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“I thought you said no more scheming.”
“Okay, well, I meant that in the context of not scheming to get you guys in the same room with each other. I can do a little scheming for other purposes, can’t I?”
I put my feet up on the coffee table next to her, thinking it over. On the one hand, I knew she was right about me needing to make a move if I really wanted to get Layla back. Alone, without beingParent Trap’d into it.
But on the other hand, Jo had been there for me since the moment I’d found out about Grayson. She’d dropped everything to move in with us and help me raise him so I could stay in the Marines even though I was a single dad now. I never would have gotten through these last three years without her, and I wasn’t too proud to admit I might need her help with Layla, too.
“What am I supposed to do when I get there? Assuming I don’t get thrown out, of course.”
“Nope. I can’t help with that part. I don’t know Layla like you do. Heck, I didn’t even know the real reason you guys broke up until this week. But your heart’s in the right place. You’re a great man and dad to Grayson. You love her, so I know you’ll be able to figure it out. You just need to get off this couch, get dressed, and get over there.”
Sighing, I let my head fall back onto the cushion of the couch. “I get all of that, and I appreciate it, but does it have to be tonight?”
“Zac,” she said on a sigh, reaching out and patting my knee. “Haven’t you waited long enough?”
My stomach clenched, remembering all the nights I’d stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep, mind racing with thoughts of Layla and what might have been. I may not have been able to see things from her perspective at the time, but I felt it in my soul that my great life with my awesome kid was only missing one thing.Her.
“Do I really have to wear the pink tie?”
“Of course not. I just thought it would be a nice touch. It’ll probably match Layla’s dress.”
“Layla’s dress is royal blue. I saw it that day at the bridal shop.” Images of Layla in that dress were permanently etched in my brain, and my throat felt tight recalling them now.
“Oh. Ms. Hattie said her flowers were pink roses, so I guess I just assumed. Either way, the blue and pink are probably a gorgeous combo. It’ll coordinate, at least.”
“Or it’ll look like I’m trying too hard.”
She shrugged. “So what? That’s better than not trying hard enough.”
I looked over at my son. He sat at the kitchen table, eating his pizza while playing with miniature superhero figures, happy as a clam. That kid had been my whole world since the day I met him. I’d given every single part of my heart and soul to him, knowing how much he needed it. Losing his mom so suddenly could’ve ruined him. But it hadn’t. And I was proud of that.
At the same time, even though he had me, Jo, and my parents in his corner, he’d benefit from having Layla in his life, too. And if she agreed to be with me, she wouldn’t leave us like I’d originally feared. Back then, I was so blinded by shock that I hadn’t been able to see that. But I saw it now. Layla was a strong woman who knew what she wanted, and if she said she wanted to be with us, she’d mean it. For good.
Standing, I gathered my clothes and headed toward my room, stopping by the kitchen table on the way. “Gray?”
“Yeah, Dad?”
“I have to run an errand. You cool hanging out with Auntie Jo tonight? Maybe you guys can stay up late and play board games.”
He looked confused, his eyes zipping back and forth between me and Jo. “But we were gonna make a blanket fort in the living room as soon as you left. That’s what Auntie Jo said at the pond. She said we were going to steal your king sheets ’cause they’re biggest. Can we still do that?”
“Totally, big guy,” Jo replied. “That’s still the plan.”
Realizing I’d been played, I turned to her and slowly shook my head. When she only smiled her most innocent smile, I trudged into my room to get ready. Regardless of the amount of scheming that had gone into this, it was time to make my move.
* * *
When I turned onto the circular driveway in front of the venue, a valet in a pink vest jogged over to my truck and opened my door. “Good evening, sir.”
I returned his greeting and got out, releasing a shaky breath as he got in and took my truck. No going back now. Two people stood at the entrance to the B&B, one of them holding a clipboard. If it held a list of guests for the wedding, my name wouldn’t be on it. And since I was wearing this dang suit—no tie, I’d opted to leave the top two buttons open instead—I couldn’t exactly play it off like I wasn’t here for the wedding.
My eyes zipped to the side of the mansion. Since the people at the door were too busy chatting and hadn’t noticed me yet, I headed in that direction instead of toward the doors.
I walked along the side, hands in my pockets and steps casual, making like I was supposed to be there. But as soon as I rounded the corner at the back, I ran into a brick wall.
“Whoa, there,chief,” a man in a black suit said, eyeing me suspiciously. “Where you headed?”
Internally, I groaned. I hated dudes who used those kinds of condescending greetings. It was right up there withbossandbig guy—or evenbuddyorfriend, when we were neither of those things—butchiefwas especially cringey now that I’d had years of sensitivity training as a military police officer and knew it was offensive to some people with Native blood.
