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“But why couldn’t you just tell him the truth?” I hear Kate’s voice. She sounds just as distressed as her mom. I feel terrible for listening to what they’re saying, but it’s kind of hard to avoid.
“I wanted to, so many times,” Nalani says. “But the more years passed, the harder and harder it became. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“So you kept the truth from me? Everything about my life is a lie, and you were happy to keep stringing that lie along?”
“I wish you could see how difficult it was back then. Your Father changed. He went back on what he said he wanted, I thought we were in love—I didn’t know what to do anymore. There’s no way I thought it would turn out the way it did.”
“And he took me to Seattle to keep his promise to my Grandfather so I could inherit part of the company one day?” Ultimately, that seems like the stipulation he had.
“I never knew about that, only that he wanted to take you with him, and he threatened me. I would have only visitation rights if I tried to stop him.”
My stomach turns at her words. It’s more complicated and ugly than I ever could have imagined.
“All for his own agenda,” Ashton scoffs. “Not because he wanted me. It was so when I turn thirty, if not before, I get my trust fund, which my Dad was placed in charge of. He grew to know I wouldn’t want it—so he would have gotten it all for himself, anyway. I find it hard to believe the push was something in his head about pleasing his own Father!”
“I don’t know what his agenda was to do with that,” his mother says softly. “I just know that he was very stubborn whenhe wanted something his way. I’m sorry, Ashton. I should have told you. I was ashamed, very, very ashamed of the situation.”
“Is that why I never knew my Grandparents?”
I don’t hear her reply, but I hear her crying again, and I realize this is my cue to give them some space. I feel like I’m invading their privacy.
I scrawl on the hotel notepad for Ashton that I’ve gone to grab a bite to eat and to call me when he’s ready.
The last thing I feel like is eating, but I don’t want him to think I’ve run out on him. Em calls me when I walk out of the hotel to find somewhere to have a coffee and think about this whole process and what it means.
“Mads, are you okay?” are the first words out of her mouth.
“Yeah, Em. I’m okay,” I say, telling her about the situation going on with a letter to Ashton from his father, and they’re having a family meeting about it.
She can’t believe it. “Mad's, that's so awful.”
“I know. I’m just trying to support him, he’s so confused right now. I sigh. “Anyway, how are you doing?” I ask her in return.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, we didn’t get to see each other before you left. I take it you’ve made things up with Ash?”
“We did,” I say. “It was nothing compared to what he’s going through now. We’ve really grown a connection these past few days, Em. We told each other I love you.”
“Oh. My. God.”
“I know. It’s pretty full on.”
“I can’t believe my best friend has fallen for Taylor’s best friend after all these years!”
“It’s pretty bizarre,” I agree. “But you were right when you said he was a great guy all those years. He really is.”
“What are you gonna do?” she asks.
That’s the big burning question we haven’t yet addressed with everything going on.
“I have no idea at the moment,” I confess. “I think it will all just work itself out. Isn’t that how it goes?”
She laughs. “Yeah, I guess so. I feel bad I’m not there, though.”
“No.” I shake it off. “Really, there’s nothing you could do. Ash is sorting it all out with them now at the hotel. I’m just killing time.”
“I’ll be back next week for the funeral. Then Taylor and I will spend some time in Florida before pre-season training starts.”
It makes me wonder all the more what Ashton and I are going to do once that starts. I’ve never thought about uprooting my life for a guy before. That’s never what it’s come down to. But it seems inevitable in our situation if we want to make it work. One of us has to move.
