41. Grady
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Grady
We don’t sleep much, but it’s still the most restful night I’ve had in years. My arms are empty when I wake, and the bed feels cold. I jerk up, rubbing my eyes to take in the room. She’s gone.
I find her on the dock, a throw blanket caped around her naked body, staring at the lake as the sun rises. A misty fog lingers, waiting for the sun to burn it away. Orange bands peek through the towering pine trees, spotlighting the water in pieces, bringing color to the grayness.
That’s what she’s done for me—brought color to my grayness.
My arms lock around her, and she leans into me. I kiss her exposed shoulder. “You disappeared on me. I should’ve been clear—I wanted to wake up to you, too.”
“Sorry. I wanted to see.”
“Wake me, next time.”
“Imagine waking up to this every day,” she sighs. Since I do wake up to it every day, it seems like she’s talking more to herself. “It’s beautiful. I see why people pay big bucks to live here.”
She takes a deep breath, twisting in my arms and smiling wide when she faces me. “Good morning.” A soft kiss bookends her greeting. She wraps her blanket around me, crushing her naked body against me. Our kiss deepens in a breath, and damn if I don’t want to take her right then and there. Against a dock post. In my deck chair. On the pier itself. Hell, even in the water. I don’t care. I belong to her now.
Like she’s read my mind, her hand slips over my pajama pants, gripping me. The blanket falls off one shoulder, exposing her breast. And she smiles over my sharp inhale, seeing her like this. We are raw from kissing. Raw from fucking. Yet, I want her again, desperately, like we haven’t spent the last eight hours this way.
She agrees without a word when she lets the blanket fall to her feet.
Naked Marina, drenched in morning sun. Achingly beautiful.
A protective pang rips through me, scanning our surroundings. I don’t want anyone to see her. She is for me. But it’s a quiet nook of the lakefront. It’s early, and the mist acts like a shield. I hope.
She backs against a post, and I follow, devouring her lips, her neck, as she wraps her legs around me. She moans full-on when I push inside, scaring birds into flight nearby, which makes her laugh. I love that she’s having fun with me. That she wants me like this. That dock-fucking might become a thing for us, like playing chess and impromptu things at Rebellion.
I want us to have so many things.
After, we shower. She lets me braid her hair, a much sexier activity than the first time I did it. We fix breakfast. Over coffee on the back porch, we make plans. It’s Sunday. Barring any emergencies, we’re both off. She wants to play chess and learn how to fish.
I’m in heaven.
Her ringing phone breaks our peaceful moment. She rushes inside, searching for it in her bag.
“Wren?” she answers. “Everything?—”
In the heavy pause, her demeanor changes, light to dark, in a cold second.
“What?” Her voice trembles before she swallows a lump in her throat and seems to return to herself. “Yes, I’m sorry, Wren. I hate that you’re in that position. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
She ends the call and calmly reports, “There’s a woman at my door claiming to be my mother. Wren doesn’t know what to do.”
It’s impossible to gauge her reaction—she’s stoic like her shields went up at the word mother .
“It’s okay.” I grab my keys and offer a weak smile. “Let’s go. Whatever happens, I’ve got you.”
I don’t know if she hears me because she’s already pulling on her sweater and reaching for her bag. I follow her outside. In The Beast, she says nothing, even when I prompt her, only stares out the window and fidgets with her fingers.
The Beast squeaks to a stop behind an old, red Honda Pilot, packed to the brim with stuff, even on the luggage rack. Wren leans against the front door, closed behind her, like a sentry at a castle. A woman in her late forties with flaming red hair stands on the porch steps, unquestionably Marina’s mother.
She brightens when we pull in, a smile that is all too familiar, and she quick-steps to greet us. Marina’s breath hitches beside me, and she’s out of the truck before I put it in park.
They embrace, and it lingers.
I shouldn’t be surprised. Marina is the most understanding and forgiving person I’ve ever met. When she told me about her mom, it was clear how much she missed her.
Her mom seems to have missed her, too. She runs her bright fingernails down her daughter’s arms, beaming over how beautiful she is. Marina fiddles with her mom’s hair, lined with gold streaks to make it look like flames.
“Mom, this is Grady Tripp,” Marina says, pulling her toward me. “My boyfriend.”
