The door swings open and I’m face-to-face with one of the best women I know – Mrs James, as in Harrison’s mum. I look at her and shrug pitifully and she knows instantly that something’s wrong. She puts her arms around me and she pulls me inside. She rubs my back and whispers that everything will be fine. I want to laugh and tell her there’s isn’t a hope in hell that anything is going to be fine, but instead I keep my mouth shut and let myself be comforted by the woman who has been there for me since I joined the band.
“Where’s your wife? Harrison told me you got married.”
“She’s in Beaumont. I came back to take care of some stuff before I head back to her.”
“And I hear she’s having a baby.”
“Yes, she is, and she’s so amazingly beautiful.”
Mrs James kisses me on cheek and holds my face in her hands as her eyes roam, studying me. “In time you’ll tell me what’s bothering you. Until then, Harrison, Katelyn and all my grandbabies are out back.”
“He’s here?”
“Yes, Spring break or something for the kids. Go on, they’re about to eat.”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I kiss her on the cheek and give her a tight hug. I know that I can tell her about Chelsea and she won’t judge me, but there’s no way I can say those words aloud without wanting to choke mys
elf. I still don’t know what the fuck to believe. I can’t, for the life of me, imagine my dad betraying me like that. Chelsea, yes, but not my dad.
As I look around Harrison’s, I wonder if Jenna would like to live in a place like this; being able to walk out to the beach whenever you want. It’d be just like our honeymoon, only permanent and we’d be here, away from the cold weather.
I walk out onto the decking and what I see sends a dagger right through my cold heart. Harrison is so in love with Katelyn it makes me wonder if I can have that. I was in love with Chelsea at one time in my life, but she ruined that and continues to do so. I sought solace in women and lots of them, until now. I have to change, stop being a womaniser, and as much as I want to drink away my sorrows and bed the first bit of totty I see, I can’t. I won’t.
Watching Harrison and Katelyn gives me some kind of hope. He’s holding her, his arms are wrapped loosely around her shoulders. She leans against him, her hands hanging on to his arms. Her smile is so huge and her focus split between him and the kids playing in the surf. He kisses her repeatedly, and it shows me a side of Harrison I’ve never seen before.
“Ahem,” I clear my throat to get their attention. Harrison turns, inadvertently turning Katelyn with him. “Fancy seeing you here,” I say, waving.
“Hey man, grab a beer and join us. Quinn is teaching the twins to body surf.”
I open the fridge in Harrison’s state-of-the-art kitchen and grab a beer. I really don’t want to intrude on their family time and should probably leave after this.
“How’s Jenna?” Katelyn asks.
“She’s good, although I’m thinking I probably should’ve brought her with me.” It’s a lie though. I’m glad I didn’t bring her because I know for a fact that her reaction to Chelsea would be to file for a divorce.
Katelyn kisses Harrison and starts to walk away. He holds on to her until they can’t reach each other anymore. His eyes never leave her as he watches her walk over to the kids. When she’s out of earshot, I blurt out. “I’m in a shitload of fucking trouble. Or at least I think I am.”
He shakes his head and goes over to grab a beer. He sits next to me and takes a long swig. His eyes are still trained on his family.
“Why’d you get married, JD?”
“The baby’s mine.”
“No reason to get married. Are you regretting it?”
“No, I like Jenna and want the baby to have a family.”
Harrison finishes his beer and gets to get another. He brings one back for me and this time sits opposite me. “What’s going on?”
I shrug. “Like I said, I’m fucked.”
“How so?”
I lean back and rub my hands over my face. “Chelsea’s pregnant and she’s going to pin it on me. Everyone’s going to believe her because we have a history.”
Harrison looks back at his family. He waves and smiles. He has what I’m trying to give Jenna but I’m already failing miserably.
“Let’s go for a walk.”