Chapter 11
Graves POV
Two weeks. It had been two weeks since the DNA results.
It’s been five weeks since Cleo walked into Sally’s diner, and everything changed for me. Some people might think things are moving fast, and maybe they are, but after twenty-eight years of missing my daughter, wondering about her, and imagining the talks we never had, I won’t waste another moment. Now that I have her and all of them, I’m holding on tight.
I wasn’t going to waste another minute, not now that I finally had her back in my life.
I sat at the picnic table, coffee in hand, and watched Tommy race across the yard on a bike that was way too big for him. He rode fast and fearless, ignoring every rule I’d ever told him.
Definitely a Carter.
“Look, Grandpa!”
My chest tightened, like it always did when he called me Grandpa.
“You’re getting faster, buddy.”
Tommy beamed, then immediately changed direction and nearly crashed into a picnic table.
I sighed. “Definitely a Carter.”
Beside me, Stella laughed. “You’ve said that three times this morning.”
“And I’ll say it again.”
She shook her head and smiled. I watched Tommy circle the yard again, then glanced over at the picnic tables. Skylar sat under a big tree with her sketchbook on her knees. She really is something special.
She’s quiet and observant, just like her mom. Over the past two weeks, she’s started showing me her drawings. The first time she handed me her sketchbook, she looked nervous, like she thought I might laugh. Instead, I spent half an hour looking at every page.
The kid had talent. Real talent.
Her latest drawing is next to me. It’s a pencil sketch of the clubhouse. She shaded every detail and drew every line with care.
It’s incredible. Whenever she shows me a new drawing, I make sure she knows how good she is. No kid should grow up doubting themselves if I can help it.
“You thinking again?” Stella nudged my shoulder. I glanced at her.
“Always.”
“That’s dangerous.” I snorted. She wasn’t wrong.
Across the yard, Cleo came out of the clubhouse with a tray of drinks, like she’d done it forever. It still surprises me, not because she doesn’t fit in, but because she does. More than she knows.
Mia and Stella had taken her under their wings almost immediately. The three of them spent hours together now.
Talking, laughing, and shopping. Sometimes, just sitting around drinking coffee while the kids played.
Seeing it makes me happier than I can say.
For the first time, Cleo has women who truly care about her, and she’s starting to believe it. The walls are still there, but they’re not as high now.
She smiled more easily, laughed more, and is more relaxed.
Bit by bit, she’s settling into Creek Wood. Settling into us. Into our family.
I looked over at Chains, standing by the garage, talking to Bolt or pretending to. Every few minutes, he glanced at Cleo, then looked away. I hid a smile behind my coffee. He’s not as subtle as he thinks, he’s been doing this for weeks.
Watching, keeping his distance. Having the occasional conversation with her.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Just enough to stay in her orbit, not enough to push.
I get it, maybe better than most. Chains isn’t afraid of rejection. Maybe he’s scared of wanting something he can’t have. Right now, Cleo is definitely what he wants, even if he won’t admit it.
The funny thing was, Cleo wasn’t exactly hiding her curiosity either.
She noticed him, when he arrived, and when he left.
Neither of them is ready to act on it, and that’s probably for the best. Wade’s only been gone a few months. Cleo needs time, and Chains knows it, so he waits. Stubborn guy. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What?” Stella asked.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
She gave me a look that said she knew exactly what I was thinking. She’s always been smart. Then a memory from last weekend came to mind.
We had a celebration party after the DNA results. It was our first real family gathering and Cleo’s first time experiencing club life at night. It was interesting. The evening started out the same as any other night, food, music, and children running everywhere.
Then bedtime arrived, the kids were settled upstairs, and the atmosphere shifted, not dramatically. Just enough, and then club bunnies arrived.
I’d immediately seen the confusion on Cleo’s face.
She was uncertain and had questions, but to her credit, she never judged or complained. She just looked a bit lost. Luckily, Stella stepped in, explained the rules, the difference between old ladies and club bunnies, and made it clear Cleo didn’t have to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with. By the end, Cleo was much more relaxed. I smiled at the memory, especially one part.
