Ryan
My heart was beating like a drum in my chest as I made my way up the walkway toward Sam’s front porch. I had to remind myself not to crush the wrapped gift I was carrying in my hand because my fingers were flexing and unflexing as a result of my nerves. Truth be told, I wasn’t just nervous. I was terrified.
Sam and I had agreed to tell Henry that I was his father.
It was several days after the wedding and Bill’s arrest. Sam had spent the night in the hospital, but she had been released the next day. I’d driven her home myself since I’d been unwilling to let her out of my sight. We’d had the conversation then. Sam was the one to initially bring it up.
As I’d pulled up to her house, she’d looked at me from the passenger’s seat and said, “I don’t think we should waste any more time. Henry should know who you are.”
I’d been stunned, but excited. I’d eagerly agreed and we’d worked out a plan. We’d give it a few days, and then, I’d come over and we’d sit down with him. Sam had wanted to give Henry a few days to bounce back from the Bill incident. He’d been spared most of it, but knowing his momma had been in the hospital had been distressing enough for the little guy.
Reaching Sam’s front door, I stopped and took a few deep breaths to try and steady my racing heartbeat. I wanted to be calm and collected for this conversation, but I was so nervous that I was practically shaking. When I felt like I was steady enough, I raised my hand and knocked on the door.
Within just a few moments, the door opened, and Sam was standing in front of me. She gazed up at me with a tender smile. God, she was gorgeous. Even in a simple T-shirt and jeans, she was a knockout.
“Hey, you,” she said in a soft voice. “How’re you feeling?”
I swallowed. “I’m good, I think. Nervous, obviously.”
She reached forward and took my free hand in hers.
“Don’t worry,” she insisted gently. “This is going to be great. Henry will be thrilled. He’s always wanted to know who his daddy is.”
“What if he’s disappointed?” I blurted, the words slipping out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying.
Her lips parted, and she looked at me in surprise. "Oh, Ryan, that's not going to happen. I promise you that Henry will not be disappointed in the least. He’s already so fond of you. He talks about you, you know.”
My brows shot up, and I stared at her in stunned silence for several moments.
“Re-really?” I stammered at length. “He does?”
She nodded. “Yep. You fascinate him. He thinks you’re practically best friends already.”
I chuckled at that, warmth spreading through my chest. “Wow, that’s awesome. We’ve only spent a little bit of time together, though. Why does he think that?”
She shrugged one delicate shoulder. “He’s a kid, kids have good instincts. Somewhere deep down, he feels a connection to you, and he’s latching onto it. You just need to lean into that.”
I nodded, releasing a long, shuddering breath.
“Okay, that’s good to know. Gives me a place to start with him.”
She let out a little laugh. “My gosh, you’re cute when you’re nervous. Okay, come on. We’ve hovered in the doorway long enough. Henry’s watching cartoons in the living room. Let’s go join him.”
“Okay,” I said in a breathless tone. My anxiety spiked, but I did my best to swallow it as I followed Sam into the house. We made our way to the living room, and I could hear the sing-song voices of some kid show I vaguely recognized. When we entered the room, we found Henry sitting on the floor in front of the TV, seemingly absorbed in his show.
“Henry, buddy,” Sam said, moving to the couch’s end table to pick up the remote. “We’ve got a visitor.”
Henry turned his head from his show and blinked up at me. Excitement overtook his features, and he scrambled to his feet as his mouth turned up into a wide smile.
“Hi, Ryan!” he declared, rushing to me. He wrapped his arms around my legs and gave me a tight hug.
“Hey, pal,” I said, reaching down to ruffle his hair. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” he assured me, letting me go and taking a step back. “What are you doing here? Do you want to play?”
I grinned at him. “I’d love to, buddy, but I want to have a talk with you first.”
His brow furrowed with curiosity. “What about?”
I glanced at Sam, feeling a sharp stab of panic that left me tongue-tied. She grinned at me and showed me some mercy.
“We both have something we want to tell you,” she told Henry, reaching down to take his hand. “Come sit on the couch with us, okay? I’ll pause your show.”