Sabre ignored him, moving to hug Liz. “I hugged Grace, told her you’d be alright, and the next thing I knew, they were in the SUV.”
Liz smiled, hugging him back. “Under…esti...mate.”
I’d take my rage out in the gym later, but I wasn’t sure how to take this fresh development. I expected Pretty, Sabre, and even Grizz to hug Liz. She was a member of their immediate family, but every brother who’d come—How, Zook, Cyph, Op, Grease, and Wreck—all hugged her too, telling her quickly how glad they were she was alright. I should have known she’d cemented her position in the club. They would have protected her even if she hadn’t been mine.
If she figured out she didn’t need me, I’d lose my marriage before it even started.
***
Elizabeth
I’d put this off long enough. We’d gotten back to the clubhouse before dinner, but I’d begged off. I told the girls I was exhausted, hightailing it to my room to hide out. I wasn’t in the right headspace to play detective with them. Instead, I played checkers with Thunder, eating snacks and giggling as if nothing had happened.
The sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, and all I could feel was dread as I held onto the railing and walked up the stairs to Grace’s front door. They would ask a million questions, and I didn’t want to ruin my vacation.Honeymoon.Those details were for me, and I wanted to hold them tight to my chest.
I reached for the doorknob, stopping before I twisted it open. I could run, but the girls would chase me down. Taking a deep breath, I wanted to release the pressure, but my chest only tightened. I’d never thought this would be my life, but I was going to have to reckon with the past. I couldn’t keep it buried any longer when it was rearing its ugly head.
If I could go back, I would never have gone to that first dinner with Alex. There had been too much pain to justify the short time he’d been in my life. I turned the knob, pushing the door in before taking off my shoes.
“In the kitchen, Auntie.” It was too late to turn back. They already knew I was here.
Grace appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. She was pale, her hand at her stomach, but when she saw me, her smile appeared. Grace had been worried. I wouldn’t let her or the baby hurt, but then a thought passed through my mind. If she hadn’t taken a chance on Sabre, Thunder would never have been in my life. No matter what happened, I’d always be grateful for that.
I raised my arms as high as I could, and she came rushing to hug me. She wasn’t showing, but hugging her tight, I could feel the hint of a bump. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“For what?” she whispered back, holding me just as tight.
“This.” It wasn’t enough. “Every…thing.”
“I know. I can’t imagine life without this.” She pulled back a little, searching my face. “How are you?”
“Eh.” I attempted a half-hearted shrug. “You?”
“I’m alright as long as you’re alright.” She hugged me one more time before pulling completely away. “They’re waiting for you in the kitchen. I told them they couldn’t attack before you had coffee.”
I followed her into the kitchen, and no sooner had she moved towards the counter than Meredith came flying at me. Her momentum almost took me down, and I had to take several steps back and hold on to the wall to stay upright.
“Silly.”
“Dad’s going to die, and I can’t lose any more people in my life.”
“Stop,” I told her. “Your…dad…made…choice.”
“I told her the same thing. If Dad’s going to die, it’s because of something hedid. We don’t own anyone else’s shit anymore.” Grace’s back was to us. I’d never heard her speak so directly before, especially about her father. I liked it. It was about time.
I hugged Meredith tightly, not wanting her to feel left out. “Who’s…idea?” When the girls looked at me with blank stares, I added, “Car.”
“I told Meredith we should have waited, but she said they wouldn’t care if we lined up. Sabre threatened to cut the wires in my SUV if we didn’t stay.”
I couldn’t hold in my laugh as I moved around the kitchen towards Emily. “Were you…trouble?” I asked her as I hugged her just as tightly as I had my nieces. Emily didn’t have any additional family here, and I always included her as if she were one of my own.
“No, my brother thought it was funny, and Tyler didn’t really say much. He didn’t have an argument when he would have done the same thing. He just wanted to make sure I was safe, and I can’t fault him for that.” I should have been worried when her eyes sparkled. She pulled back from me but didn’t drop her arms. “So, the honeymoon was wonderful?”
“Yes.” That was all I said. The girls laughed at my quick response, and the three of us took a seat at the kitchen table, waiting for Grace. JR was in his bouncer, completely oblivious, and Pumpkin moved around in the Pack ‘N Play.What if I had missed this?
“I’m sorry.” For scaring them.
“So…” Meredith cupped her cheek, resting her elbow on the table. “Did you get over one man with another?”
