“I can’t believe you really came.”
Couldn’t she, though? There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. “Well, I did. You should know that.” When they pulled away, her eyes were ringed red, her face streaked with tears. “Don’t cry.” He swiped at them, held himself back from doing the same. “Where is he? Where’s my nephew?”
The corners of her mouth tilted down slightly. “He’s in the house. He’s so angry with me. Sean doesn’t get it. I shielded him from Adam so much that he doesn’t understand. He thinks I sent his dad away. But the thing is, Adam was never a good father to him. I watch Roe sometimes—that’s the guy who rented me the cabin. I see him with his son, throwing a football, taking care of the animals, riding off on their dirt bikes. Adam never made time for him.”
Holden shrugged. “That doesn’t mean Sean wasn’t always holding out hope that it would change.” He knew because he’d felt the same way about his father. Holden had been about fifteen when he’d realized he hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. No, that wasn’t true. Part of him had always known he hated him, but again, he’d still hoped for more, that maybe one day he would see what it felt like to have a father like the other boys he went to school with had, but his father only got worse. “I’m not his dad, but I’m here now. We’ll figure it all out,” Holden said again.
“Thank you. I’m so sorry. I…”
“Shh. We don’t need to do that.” Holden’s gaze snagged on the cabin window. As soon as it did, the small slit in the curtains closed quickly. They definitely had an audience. Whether Sean wanted to admit it was still to be seen, but the kid was interested in Holden and in what was going on. God, Holden hoped Sean liked him. Hoped he wouldn’t fuck up this whole uncle thing the way his parents had fucked up parenting. “Can we go in and see him?”
“Yeah, of course.”
Holden was surprised when Marilee wrapped her hand around his. She used to be like that when they were kids. She’d been an affectionate little thing, and Holden hadn’t been. He’d complain and grit his teeth, but he never denied her a hug or hand-holding. He’d always liked that she’d felt so safe with him.
Marilee led him inside. It was small but nice. The earth-toned furniture and decorations had clearly come with the cabin. He wondered where their things were. If they’d put them in storage or if something happened to them.
Sean was sitting on the couch. Holden could tell he was tall and lanky—all legs. He’d been the same when he was younger. He’d been about sixteen when he’d begun to fill out.
“Sean, come say hello to your uncle Holden. He came all this way to stay with us for a while and help us get on our feet,” Marilee said.
“If he cared about us so much, how come it’s been so long since I’ve seen him?” Sean seethed and rightfully so. The kid was definitely angry, and that was something else Holden could relate to. He’d been a pissed-off kid.
“Don’t blame him. That was—”
“My fault,” Holden cut in. Sean was already angry enough with his mom. The last thing Holden wanted was to give him another reason to be. “It was my fault, and I’m sorry about that, but I’m here now. If you give me a chance, I’d like to get to know you. I can’t make up for the past, but I hope we can move forward. We’re family, after all.”
“My dad was family too, and my mom made him leave!” Sean shoved to his feet and stalked toward a bedroom.
“Sean…please don’t. I—” Slam! The sound echoed through the small space. “He hates me, Holden. I don’t know what to do. Do I tell him the things his father has done? Some of it he knows—the drinking, staying out late, losing jobs. How could he not? Even if he didn’t see it, people talk around town.” Her words were spoken softly, only for the two of them.
Holden was afraid to know what the rest of it was, but he needed to. “I don’t know a damn thing about parenting. I remember what it was like to be an angry teenage boy, though. You force him right now, and he’s going to pull away further. I think…hell, I don’t know. I’ll be right back.”
Concern was clear in the wrinkles around her eyes, but Marilee nodded.
Holden walked over and knocked on the door. “Can I come in?”
“Whatever,” Sean replied, and Holden took that as a yes.
Sean was lying on a twin bed with a blue comforter, throwing a football up and catching it. “You play?” Holden asked.