Chapter twelve Grady #3
I slide the bag closer to her. “Then eat one, Scottie, so we’ll both feel better, and then I think we need to talk.”
She nods, pulling a popsicle out, discarding the plastic wrapper in the trash, and then sucking on the frozen treat, closing her eyes and moaning as she does.
My dick instantly gets excited again over the sound, but the last thing I should do is mark this woman with my mouth again.
“So good,” she moans as her lips stretch over the orange ice, and suddenly I’m transported back to the night when her lips were stretched around my dick.
Fuck. “I’m glad it’s what you wanted.”
“You’re really sweet for going back out and getting these, especially after how I reacted.”
“Anything to make you stop crying.”
Glaring at me, she takes a seat in a big, cushioned chair in her living room. I plop myself onto the couch. “I want you to know that I yelled at Chase after you left.”
“He’s not my biggest fan, and I’m sure now that he knows about the baby, it’s only going to take more time for him to come around.”
“He never should have said those things to you.” Her eyes drift toward the hallway. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
“He doesn’t trust me yet. Neither of you do,” I say, echoing my thoughts from earlier today.
Scottie’s tongue freezes as she eats her popsicle. “What do you mean?”
Knowing that I have to push her, have to get her to open up to me, I ask the question that’s been on my mind. “What happened with your ex, Scottie?”
She swallows hard and lowers the popsicle, a trickle of juice sliding down her wrist. “I…”
“I need to know what I’m up against. I want to know about your past to avoid making the same mistakes—for you and Chase.”
Tears well in her eyes. “Why are you so concerned about that?”
Leaning forward, I reach for her hand, stroking the top of it with my thumb. “Because I’m not going anywhere, and the last thing I want is resentment in our family.”
She can deny it all she wants, but she and Chase are my family now—by blood, and hopefully one day, by choice. I know she’s not there yet, but hopefully she will be soon, especially if our kiss was any indication of the sexual tension lurking beneath the surface.
Her eyes fall to the melting popsicle in her hand before she stands from the couch and races to the sink, dropping the popsicle and washing her hands. I can see the tremble in her limbs as she returns, sitting back in her chair and nervously figuring out what to say.
“I told you Chase hasn’t had the best example of a man to look up to.
His dad preferred strip clubs and other women over spending time with his own family.
The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was when he took my son to the Gl-Ass Company, his favorite strip club, and left him in the car for two hours before he remembered he brought him. ”
“Jesus Christ.” I run a hand through my hair.
“Yeah, he’s a piece of work, and the last person I want my son to be around. Chase saw me cry too many times, saw us yell at each other a lot, especially toward the end when I finally stood my ground.” She stares off to the side of the room. “I should have left sooner, and I hate myself for not.”
“You can’t blame yourself for someone else’s actions, Scottie. You did leave, which took courage, and that’s what matters.”
She brushes a tear from her cheek. “Yeah, but now my son…” She shakes her head. “He needs you, Grady.” Her admission shocks me.
So, I’m good enough to be a role model to her son, but not good enough to be her partner?
Remember what your sister said, Grady. She’s been hurt and is obviously placing a lot of blame on herself. Cut her some slack and keep pushing for what you want.
“I’m not a saint, Scottie.”
“No, and I never said you were. But you’re loyal, honest, and hardworking. That’s all I want Chase to aspire to be.”
“He has to get used to me being around. We’re going to be a family, whether you and I are together or not. I was thinking…what if he helped me fix up the Nova?”
The corner of her mouth lifts. “I think he’d like that.”
“I think so too, if he could dial back his attitude long enough to actually listen to me.” I shake my head, leaning back into the cushion. “I don’t know how you deal with that every day.”
“Being a parent is tough. There are days when I feel like I’m nailing it, and many more when I feel like I’m failing. Before I had Chase, my mistakes were my own, but as a mother, I constantly wonder how my choices are going to affect my son. It’s exhausting.”
“I don’t want to fail my kid,” I admit on a whisper, hoping she understands that she’s not the only one struggling. And fuck, I just want us to struggle together.
Does that make me a sap?
No, that makes me a man who knows what he wants—to actually be vulnerable with a woman for the first time in my life.
“You won’t—because you care about that. The only thing you can do is keep trying, Grady.”