“Hey, I’m Leonie.” She shakes my hand. “Good to meet you. Oh, I remember the Tripps from the salon.”
“Nice to meet you, Leonie.”
She perks up. “Hey, if you two get married, you’ll be the Strange-Tripps.”
Marina and I glance at each other, mouths open at the obvious thing neither of us thought about, while Leonie cackles delightedly.
“Um, that’s… we’re only dating, Mom,” Marina says awkwardly, and I try not to take offense at the word only .
“Are you here long?” I ask, hoping light conversation will bring us some answers.
“Um, well?—”
Thumps running down the porch stairs draw our attention. A little girl with bright red hair and freckles scurries up and takes Leonie’s side unsurely. I imagine Marina must’ve looked just like her at that age.
“She has cats, Mom,” the girl says, “and games and lots of plants.”
“Wren let her in to use the bathroom,” Leonie explains. “It was a long drive.”
Marina gasps beside me. “Who is this?”
Leonie wags her finger at Marina. “You didn’t read my letters, huh? That’s okay.” Her hands go up submissively. “I don’t blame you. I was in a bad way back then, and, anyway, water under the bridge, I hope. This is your sister, Matilda. Everyone calls her Tilly.”
The little girl sticks her hand toward Marina. “Nice to meet you. I’ve always wanted to know you.”
Marina drops to her knees, bare against the gravel. She shakes the girl’s hand, ogling her with wide eyes. It’s hard to tell if she wants to laugh or scream.
Tilly laughs at her sister’s attention. “Mom, I think the cats got her tongue.”
Leonie chuckles. “No, honey. She’s just surprised, that’s all.”
No fucking shit, surprised.
“It’s nice to meet you, Tilly,” Marina finally says, her usual smile barely there. “Hope you like cats, plants, and games.”
“Oh, yes. Never had a cat before, but I think I like them.”
Leonie gives Tilly a nudge. “Tell them about yourself.”
“I’m seven, but I read middle-school books. I’m in second grade,” she peers up at her mom, “Mom says I might go to school here.”
“Honey, go grab your Switch, huh? Let the grown-ups talk,” Leonie says. Tilly shrugs and obeys.
Leonie laughs once she’s on the porch, game console in hand. “It’s all video games these days. Glad you weren’t into that when you were little, Marnie.”
“Mom, what’re you doing here?” she asks flatly.
Leonie’s eyes drift to mine like she wants me to go. I stand firm, folding my arms over my chest and raising my brow to urge her to answer the fucking question.
“Mel told me what happened with the wedding and the accident,” she says. “I thought you might need me.”
“ That’s when you thought I needed you? That was months ago.”
Leonie rolls her eyes, waving her hand toward her other daughter. “Well, you know how it is. We were in Arizona. I had to… figure things out before I moved us across the country.”
“Moved?” Marina shoots back. “You’re moving here?”
“Thought we’d give it a shot if you’re okay with it,” she says, glancing my way again. “Maybe we could talk about this privately?”
“He stays.”
“Okay.” She huffs. “Marnie, I’m so much better now. I’m on meds and in therapy. My doctor and I meet virtually, so it doesn’t matter where I am. I haven’t had an episode in over a year. After Tilly, I got my act together. I told you all about it in the letters.”
Marina stiffens beside me. After Tilly, she got her shit together? Why not before? Why not for Marina?
“I’m glad you’re doing well, Mom,” Marina sighs. “It’s all I ever wanted for you. But I don’t know what you want from me.”
“I wanted to know that you’re okay,” she answers.
“I’m okay.”
“I want you to know your sister and for her to know you. I want us to be a family again. I’ve told her about you, all our old stories.”
“ All our stories?” Marina demands.
“Well, no. She’s seven. But all the good ones.”
Marina shifts on her feet, folding her arms. I unfold mine, slipping an arm around her.
“Look, I know this is a lot. I probably should’ve had Mel give you a heads up that we were coming,” Leonie says. “Why don’t we just go inside and talk? I’ll make some coffee. Breakfast, too. How about cinnamon pancakes? Oh, you used to love those. We’re starving. Tilly and I can tell you all our adventures. Bring Mr. Beefcake here, too. Then, we can figure things out from there. Okay?”
Now, I stiffen. She wants to fix breakfast and serve guests like she’s already moved in and made herself at home. And I’m the outsider?
