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Anger flashes across Greg’s face before it subsides, replaced by hurt. “I’m not an absent father, Lucy.Youkept her away fromme. Remember that before you speak.”
Keeping a straight face, I nod once and then head off toward Katie and Dylan, leaving Greg to follow. His words do everything to remind me that deep down, he’s still the same guy, and I can’t get sucked into the nice things he does. I need to be wary.
Dylan’s the first to spot us when we approach, and his jaw locks when his eyes find Greg. If I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that Dylan was smart enough not to ruin his career with an assault charge, I wouldn’t have asked him to come. But thankfully, I’m confident in that.
Katie spots Greg a few seconds later, and she frowns briefly before smiling. Reaching for Dylan’s hand, she waits patiently for us to arrive and then motions for me to bend down so she can whisper in my ear. “I thought it was going to be Wes,” she says, her voice laced with disappointment. My chest tightens as I bite back a gasp, having no idea why she would think that.
When I straighten up, my eyes lock on Dylan’s and there’s no doubt in my mind that he heard what she said, with his expression almost mimicking mine.And if he heard…
I turn to find Greg staring at me with a forced smile and rigid stance. He absolutely knows what she said, and he’s not too happy about it. Then again, I guess I wouldn’t be either.
“Katie, this is Greg. Greg, this is Katie,” I say, hoping to move on.
Katie nods Greg’s way and then her eyes flash to me and Dylan. I hold my breath waiting to see what she does, and just when I think I’m going to have to intervene, she turns back to Greg. “Do you want to play football?”
I mentally facepalm because of all things to say, that was possibly the worst, but at least she’s trying. Plus, she doesn’t know that Greg thinks I left him for a football player all those years ago.
Greg, to his credit, gives Katie a huge smile and asks her to lead the way. All while Dylan fumes as he watches them walk to the field.
Hip checking him on the way past, I manage to get a tiny smile in return, but it’s obvious that he’s struggling to keep his cool. And I can’t say I blame him.
Katie and Greg play until it starts getting dark and I have to call it a day. Katie objects as usual, and by the time Dylan and I finally get her into my car, I’m emotionally drained. I’ve been on edge ever since Greg arrived, but I didn’t realize how tense I was until he was gone.
I can’t wait to talk to Katie about her thoughts but know it’s going to take her some time to process things. If I ask her now she’ll just shrug or tell me she doesn’t know, but if I give her an hour, she won’t shut up about it.
After closing Katie’s door, I turn to find Dylan pacing in front of me. It’s what he does when he’s worked up about something. “I’m sorry, Dylan. I know that was difficult, but I really appreciate you being here.”
“You’re sorry?” he asks, confused. “You shouldn’t be sorry,I’msorry. I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling right now. You’re my hero, Luce. Always have been. Your strength. My God…you’re just…amazing. And don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.”
He pulls me into a hug as tears prick my eyes, and I mumble a thanks into his chest. My phone starts ringing but I ignore it, enjoying the comfort from my baby bro. Having him here made a world of difference, and he wasn’t even needed.
Katie and I grab take-out dinner on the way home, and when she’s all tucked into bed, I finally ask about Greg.
“Was today okay, sweetie? You had fun with Greg, right?”
“It was good. He’s nice.”
“He is.”Can be. “Do you want to see him again?”
Katie shrugs and shifts her attention to one of the many stuffed toys she has in her bed. “If I do, I don’t think we’ll play football. He’s not that good.”
I bite back a laugh and lie down next to her, wrapping her up in my arms. “I’m sure we can find something else for you to do together.”
“Like karaoke?”
This time I do laugh. Katie’s been obsessed with karaoke ever since finding out Dylan once sang to Summer.
“We can ask. But for now, it’s time to close our eyes.”
“Can you stay in here until I fall asleep tonight?” she asks, and while I’d normally ask her to try on her own, tonight I easily agree.
“Of course. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Katie takes a little while to drift off, so in my exhausted state, I pass out next to her. It’s not the first time and it definitely won’t be the last, but when I wake I’m a little disoriented. By the time I make it to my room it’s three a.m. and I’m still so tired, I could probably sleep for a month.
Double-checking I’ve set my alarm on my phone, I see a message from Wes and wince. Actually two missed calls and three texts.Shit!
