Page 12 of I’m Already Gone

I didn’t know how many more chances Jake would offer. If anything, Ethan may have already blown it with his son.

And there wasn’t a single thing I could do to fix it.

“Mom! Can I go with Auntie Sam?” Maddy asked, bouncing in place. “I wanna wait for Jake to get out of the locker room.”

I looked over at Sam. She was already chuckling, looking down at her niece with a soft expression. “I’ve got her,” she told me.

“Okay, sweet pea,” I replied.

She leaped off the bleachers, grabbing Sam’s hand and dragging her toward the locker room.

Once they were out of sight, Erica, Ethan’s mom, flashed a bright smile in my direction and pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh, Lily. Jake was amazing.”

“He really was,” I agreed, returning her hug.

She pulled back, her eyes searching mine, a small frown creasing her brow. “I thought Ethan was going to make it tonight.”

I forced a shrug, a familiar knot tightening in my stomach. “He’s working late.”

“Oh.” Her smile faltered. “He’s been… working late nights often?” she asked.

“Yes. He’s been really busy,” I said, hoping my face didn’t betray the exhaustion I felt from repeating that line.

Erica opened her mouth as if to speak, but her husband, James, stepped in, his arm around my shoulders, before he leaned down to kiss my cheek. “My favorite daughter-in-law.”

I managed a small chuckle. “I’m your only daughter-in-law, James.”

“Okay, then. My favorite only daughter-in-law,” he corrected.

I shook my head, amused. “You’re too sweet.”

His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he looked around. “And you’re too sweet for my son, who, as I can see, is missing tonight. Again.”

My shoulders tensed. “He got caught up with work.”

His eyebrows crinkled, the jovial mask slipping. He gestured vaguely toward the ground with his chin. “He knew about this, right?”

I nodded.

“James,” Erica warned gently, her hand on his arm. “Let’s not make a scene. Not here.”

He glared at her, his jaw tightening. “He missed his own son’s last meet of the season, Erica. That is not okay. I sure as hell didn’t teach him that.”

“Mom!” Maddy’s excited voice cut through the tension as she ran toward us, Sam and my parents following close behind. “Jake’s coming out!”

I offered Maddy a quick, strained smile, then turned back to my in-laws, my voice dropping to a plea so no one else could hear. “Please. Don’t let Jake know how upset you are that Ethan isn’t here. Not tonight.”

“But sweetheart—” James started, his voice thick with frustration. I respectfully raised my hand, cutting him off.

“Please,” I pleaded again. “It’s between Ethan and me. Just…” I trailed off, turning as Jake’s teammates began to spill out of the locker room doors.

“We won’t, sweetheart,” Erica assured me, her grip tight on my hand.

I gave her a small, thankful smile. James wrapped his arms around his wife’s shoulders, a silent acknowledgment. “Okay, Lily.”

“Thank you.”

My parents, Richard and Coral Carter, were suddenly before me, pulling me into a giant bear hug.