AJ's Salvation Read Online Free PDF

nice and tell her I love her, then I get out of it,” he explained conspiratorially. 
    “Good suggestion,” Jam replied with a grin. 
    “Stop whispering,” Aly scolded, placing her hands on her hips. She looked serious, but Jamison knew her well enough to recognize the signs of amusement on her face. “Jamison, you have been a bad boy, so you need to help me prepare. Up,” she went on, pointing at him with a threatening finger. As much as he loved being around his son, he couldn’t deny that he wanted a few moments alone with the woman who had saved the little boy all those years ago.
     He joined her in the kitchen where he and Alessandro had already taken out everything they would need to prepare the batter. “He calls me dad as if it’s the most normal thing in the world,” he whispered, and she nodded, breaking the eggs while licking her lips.
    “For him, it is,” she finally admitted, and he leaned back against the wall, watching her in silence for a moment as he waited for her to continue. “When I left, I wondered what I should tell him. But I figured I should stay as close to the truth as possible. As soon as he was old enough, I started to tell him about you. Greg always sent pictures of you and him doing things together, and I would point you out. At some point, it simply became a tradition. He was sure you’d come by one day. He knows everything about you that I know.” She wasn’t looking at him, but he could tell her mind wasn’t on the task at hand. She spilled nothing, though, apparently having prepared breakfast like this more than once.
    “In the beginning, I thought you’d show and try to take him back. Or that they would figure it all out. No matter what I feared, though, I wanted Alessandro to be an open, happy child. I taught him always to be friendly to people yet never go with anyone. His teachers think he’s the most polite kid out there. I don’t know what you’d want your son to learn, but I figured respecting women and being a sweet kid was all a dad could ask for.” Her voice was quivering. He reached for her, but she avoided his touch.
    “You did everything just the way I hoped you would.” His throat felt thick as she looked up.
    “He has so much of you, you wouldn’t believe it. He’s a hit with the ladies, especially the ones he wants something from. During summer, there’s an ice-cream stand down the road. I allow him ice cream two days a week. Sadly, he knows how to talk to that lady, so he always gets one for free. He has your strong mind and happy demeanor. Sometimes, when I see him …” She trailed off as if she had been close to saying something that wasn’t intended for his ears. As it was, he had heard enough anyway. 
    She had no idea about what was hidden beneath the face she had known for so long. A happy demeanor was something he no longer possessed. And if he would have the strong mind Aly obviously had admired back then, they’d never be where they were right then.
    “Stop talking about me as if I’m someone amazing,” Jam barked, and Alessia’s head snapped up, total surprise on her face.
    She meanwhile had taken out a pan and was flipping the food like a professional cook. He loved watching her, yet he wanted to leave. He shouldn’t be with her, yet he was unable to help but be proud of what his son had become.
    “You and I may never have been close, as in best friends or lovers, but I’ve seen you. I’ve heard you. I’ve spent so much time watching you and listening to you that I know exactly what’s inside that handsome skin!” Her protest was lost on him. She knew nothing, but he wasn’t ready to comment on that any further. 
    “How did you come up with his name?” He could tell he’d startled her with the topic change. He also realized he had taken on a rather aggressive stance, so he put a smile on and took a deep breath. She shook her head, confused, and he couldn’t blame her.
    “I wanted him to have something from me.