Chapter 17

Jacob POV

“Buddy, are you excited for your party?” I ask as Liam comes bouncing down the stairs.

“Yes, I am. Can we go now?” He eyes me impatiently.

It’s his fifth birthday, and I’ve planned the ultimate bash at Adventureland in Long Island. Leaving nothing to chance, I had the amusement park closed to outsiders for the day so we could have the lay of the land. Also, I had ulterior motives—I figured Liam would score brownie points with his school friends after another bullying incident.

Last week, he returned home, sobbing, saying the other kids were making fun of him once again because he doesn’t have a mom.

My little guy, the sensitive soul that he is, didn’t take it too well and ended up spending the rest of the day holed up in his room. Through his closed door, I could hear the occasional sob. When he didn’t come down for dinner, I went up, begging him to eat something.

“Buddy, you’re not going to eat? It’s your favourite—mac and cheese,” I said behind the door.

“I’m not hun