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Aithan stayed silent. Maybe he knew I was struggling.
I pulled back, grabbed Drew’s face, and kissed him hard, one of those messy, teary kisses that are pure and beautiful and ugly all at once. “No,” I said against his mouth, giving up all hope of not crying on him. “No, I’llnevernot want you. I’llnevernot love you. I hate that you suffered and I can’t fix it. I want to undo all that fear and hunger and misery. But I can’t and I hate that I can’t because I love you so much.”
Drew pulled back. “I love you too, Brick.” Tears shimmered in his eyes. He wiped my damp cheeks with his sleeve. “But you can’t fix my past. And that’s okay, Zel. It’s over and it made me who I am. If I didn’t have that past, I wouldn’t have this present.” He stroked my cheek. “This is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
22
THANKFUL
“Mom, this was a fantastic meal.”I savored another bite of pumpkin pie.
“Thank you, honey, but you deserve just as much credit. Everything is based on your recipes or was prepped by you.”
“Cooked with love,” Aithan remarked.
Drew added, “For the record, this was the best Thanksgiving meal I’ve ever eaten.”
He and Aithan flanked me, and I side-eyed him. “You’ve had mostly bad Thanksgiving meals.”
“True.” He reached over with his fork and stole a bite of my pumpkin pie. He studied it for a moment before putting it in his mouth. He slowly chewed and swallowed, considered, and said, “I might even learn to like homemade pumpkin pie.”
I smiled. “Thatis Mom’s recipe.”
“It’s pretty damn good.”
“Excellent,” Aithan agreed.
Dad said, “They’re right, Dini, the meal was outstanding and just what we needed after way too much goddamn drama.”
I looked down. He’d said nothing about Greer and Tristan when we’d come in from the guesthouse for dinner. He’d just given me a long hug, then sent me to help serve up food while he talked quietly with Aithan and Drew.
“Now that we have full stomachs, I’m gonna address the elephant not in the room,” Dad continued. “I told your sister she could stay in the garage apartment, but not with Mr. Blaylock. He is unwelcome in my home. Period. The decision is hers. I won’t cut her off even if I’d like to slap some sense into her.”
“Good,” I replied. “I wouldn’t want you to shut her out.”
“I didn’t think so.” Dad’s tone softened. “But I also told her our forgiveness for what she’s done to you will be a long time coming. I didn’t speak for you, except to say she must seek your forgiveness, but be prepared to never receive it.”
I shook my head. “I can’t even think about that now. I can’t fathom what she did or why and the weirdness of it all.” Putting down my fork, I placed my hands on Aithan’s arm and Drew’s hand. “I’m just thankful for what I have.”
Drew kissed my fingers. Aithan kissed my cheek.
“Awful things make you appreciate the good,” Drew said, and we all knew he spoke from experience. “That’s why I appreciate this family.” He reached behind me and clapped Aithan on the back.
“Maybe so,” Mom said, “but this is a terrible experience you didn’t need, Zelda. I think you’d appreciate Aithan and Drew without your sister making a mess of your last relationship.”
“It wasn’t a mess, Mom, it was a mockery.”
“A travesty,” Drew remarked.
“Travesty?” I asked.
He stole another bite of my pie. “‘A false, absurd, or distorted representation of something,’ according to my dictionary.”
“You have a photographic memory?” Dad asked him.
Drew nodded. “Blessing and curse.”
“No doubt,” he murmured.
