Page 45 of Pretend it’s Forever

“Be good for your grandmother,” I said as I knelt down in front of Hazel and Violet and kissed their little cheeks. I loved spending time with my girls. In between work, and the constant drama that was my ex, sometimes I didn’t feel like I had enough of it. But they were the light of my life, and I hoped they knew that.

“Of course, Mommy,” Hazel said softly as she kissed my cheek right back.

“Love you,” Violet added and kissed my other cheek.

“Are you ready to spend time with Grammy?” my mother asked as she ran her hands over my little girls’ heads and smiled.

My mother had been a good mother growing up. She had cared about us and ensured that we were able to lean into our strengths. We’d played sports, danced, and Kyler had always been able to focus on his music. She had loved us and helped us strive to become who we needed to be.

A side of me had always wondered if she had focused so hard, had pushed with so much devotion, because she knew she held a secret.

She had tried to take the place of both mother and father when our dad couldn’t be bothered, but then again, she had known about the secret family the entire time. Had worked out a way to still be with the man that she loved—despite his faults—and keep the secret from her kids.

As a mother myself, I partly understood why she had done it.

Growing up, if we had known we were only second best in his eyes, or worse, I don’t know if we would’ve thrived like we had. She had put blockades in front of us to protect us, and perhaps it hadn’t been enough, but she had done her best, and honestly had to atone for her sins.

It wasn’t my job to judge her or the choice that she had made as a wife. And as a mother, well, as I looked back on everything that she had done for us, I realized that she had tried her best. Maybe it wasn’t enough for some of my siblings, but knowing that I would raze the earth to protect my girls, I understood some of her choices.

“You guys are going to have a blast today,” I said as I looked up at my mother and hoped she saw the truth in my gaze. I didn’t hate her. I didn’t resent her. Maybe part of me would always wonder why she had made those choices, but I was not my mother.

“We will. We’re going to be playing with slime.”

I groaned. “Really?”

“It’s a grandmother’s prerogative. Plus I set aside a whole part of the house, so it looks like Dexter’s basement.

The girls looked confused, and I tried not to laugh because my mother was doing her best. And honestly, she was a fantastic grandmother. She deserved all of the love and adoration for that. She even cared for the grandkids that weren’t hers by blood.

Melanie Cage had essentially been kicked out of the family. She hadn’t been a good mother. Had been cruel, and vindictive, and had hated my own mother. So no, I would never forgive that woman for the pain and terror she caused. But I was not part of that circle.

My mother held Aston’s son as if she were his grandmother in truth, and from what I could see, that baby would grow up knowing that he was loved by so many people, including his grandmother Constance. It was the same with Ford’s child, and any other child who would come from the Cages.

My mother now had twelve sets of Cage families to watch over, and all of their next generation. So while mistakes had been made, there had been a purpose none of us could ever hope to understand.

“Do you have any good plans for the day?”

“Paperwork. My team is running the studio today, since I worked late into the night, but household chores and paperwork are calling my name.”

My mother reached forward and touched my face. “Take care of yourself too, my darling.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Is Mr. Carson coming?” Violet asked and it took me a moment to get through the buzzing in my ears to answer.

My mother gave me an odd look, the curiosity in her gaze blinding.

“I believe he’s working. With your uncles.” I looked at my mother and hoped that she didn’t ask any questions at this moment. I still answered a few unasked ones anyway. “He’s friends with James and Flynn and has met the girls a few times because of the merger.”

“Ah.” I didn’t know if my mother truly believed that, but she wouldn’t ask. Because once the truth had been laid out about the formation of our family, she would never pry. And while some of me wanted to bare my soul to her, the rest knew that doing so would open up all the pieces I wasn’t ready to speak on.

Namely, the fact that I’d had the best sex of my life with a man I might never see again.

It was totally normal.

“Okay, have fun, girls. And try not to make too much of a mess for Grandma,” I teased.

The girls chattered in their own secret language, speaking a mile a minute, and I only caught every fourth word or so. My mother leaned forward and squeezed my hand, the touch startling.