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My dad moved a hand down his jaw. “I think it just triggered me that you went to him instead of coming to me when it came to everything with Charlie,” he said, my lips parting. He frowned. “That you chose that route instead of trusting me.”
I sat up. “I went to him because I didn’t want to hurt you. You? Mom?” I swallowed. “I just had suspicions about Mayberry, and I wanted to protect you guys. Mom was already going through so much and…” My jaw shifted. “I just didn’t want to hurt you guys when I didn’t even know something as fact.”
And he had to know that. I didn’t trust Grandpa more than him. I didn’t trust that fucker as far as I could throw him.
“I know, son.” Dad brought his hands together, nodding. “But you have to understand that doesn’t stop how it felt. How it feels to know your kid went behind your back to someone else regardless of the fact that person happened to be my father.”
“Dad—”
He raised a hand. “These are things I have to deal with, but they’re not enough to keep your grandfather out of the fold. I’ve set up a meeting with him today, and well, I’d like you to go with me.”
I blinked, his hand lifting higher.
“I want you to see for yourself everything that is going on, and after, I’d like for you to drop it. There will be no more sneaking around and definitely no more lying.” Dad’s lips turned down. “Your grandfather is going to be a part of all this, but only on my and your mother’s terms. We were up all night talking about this, and the only way this will happen is for you to follow some rules. One is you are never to reach out to your grandfather directly. There’s no need for it, so it won’t happen, and you’re definitely not going to see him. You may be right that he doesn’t want to hurt you, but you having any type of relationship doesn’t sit well with me or your mother. It was all I could do last night to convince her that this meeting should happen.”
“Why is it happening?” I asked. “You working with grandfather doesn’t have to have anything to do with me.”
That was something he’d made clear in his office.
Dad started his car. “Because again, you’re like me. You won’t drop this issue until you get some closure. My dad has agreed to meet with us today to talk about a collaboration, but your presence is only as a spectator. You agree to that, and you can be a part of the initial conversation.”
It was sad he felt he had to do this for me, and I hated that he was right. I needed to feel like I could control something, anything.
I nodded quickly, and Dad sighed again. He got us moving, and we were silent for the most part. We were going to see my grandpa.
And I was going to see him with my father.
*
The meeting my grandfather and dad had set up ended up being at the house my grandfather had purchased in town. Thatcher, the guys, and I had found out he’d purchased a property in Maywood Heights, and though my grandpa had yet to explain that, I was surprised my dad had agreed to meet him there.
I didn’t when I got there.
My dad had half the cops in the city there to meet us, and even one of my god dads was present.
When LJ had made it into town exactly, I didn’t know, but he and his wife Billie had shown up pretty early in this thing. He was there now outside my grandfather’s mansion, standing with the fleet of police when my dad rolled up in his Tesla.
“Hey, brother,” LJ had said to him when he got out, then hugged me. “How you holding up, kid?”
As well as I could, hugging him tight. It was always good to see him. I started to let go, but he didn’t let me right away.
“This is taking a lot for him, so have his back in there, all right?” he said, pulling away. Dad was shaking hands with the chief of police, and LJ squeezed my shoulder. “You be sure to be his support. I’m going in there too, but you need to stand by him with me and especially listen to him.”
I didn’t know what had been said before I got here, but Dad had told me I was a spectator today. I would listen, and I knew this was going to take a lot for him. I mean, how couldn’t it?
This was Grandpa.
I didn’t want to be putting my dad through any of this, and it tore my stomach up just thinking about this. My father and grandfather in the same room.
It shouldn’t be this way.
I really wished my dad would just let me do this myself, but I knew that wasn’t happening. I could possibly keep myself out of the equation here and not go, but then my dad would worry about me sneaking around. It was a lose-lose situation either way. This meeting was going to happen.
After speaking to the police, my dad hugged my godfather.
“The police got everything secure, brother,” LJ mentioned, letting Dad go. “Got people both inside and out. Your dad made it easy.”
Yeah, he was being super agreeable here, super helpful.
