only reason he’d stayed as long as he did was because he felt guilty for ‘knocking me up with another baby.’ Those were his words, not mine.”

Oh Jesus. I think I’m going to be sick.

“Jesus H. Christ, Mom. He said that to you?” Jefferson shook his head.

She smiled and nodded. “When he left, my world just fell apart. I had no job, no money, and a broken heart. A friend of mine came over one night and talked me into going out. I got drunk and had so much fun,” she said with a gruff laugh. “It was the first time I didn’t actually think about him. Since the alcohol seemed to help me forget, I moved from beer to hard liquor. The only problem was that the hurt turned to anger. I started to blame you, Ellie, for everything. He would show up randomly while you kids were at school. He’d tell me how sorry he was, and then before I knew it, I was sleeping with him.”

She shook her head and glanced up at me. “After you left, Ellie, I realized all the time I’d wasted being angry. I almost ruined your life and that caused me to wake up and see that I needed to be rescued from the hell I was living in. So, I decided I was checking into rehab and making a new life for myself. If I got myself clean, I knew the first thing I was going to do would be to ask forgiveness from both of you.”

“Oh god, Mom. What a dirty, rotten bastard,” I said.

She laughed and agreed.

“When was the last time you saw him, Mom?” Jefferson asked.

“About a year ago.” She smiled. “I was on a date, believe it or not!”

Jefferson and I both laughed.

“With my counselor.” She held up her hands. “I know! I know!”

“How did you feel when you saw him?” I asked.

“Free—like his hold on me was finally broken.” She shook her head. “I need you both to know something though. I have no doubt in my mind that at one time, your father was just as much in love with me as I was with him. And I truly believe he loved you both. But now, I have someone in my life who is my prince. He literally rescued me. Just like in my story, Ellie.”

We talked for a bit longer before making our way back to the house. Garrett invited my mother over to his house to meet Emma, Jack, and Grace and to spend more time with the kids. Since we were all going out, Luke and Alex were going to stay with them tonight.

As we sat in Emma’s kitchen, I watched as my mother talked with two of the most important women in my life, and a sense of calm came over me. My mom was holding Alex in her arms when she looked over at me and smiled. I got up and walked over to her.

“Grace, could you please hold Alex for a bit?” my mother asked as she turned toward Grace.

Then, she held out her arms for me, and I walked right into her embrace.

“I’m so sorry for all the pain and hurt I caused you,” she whispered into my ear.

“I love you, Mom. I really do love you.” I pulled away from her and smiled.

She laughed while she wiped the tears away from my face as I did the same for her.

“I love you, too, Ellie Marie Mathews. I love you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much, baby girl, for giving me a second chance. You have no idea how much I need you and your brother.”

Jefferson came into the kitchen and took a good look at us before he walked up and wrapped his arms around us. “Mom…”

“Yes, Jeff?”

“I forgot to tell you. You’re gonna be a grandmother again.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

“What are you smiling about over there?” Ari asked, reaching for my hand.

“The look on my mom’s face when I told her she was going to be a grandmother again.”

Ari started laughing. “Yeah, it was priceless. I’m so glad she finally made the move to come and see y’all, Jeff.”

I smiled as I thought about Ellie. I knew how she had dreamed of this moment, especially when she’d found out she was pregnant. I remembered the day we’d walked along the river when she told me how much she wished our mother could help her through her pregnancy because she felt so scared. My heart had broken for her. She’d had Grace there, but it hadn’t been the same thing.

“I can’t wait to see Amanda! I feel like I haven’t seen her in so long! I wonder if she’ll have the baby before she graduates,” Ari said.

“I just hope everything works out for them with the move. I hate that they are moving to Florida.”

Ari grinned. “We’ll have a place to visit now, I guess.”

I glanced over and smiled at her before looking straight ahead.

“Okay, why in the hell is Gunner not going? It’s a damn green light!” Ari said.

After sitting there through the whole green light, I jumped out of my truck and ran up to his. I was about to knock on his window when I saw that he was kissing Ells.