Chapter 25 Daddy’s Home （Margot） #2
Someday, she’ll accept his apology from beyond the grave.
Dad massages her shoulders, and Mom leans up, kissing his hand.
They trade a glance I don’t quite understand.
“This was important, Evvie,” he says after a few moments. “It’s a fresh start.”
“Whatever it is, it’s left me famished.”
She reaches for her phone. Less than a minute after she types out a text, the chef rolls in.
He’s a tall man, pushing a trolley across the floor, and he starts unloading covered silver dishes onto the sideboard against the wall. Ares lumbers up and sits, ready for head scratches while he watches the food intently.
I should’ve seen this coming when we came over for ‘breakfast.’
“Mom never cooks,” I whisper to Kane. His eyebrows are halfway to his hairline.
He’s no stranger to wealth and comfort.
But as a man who still cooks for his kids a lot, this must be weird. Even if it’s always been an expression with money.
Love, in Mom’s own odd way.
Today, it’s an olive branch.
“I know the past year has been difficult. Years, really,” Mom says.
Ethan just nods, large and brooding from his seat. Hattie stares wide-eyed at the breakfast extravaganza, which is almost laid out now.
Dish after dish, piled high with everything from Belgian waffles and their fixings to small red smoothies in shot glasses and perfectly folded omelets.
Say what you will, but Elvira and Scott Blackthorn never half-assed hosting a meal in their lives.
“But,” she continues, “I’d like us to move on from the drama and his will.” She looks at me. “Especially you, honey. I want you happy, just like Ethan and Hattie here.”
Hattie giggles as she looks at my brother, who gives Kane the protective big-brother stare.
Dude, enough.
I tug Kane’s hand onto my lap. “Thanks, Mom. You know, I think I’m getting there, and it’s all thanks to Gramps.”
She studies me for a long moment before giving Kane another assessing glance.
“The lake house,” she says.
“The lake house. He didn’t know—he didn’t plan anything—but he made it happen all the same.” I squeeze Kane’s hand. “It’s pretty eye-opening, meeting the love of your life.”
For a second, you can hear the lights hum in the room.
“So I’ve heard,” Ethan says abruptly. “I wondered when you’d get serious and stop dating losers, Sis. It must be serious if he’s here to pass the smell test.”
Ethan leans in like the Neanderthal he is, making a big snorting show of sniffing the air.
I’m so dead.
“I’m here for Margot,” Kane says gruffly, leaning back in his chair, unfazed by my dumbass brother.
Ethan’s big, but Kane is just as broad, and right now they’re two bull moose locking verbal horns.
“Ethan,” Hattie hisses. “Behave.”
“Kane, it’s okay,” I whisper, firing him a glance.
Kane relaxes and smiles. “Your brother’s protective. That’s a good thing.”
“Oh, I’m too hungry for bickering,” Mom says, already moving toward the chef and the food.
“It’s good to have you here,” Dad says, holding out his hand to Kane. “We haven’t met properly yet.”
Technically, they met yesterday when I brought the journal, but that was intense and quick.
No more than the briefest introductions, not with everyone laser-focused on the journal.
Kane levers up out of his seat and takes Dad’s hand with an easy smile. “Kane Saint.”
“Scott Blackthorn,” Dad says. “This spoiled miscreant’s father. Trust me, I made her this way.”
He’s so shameless.
I roll my eyes.
But at least his eyes aren’t flashing with skepticism like with the handful of other guys I’ve brought home. Dad might not have a nose for much besides luxury and investments, but he can tell a man from a boy.
And Kane Saint is no freaking fuckboy like Kelso.
Dad’s warmth tells me he sees a better man.
A real man.
I think that’s why my father’s face tightens and his knuckles turn white as he grips Kane’s hand.
“I must warn you,” he whispers, “if you hurt my daughter, I’ll make sure you pay dearly.”
“Dad, seriously? Can we just be civilized?”
“Scott, listen to her.” Mom glides back to greet Kane with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. “Don’t listen to him. We just want to see our little girl happy. There’s been too much turmoil in this family for a long time.”
“For Margot, anything,” Kane promises, shooting me a smile that makes my heart flutter.
