Chapter thirteen Grady
Chapter thirteen
Grady
“You sure you don’t want some help?” Astrid says, hovering over me like I’m about to do something wrong.
“I’m grilling chicken and hot dogs. How can I fuck that up?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs as Penn wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest. “I just don’t like standing around not helping.”
“If I asked you to stir the pasta salad, would that help ease your anxiety?”
She wriggles free of Penn and darts to the fridge. “Absolutely.”
Penn and I laugh at my sister. “I swear, you’re more nervous than I am.”
Astrid brings the bowl of pasta salad over to the counter. “I just want everything to be perfect for you,” my sister says affectionately. “I know you want this and—”
“I’m working on it, Astrid,” I cut in, glancing nervously toward the door.
I don’t want to risk my mother overhearing the reason for this dinner before I can tell her myself.
That is, if she hasn’t already found out from the rumor mill.
The past few weeks have been insane and the last thing I wanted was to tell her this news over the phone.
I know Scottie’s mom and grandma know, but I wanted to have more answers for the questions my mother will inevitably have.
Astrid’s already reprimanded me for keeping this from Mom, but between trying to get Scottie to open up to me and Chase to stop fighting me at every turn, my head has been a mess.
“Have things gotten any better?” Astrid asks, stirring the pasta as Penn nurses a beer from his perch on a stool at the island. Bentley and Lilly are watching some show called Bluey that they’re currently obsessed with in the living room.
“Yes, with Chase at least.”
Astrid’s face lights up. “Well, that sounds promising.”
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
Penn clears his throat. “Melissa just pulled up.”
Astrid and I turn to look out the front window just as our mother shuts her car door, walking carefully up to the front porch with a casserole dish in hand.
I quickly rinse my hands in the sink and nod toward Astrid. “I’m gonna go talk to her before Scottie and her family get here.”
“Good luck!” my sister calls out as I make my way to the front door.
I open it just as my mom approaches and steps onto the porch. “Hey, Mom.”
She beams, perching up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “I have to say, this invitation was a pleasant surprise. It’s usually your sister who’s coordinating our family dinners.”
“Well, I might have had an ulterior motive,” I admit, leading her inside.
Her brows arch. “Is that so?”
“Yeah. Follow me.” I lead her down the hallway, dropping off her casserole dish in the kitchen as we make our way to the den, a state-of-the-art game and movie room I insisted on when I built this place. “You might want to sit for what I’m about to tell you.”
My mother lowers herself into one of the recliners, eyeing me cautiously. “You’re scaring me, Grady.”
Running a hand through my hair, I say, “No need to be scared, but I do have some news that’s going to surprise you.”
“Okay…”
“I’m going to be a dad,” I blurt out, watching as the shock ripples across her face, her jaw dropping.
“What?”
“I’m having a kid in September…with Scottie Daniels.”
That has her eyes widening even further. “Your friend Scottie from high school?”
“Yeah, Mom. We, uh, reconnected back in December, and then she moved back to Carrington Cove last month. She found out she was pregnant just after she moved back, and now…”
“You’ve known this long and you didn’t tell me?” she says, placing her purse on the floor beside her chair and giving me that motherly scowl of disappointment.
“Well, I’ve only known a couple weeks, but…yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew you’d have questions, and I didn’t have any answers to give you.”
“And now?”
I blow out a breath, suddenly feeling like a kid who just got in trouble.
But I’m not. I’m a full-fledged adult who’s about to have a kid of his own.
So, I lay it all out there. “Now, I’m still figuring things out.
I’m nervous about all of this change. I’m excited to be a dad but also scared I’ll fuck up.
And I’m frustrated because I want a relationship with Scottie, but she’s made it clear she doesn’t even want to try.
I don’t know if we’re going to be living together, if she’s going to keep working and we’ll need daycare, or anything about what our life is going to look like—because the only life I see is the one where she’s my wife. ”
My mother’s hand flies to her chest as I continue. “Her son is on the baseball team too, which makes our situation even more complicated, but he’s finally starting to come around. And I just…”
She stands from her chair and walks over to me. “Breathe, Grady,” she says gently, and I do, since I’m nearly out of breath after my word vomit. “Now, do you think she feels the same about you?”
“I do, Mom. I can fucking feel it.”