“Keep trying?” I ask, and then continue before I can think twice. “With Chase, or with you, Scottie?”
Her eyes widen and she slinks back, clearing her throat when she realizes my meaning. “You—you can’t kiss me again, Grady.”
I scoff. “If you think I’m done kissing you, you’ve got another thing coming, babe.”
“I’m serious.”
I lean forward so she can see straight into my eyes when I say, “So am I.” Her breathing grows shallow again, and all I can think about is our kiss from earlier. But when she remains silent, I hit her with another thought. “I think our moms should meet.”
“What?”
“I mean, I’m sure they know each other to some extent, but since this baby will join us all together, it would be nice for us all to sit down and share a meal, you know? Practice for the holidays and stuff.”
She closes her eyes and sighs. “Yeah, I guess that will be something to talk about moving forward, huh?”
I smirk in her direction before I stand. “Yeah, we have a lot of things to talk about, Scottie.”
She peers up at me, licking her lips. “Anything I should be prepared for?”
“Nothing you don’t already know but are too afraid to address.”
***
Chase wipes the sweat from his forehead as I lead him into the garage Saturday afternoon.
He’s just finished pulling weeds, which I could have very easily hired someone to do, but hopefully the blisters he has on his hands will make him think twice before letting some knuckleheads talk him into doing any more stupid shit.
And now? It’s time to give this kid something that he can take from this lesson and use throughout his life.
“Are you gonna make me scrub engine parts again?”
I stop in front of the Nova and turn to face him. “Yes, but not just for the hell of it.” I gesture to the car behind me. “You broke this, so now you’re going to learn how to fix it.”
He eyes me wearily. “I don’t know anything about cars.”
“That’s why I’m going to teach you. You didn’t know how to pitch the first time you picked up a baseball, did you?”
“No.”
“Exactly. You have to learn. Plus, having someone help me repair this car means it will be on the road sooner.” I’m not gonna lie, the idea lights a fire of anticipation in me.
This car has been sitting here neglected for years, and apparently all it took was a kid smashing in the hood and headlights for me to finally do something with it.
I meant what I said to Scottie the other night—I need to get this kid to let his guard down around me and I really think this is the key to making that happen.
“I’d rather just scrub engine parts,” he mutters, looking anywhere but at me.
“No, you wouldn’t. Trust me. Once you start taking this thing apart, you’re going to want to learn how to put it back together.”
“I don’t get how you went from pitching in the MLB to turning a wrench,” he says, his eyes still narrowed into slits.
“Actually, it was the same type of offer I’m giving you.
” Gesturing to the garage around us, I say, “I used to work here during high school, keeping the yard clean and doing grunt jobs. But then one day, the owner, Mr. Rogers, offered to teach me about cars, and I’m glad he did.
I loved baseball, Chase. Still do. But the game can be taken away from you in an instant. ” I snap my fingers for emphasis.
“You seem to be speaking from experience,” he replies sarcastically.
“You think?” It comes out like a joke, and thankfully I see a small crack of a smile on his lips before it vanishes just as quickly.
He takes a step closer to the car, surveying the damage he did with the bat that night. “How do we fix the hood?”
“I found a guy in Kentucky that has a scrap yard. I’m going to pick up a new one in a few weeks.”
He clears his throat before darting his eyes to me. “I’m sorry.”
Two words. That’s all it takes for me to lower the last little bit of wall between us. I’m ready to move forward. I just hope he is too. “I appreciate that.”
A small nod is all I get in return, but I’ll take it. Popping the hood, I say, “You’re going to help me take the engine out today and then we’ll start tearing it apart while I wait for other parts to get here.”
Sighing, he follows me to the engine hoist and helps me roll it over to the car. It takes us a while to get the engine out of the body, but once we do, Chase stares at it like it’s an alien that just landed. “I have no idea what any of this is.”
“I didn’t either, but you’ll catch on. Pulling an engine apart and putting it back together is actually a bit like mastering baseball.”
His brows draw together. “How the hell do you figure that?”
Chuckling, I say, “Each component in an engine is critical to making it work, just like each player on the field. Everyone has their role, and they all need to work together to perform their best. Same with an engine. Once you understand all the parts and how they work together, you can make it run smoothly.”
Chase rolls his eyes. “You sound like some old man trying to impart wisdom.”