Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Renn
Shutdown
For two days Renn didn’t see Miranda in the morning when he helped Jeremy with the horses and coached him on his spiral.
He’d put off his decision on whether or not to sign with the Aces as long as he could and it was time for him to either sign the contract or walk.
Which was why he was pacing outside Mrs. Hart’s garden as he considered his next move.
Miranda wasn’t wrong about him being scared to accept his dream or that he came to Sandy Point for more than just confronting his brothers.
“Grandson, you look like you’ve got the weight of the entire world on your shoulders.”
Looking up, he saw that Mrs. Hart stood with two glasses of sweet tea. “Let’s talk about it.”
“How’d you know I like sweet tea?”
“I’m observant, and all big decisions should be made over a cold glass of sweet tea.”
She handed him a glass and then sat in one of the white Adirondack chairs and took a long sip of her glass before setting it on the matching garden table. “Alright let’s hear it.”
“Well, the Aces have made me a really good offer to be quarterback for the next three years.”
“And you signed?”
“Nope.”
“Why not, honey?”
“The thing is, I’m not sure I deserve the job.”
“Renn Ripley Walker, why wouldn’t you deserve it?
You’ve only been studying the game since you were old enough to hold a ball.
And just when your team needed you, you more than delivered.
That job has actually been yours for the taking for years.
Now what is this self-doubt really about?
Dig deep, grandson. It’s time to be honest before you lose your shot. ”
Renn let out a breath he’d probably been holding for sixteen years.
“Because if my own father didn’t want me, why would anyone else? And when the truth about my background comes out, and it will, I’ll just bring shame to you and my brothers.”
“Oh, I see, you’re worried we won’t want that spotlight? That me and the boys might disown you?”
He looked her in the eyes.
“The truth is I’m mad my son didn’t claim you the second he knew about you.
He chose his marriage over a relationship with you and I’m disappointed in him for that.
Because he chose for all of us. But now we each get to choose for ourselves.
And there is no story or salacious reporter who can get me to give you up.
” She pointed at him. “You are my blood. My grandson, and I’m keeping you. ”
Emotion swelled in his throat and when her hand reached out, he gripped it, seeing her old blue eyes well with tears cut something loose inside.
“Do you understand me? So, you go be a quarterback, join Broadway, wear a tutu in Times Square. I don’t care.
You’re mine and I’ll claim you every day for the rest of my life. ”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded. “What about…”
“Your brothers won’t turn their backs on you—they’re incapable.”
He nodded. “I’m just so mad at him, my dad.”
“I know, me too. But we’re going to have to find a way to forgive him if we want to move on. That anger will just eat us up.”
He nodded and leaned forward to hug his grandmother and couldn’t help but wonder if his father hadn’t died, if things could have been different.
Maybe his dad would have changed his mind or faced his sins when Renn showed up at his door again.
But they’d never know, and holding on to his heartache was only hurting him now.
“Now what about you and Miranda?”
“She said she wouldn’t speak to me if I don’t take the contract with the Aces. And right now, she needs some time to focus on herself.”
Mrs. Hart sat back and took another sip of her tea. “That girl has been letting her toxic relationship with her no-good daddy guide her in every romance she’s ever had. Now she needs to be sure she’s not making the same mistake with you. Just give her time.”
“So have you always known everything or did you grow into your wisdom?”
“That is for me to know and you to wonder. You just make sure you get plenty of family seats to all your games, away too.”
“I thought this was a baseball family.”
“Not anymore.” Mrs. Hart smiled. “In case you haven’t heard, my favorite grandson is the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Aces.”
He just laughed and pulled out his phone to call his agent.
“I’m ready to sign that contract,” he said. “Okay, I’ll be back in the city tomorrow.”
“See, it’s not so hard to accept what you’ve earned.”
*
The next morning Renn knew he needed to make one more stop before leaving Sandy Point.
He’d found way more than he’d expected on this trip and knew he’d be back as frequently as he could be, and he also believed his relationship with his brothers was just beginning.
Pulling his truck up in front of a church, he cut the engine and grabbed the fresh flowers off the passenger seat.
There weren’t any other people there, but he wasn’t exactly surprised.
For a weekday morning at eight, he didn’t really expect the cemetery to be busy.
He wasn’t sure where his father would be buried, but it didn’t take long to locate his grave under a large willow tree, with a marble bench that read IN LOVING MEMORY.
He took a seat on the bench and looked over the joint marble headstone.
He realized his brothers and grandmother had probably shed a lot of tears sitting here.
There were so many unanswered questions, but as he laid the flowers on their grave he couldn’t help but believe that if his father had more time, they would have eventually established some kind of a relationship.
Maybe his stepmom would have even accepted him at some point, and he would have gotten to have some of his childhood with his brothers.
It wasn’t his father’s fault that he’d died too young.
His grandmother was right—it was better for him to forgive his dad for not trying while he was alive than holding on to anger and regret.
“I met my brothers, and Gran—they’re all great.
I never realized how much fun it would be to have so many siblings.
Family dinners are rowdier than I’ve ever experienced but in a good way.
Turns out I’ve been playing for your favorite football team and I’m about to be their starting quarterback this year.
Guess Levi and I got your love of sports.
” He sat and talked to his dad for the first time without any anger and told him all about how his life was going.
And then he did the one thing he never expected to do.
“Thank you for including me in your will. Not because of the family land, or the money, but because it gave me the excuse I needed to come here and tell my brothers I need them in my life. Gran was like an added bonus. So maybe I’ll come back and visit you again.
I’m really sorry we never got a chance to know each other. ”
And then he got back in his truck and drove home to Atlanta. Every ounce of him wanted to stay closer to Miranda, but if he was going to be the type of man who deserved a woman like her, then he needed to make sure he followed his heart in every aspect of his life.