Smiling, she pats me on the shoulder. “Then do what you’ve always done and keep working for what you want. Put in the effort, even when it’s difficult.” She shakes her head as she crosses her arms over her chest. “I have to say, I always thought you had a thing for her back in high school.”
I rub the back of my neck. “I did, but…”
“Baseball was your focus.” She nods. “I know. And now?”
“She’s my focus, Mom. Her, her son, and our kid.
I want a family, and today she’s coming over with hers so we can all get to know each other better.
I’m trying to be patient, but it’s hard.
I don’t want her to choose me because I’ve pressured her to.
And her ex did a number on her. But this girl…
” I look across the room and it all becomes so clear.
“She’s always seen me for me, not my skills on a pitching mound or how much money I have.
We’ve had a connection since we were kids, and seeing her again just made me realize that my feelings were real—are real.
” I take in a deep breath. “She’s the one, Mom.
” Lowering my voice, I admit, “I think she always has been.”
“If there’s one person in the world who deserves this, it’s you, Grady.
It’s time for you to live your life for yourself and your happiness—not just for baseball.
” She smiles up at me with tears in her eyes.
“I was always afraid that you would end up resenting the game when you realized what it could cost you.”
“Like a family?”
“Yes.” She nods softly. “Part of me always wondered if you’d ever have this, and now…
Well, I can selfishly say I’m grateful to be welcoming another grandchild into our lives, but mostly…
” She cups my face, making me feel like a boy again who needed her comfort in times when I doubted myself.
“I’m so happy for you, Grady. You’re going to be an amazing father. ”
“Even though mine wasn’t around?” I whisper, voicing one of my biggest doubts.
“Especially because of that. You know what it felt like not to have that type of presence in your life, so be the man you wish you had to look up to.” I nod, choking down the lump forming in my throat, knowing that she’s right.
“And since you’ve told me your news, I guess it’s time to tell you mine. ”
“You have news?”
Fighting to contain her smile, she says, “Yes. I met someone. His name is John. We’ve been talking online, and he lives in Castle, about an hour away.
We’ve discussed him moving here. He works remotely, and I don’t want to leave Astrid without my help, and now you might need my babysitting services as well, so. ..”
“I want you here for more than just watching my kid, Mom.”
She chuckles. “Good to know.”
“Does he treat you well?”
“Yes, he does.” The blush that graces her cheeks tells me that I probably don’t want to know all of the reasons for that answer.
“Then I can’t wait to meet him.”
“And I can’t wait to see Scottie again and welcome her into the family.”
I pull her in for a hug, inhaling deeply, grateful that even though I only had one parent growing up, she was the one I had. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, Grady. And I can’t wait to watch you be the dad you never had.”
I follow my mom back to the main part of the house, and I see Astrid chewing on her thumbnail as we enter the kitchen.
“I take it you knew about my newest grandchild?” Mom asks her.
“I did, but only because he told me at Lilly’s birthday party.”
My mom turns to me. “I was there!”
“I know, Mom, but…” Before I can finish, the doorbell rings, which means Scottie is here. I point a finger around the room to all of my family members. “You’d all better be on your best behavior. Remember, I’m trying to win this woman over.”
Penn shakes his head, Astrid smirks, and my mother pats me on the shoulder as she moves for the front door. “Don’t worry, Grady. We’re not the most obnoxious bunch of knuckleheads you could have for a family. It could always be worse.”
***
“You need to join the gardening club,” Scottie’s mom, Lisa, tells my mom as we all sit around the table, gorging ourselves.
When I asked Scottie what she was craving, she told me barbecue chicken wings, and as I watch her devour them across the table, licking her fingers, I’m happy that I was able to make her happy.
The sight of her licking her fingers might also prevent me from standing up from my chair anytime soon, but it was all fucking worth it. Both of our families are getting along well, the food turned out great, and the woman carrying my child looks even more beautiful than the last time I saw her.
Things are all headed in the right direction.
“Katherine Sheppard has been trying to get me to join her club for years, but I have a black thumb, ladies. Not a green one.”
Lisa groans. “Darn.”
Gigi, Scottie’s grandmother, chimes in. “And don’t bother asking Scottie either. The only time she ever touched grass was when she was kicking it up while running around on a softball field.”