Reckless Hero

“Yes,” the woman on the line said. She then gave me directions.

After she hung up, I stared at the phone, my confusion turning into suspicion.

I headed to the campus daycare, a feeling of foreboding making my stomach cramp.

CHAPTER 16

Tucker

The child was a spitting image of me.

I instantly knew he was mine.

He had the same sandy blond hair and light eyes. His chin jutted out in a stubborn tilt that I remembered from pictures of me at his age. He even had the small dimple in the center.

Oh God, I have a son…

My limbs felt heavy and my mind reeled. I felt light-headed and my vision dimmed. There was as loud roar in my ears and it became hard to breathe.

Holy shit. I was a father and all these years, I’d had no idea.

I had missed so much.

Along with my shock and amazement, I began to feel simmering anger.

“Hello, Mr. James. We spoke on the phone. I’m Louisa Robinson, the supervisor. Thank you for coming in so quickly. As you can see, Garrett isn’t feeling very well, and he isn’t happy about it.”

The woman’s voice grounded me, giving me something to concentrate on other than what was going on inside my head. I didn’t have time to dwell on my turbulent emotions because my son needed me. Right now, he was fussing, demanding his mommy.

The little boy called Garrett wailed, fat tears falling down his cheeks as he squirmed in the woman’s hold.

I held out my hand to catch him when he almost fell out of Louisa’s grasp after pushing hard at her chest. Abruptly, he registered my nearness and stilled, leaning into the middle-aged brown-haired woman as he watched me wearily. Tears were still falling from his eyes, but he had stopped letting out gut-wrenching sobs.

“Come on, little guy. We need to get you home,” I said, my voice croaking as if I hadn’t used it in years. I reached for him, keeping my movements slow and deliberate.

Garrett shook his head and then hid his face against Louisa’s neck. “I want my mommy. Where’s Mommy?”

“He doesn’t seem to be very comfortable with you,” the woman observed, bouncing Garrett on her hip.

Maybe because he has no fucking clue who I am, I thought angrily. I had to get myself under control though, or they wouldn’t allow me to walk out of here with my own son. So I pulled out my military training and dutifully suppressed the violent mix of emotions I felt; there would be plenty of time to feel them later.

Right now, I had to be a father. He needed me, and I wouldn’t fail him despite it being the first time I had ever laid eyes on him. I had already failed him for all these years by not being around.

Granted, that wasn’t exactly my fault…

Looking at the woman, I summoned a charming smile. “I have only recently come back into his life and we’re still adjusting to each other. We’ll be fine though. He’s completely safe with me.”

I watched her fall under my spell, a blush making her cheeks pink as she unconsciously patted her bob-styled hair back.

She nodded. “Ms. Clark has always had you as her emergency contact, so I see no reason he can’t be released into your care. Just show me your ID so I can make a copy and you’ll be on your way.”

“No problem.” I pulled my license out of my wallet and handed it over. Still holding onto Garrett, she walked over to the copy machine.

So that’s why they called me, I marveled, astonished that Anna had me written down.

Did that mean she had always thought I would come back, and that she had planned to tell me about him?

Louisa returned my ID. “Looks like it’s all in order,” she said, still bouncing Garrett. She coaxed his head away from her neck. “Be a good boy now, all right? Go on with Mr. James. He’ll take good care of you and you’ll feel better soon, buddy.”