“Do you have money? Some place else to go?” I interject, going for gentle but failing.
Her eyes cut to me like I have no business asking the question as if she hasn’t just barged in on our family.
“That’s a bit insulting,” she huffs, cutting her eyes to Marina. “He’s a little old for you, huh, Marnie?”
“Answer him, please.”
“Yes, I have money.” She rolls her sky-blue eyes. “I always find a place to go. We Strange girls know how to survive and thrive. Right, Marnie?”
Marina’s eyes catch mine, her smile gone. The easy afterglow of our incredible night together vanishes into sad resignation, like she expected this. As if the universe routinely whacks her down the second things go well. She looks completely lost.
Lost over what she lost.
“Did you even keep my letters?” her mom asks, disappointed. “Was I really that bad?”
“You left her.” I scoff—this woman is another version of fucking Cora, all judgments and manipulations. “It was your job to be her mother, not her job to bother with your shit apologies. Don’t put this on her.”
Her hands go up in a wall. “Alright, beefcake. No need to get upset. I’m fully aware of the million and one ways I let Marnie down. That’s why I’m here—to make up for it. But that’s between us. We’re family.”
“My name is Grady . Stop throwing the word family around like you know what it means. Family would’ve been by her side the day she was hurt. Family never would have left her in the first place.”
She winces and shuffles backward, and I immediately regret my harshness for Marina’s sake, especially when her hand goes to my arm to stifle me.
“Grady,” Marina breathes out, “please. Mom, give us a minute.”
Leonie wanders over to Tilly and sits beside her on the porch steps.
“Look, I’m sorry.” My hand rakes over my head. “I don’t mean to be a jerk, but please don’t be nice to her. She’ll move in and take over. You should say no.”
“Would you? Would you say no, Grady?”
No, of course, I wouldn’t. I don’t even say no when I should. I hang my head, bothered. “Fine. I’ll play nice.”
“Good.” I move toward the house, but Marina drops her hand onto my chest, stopping me. “Um, could you take Wren home? I’ll, um, reach out later. Catch a few fish for me, eh?”
“Wait, what? You want me to leave?”
“I should handle this alone,” she says.
“I disagree. She’ll take advantage. She already is. You aren’t responsible for her.”
“That’s a bit hypocritical. Don’t you think?”
My shoulders slump in a frustrated sigh.
“Please give me time to assess this situation. She’ll be more open without someone else around.”
“More open to manipulate you,” I counter. “Let me be your buffer.”
“I don’t need a buffer. I can handle her. Trust me, please.”
“Marina, it’s not that I don’t trust you. This is fucked up. I’m worried about you.”
“I know,” she smiles weakly. “Me, too. I’m overrun with big feelings and don’t know where to land. Should I be angry at her? Sad that I’ve missed seven years with my sister? Judgy and pissed that she keeps having kids when she couldn’t even finish her job with me? Tell me, Grady. How am I supposed to be?”
“I don’t know. Cautious, for one thing. Not nice .” My hands run up and down her arms—none of those options sound like her. “What do you want to be, Marina? How do you want to feel?”
“Happy.” She chokes on a sigh. “I’m in love. I’m strong and free; nothing she can do will break me, even if she tries. I might have a chance at a family again.” She falls into my arms, landing exactly where she belongs. “I’m just having a moment, Grady.”
“Just? This feels like more than a moment. But take as many as you need.”
Still latched on, she peers up at me, her bright blues even brighter somehow. “I love you. But I’m asking you, politely, to back the hell off. You said I could do that, remember?”
“Marina,” I breathe, ready to argue.
But she presses her head to my chest. “I refused her once. I can’t do it again.” Her words muffle against my shirt. “She’s my mom. I have a sister . Please, Grady.”
I fucking hate this. I don’t trust Leonie not to bulldoze through Marina’s life and break her heart again. I also know Marina’s too good-hearted to stop her. Her pushing me out feels even worse.
But she wants me to go, and I can’t refuse her anything.
“Fine, but here’s what’s going to happen. Come to my place for dinner tonight. All of you. I promise to behave, make it nice. It’ll help us get to know each other.”
Her soft smile makes me feel slightly better. “Okay, that’s a good idea.”
I leave after a lingering kiss that I don’t want to end.