Only the love of this man saves me from wilting with embarrassment.
Later, Hattie curls up on the sofa with me and stares across the room at Kane.
“Wow, he’s way taller in real life! I knew hockey guys were big, but man…” She whistles dramatically.
“I mean, he’s basically like Ethan, give or take a couple inches.”
“Same for the ego, I bet.” She giggles and blows my brother a kiss. “I told him to play nice, but you know how it is.”
“Let me guess,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “He doesn’t like him.”
“You’re his little sister. He’s just having a hard time getting over it,” Hattie says apologetically. “Of course, I told him the age difference literally doesn’t matter, but he insists it does.”
“Would you be okay if I hit him on the head with a croissant?” I hold up my pastry, narrowing my eyes. “It’s been a while since we had a food fight.”
“Be my guest,” she assures me. “Maybe you’ll knock something loose that reminds him he’s being ridiculous and overbearing.”
Ethan and Kane are still squaring each other up as they move closer to us.
For a second, I think Ethan wants to embarrass both of us. It’s like watching a loading screen spin, just waiting for something awful to come out of his mouth.
Then he stops and sticks out his hand.
“I wish you both luck, brat,” he says.
“Oh my God,” I mutter, standing to prod my brother in the side. “Really, Ethan?”
But I take his hand anyway and shake, knowing this is about as nice as my brother gets.
Kane slides his arm around my waist. I can practically see him holding in a belly laugh.
“He’s not half-bad,” he tells me. “Frankly, he’s cooler than I’ll ever be the day Sophie brings a boy home.”
Hilariously, I know that’s no lie. I’m just grateful I’ll get to be there for it.
Hattie comes up to Ethan’s other side.
“All this dick waving is making me dizzy,” she says, ruining the effect by giving Ethan the soppiest glance I’ve ever seen.
“We’re only in New York for a couple days.” Ethan slides his arm around Hattie’s waist. “Want to come to dinner before we head out?”
“You can bring the kids,” Hattie tells Kane quickly. “Margot says she designed some really cool shoes for your daughter, and I’d love to see them.”
“See?” I say to Ethan, pointing at my best friend. “This is what support looks like.”
Kane kisses the side of my head.
“Dinner sounds great,” he says. “Sophie can’t get enough of showing off her favorite shoes.”
I sigh.
It’s so sweet how much she loves them. I almost tear up every time I think about it.
“Feels like a good time to bury bad memories,” Kane says as we all head for more from the breakfast spread set up on the bar. My mouth waters at the delicious smells.
“Cheers to that,” Dad says, holding up a glass of black iced tea.
While he’s distracted, Ares trots over and steals a sausage off his plate.
“Good boy,” I whisper.
Dad gives the dog the stink eye.
“I’ll always be around to help Margot any way I can. As long as she’ll have me.” Kane looks at Ethan, the words falling like a solemn vow.
Forever, you lunk.
I can feel the brushfire on my face, slowly rising up my cheeks.
I load up my plate more than usual, if only to hide the embarrassment.
I love my fam, but we’ve never been good at being vulnerable.
Even when Ethan was spiraling, locked in a little cabin with empty bottles strewn around the floor, he wouldn’t face his feelings. Not until I gave him a serious reality check.
But now here we are.
Kane, cutting through the Blackthorn family freeze with his honesty.
Telling everyone how devoted he is, how much he loves me, without even dropping the big L-bomb.
“Okay, Gigi,” Hattie whispers in my ear as she joins me. “It’s official. You’re getting married.”
“Um, what?”
She just grins.
I glance back at my family, my parents talking with Ethan and Kane and the over-the-top breakfast Mom arranged for us. All in her ridiculously fancy living room.
Sometimes, you have to scratch the surface to find the love, especially in a dysfunctional mess like ours.
But if you look hard enough, you’ll find it.
And sometimes you’ll accept it like new skin over scar tissue.
PopPop would be proud of us today.
As Kane looks up, I smile.
All teasing aside, my bestie might be right.
If the day comes when this rock of a man pops the question and wants to make me one with the mountain, with his kids, with eternity, I can’t imagine any reason why I’d ever say no.