Peaches. God help us all. The woman had spent half the night trying to get Chains’ attention.
She flirted, touched his arm, and practically threw herself at him. Chains looked like he’d rather fight a bear than deal with her. He barely looked at her, not once, not really. His mind was somewhere else.
I was brought out of my thoughts by Stella sitting beside Tommy, laughing at something he had said. Skylar showed Roman a drawing.
For now, I’m happy just to sit back and watch my daughter laugh, my grandchildren grow, Roman become the brother he always wanted to be, and Stella finally stop worrying Cleo might leave.
Five weeks ago, none of this was here. Now, it feels like it’s always been this way, and for the first time in a long while, my life feels complete.
Almost!
*****
Later that afternoon, my phone rang. I checked it and got up right away. Stella noticed immediately, as she always does. Roman looked concerned but stayed put.
I nodded and walked into the clubhouse. They knew not to follow. Once I had answers, I’d share them, especially with Cleo, but I needed to find out first.
I hung up and made my way back out to the front of the clubhouse, looked over, and called Cleo. She looked up from where she was helping Mia clear plates.
Something in my expression must have given me away because her smile disappeared.
“What is it?” She called over, concern written in her face.
“Can you come to the office?”
Immediately, she set the plates down. Stella rose too. Roman was already on his feet. The four of us walked into the office and closed the door behind us.
Cleo sat across from me, nervous and waiting. I hated seeing that look because I knew what it felt like. I sat down and rested my arms on the desk.
“I need you to know something before I say this.” Her shoulders tensed. “I wasn’t going to keep this from you.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“I just needed to know the truth first.” Silence filled the room, then I took a breath.
“I made some calls after our conversation at the park.” Cleo’s eyes never left mine. “I wanted answers.”
My jaw tightened. “About Maria.”
The pain is still there, and maybe it always will be. Twenty-eight years can’t erase a wound like that.
“The information wasn’t easy to find.” I paused. “But I found enough.”
Stella reached for my hand, and I squeezed hers briefly before continuing. “Maria had a drug problem.”
Cleo went still. Completely still.
“I didn’t know.” Admitting it felt bitter. “I didn’t know she was using.” I swallowed hard. “I didn’t know she was involved with someone else either.”
Roman cursed quietly under his breath. I ignored him because that wasn’t the part that mattered. The part that mattered was sitting across from me, watching, listening, and trying to understand.
“I spent years wondering why she left.” My voice was rough. “Wondering what I’d done wrong.”
The words hurt more than I thought they would, even after all this time.
“I know now it wasn’t me.” Cleo’s eyes shimmered, I continued. “It wasn’t you either.”
Her breath caught. I leaned forward, making sure she heard every word.
“None of it was because of you.” A tear slipped down her cheek. I kept going.
“Maria made choices.” My throat tightened. “Bad ones.”
Another tear followed the first.
“You didn’t fit into the life she chose.” The words sounded harsh, but they were true. “And she gave you up because of that.”
The office fell silent.
“I wish she’d brought you to me.” My voice cracked. Even after all these years, it still hurts. “I would’ve taken you.”
No hesitation. No question. “I would’ve raised you.”
Cleo lowered her head. I could see her fighting emotions she’d spent a lifetime burying.
“I know.” She spoke in a whisper.
My eyes burned, because for the first time, I believed she really knew, not because I said it, but because I showed her.
“I spent years being angry at myself.” I shook my head. “I’m not anymore.”
I looked directly at my daughter. “Because I know now it wasn’t me.” Then I pointed gently toward her.
“And it sure as hell wasn’t you.”
The tears finally spilled over, not just Cleo’s but mine too. Across the room, Stella moved first, wrapping an arm around Cleo’s shoulders. Roman followed a second later and stood beside his sister, exactly where he belonged.
Family. Not perfect, not without scars, but together, and after twenty-eight years, that’s enough.