Chapter 14 #2
“Lydia,” Gram-Gram said as she stood with the aid of her cane.
Lydia hurried her way, absorbing the wash of love as she hugged one of the people she adored most in the world. “Gram-Gram.”
Gram-Gram held on just as tightly, smelling like jasmine. “Honey, I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me, too.” She eased back, studying her grandmother dressed in khaki slacks and a pretty pale-blue blouse that accentuated her blue eyes, wearing her jewelry and lipstick, just like always.
She’d taken the time to style her gray hair, which was no surprise.
Gram-Gram was eighty-one but easily could have passed for seventy.
Gram-Gram focused on Ty, who still stood close to the door. “I see you’ve brought a friend.”
Lydia nodded, finding herself relieved that calling Ty a friend felt true. “Gram-Gram, this is Ty Corddry. Ty, I’d like to introduce you to my gram-gram, Marietta Monroe.”
Ty moved closer, shaking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Monroe.”
“And you.” She looked at Lydia again. “Ty must be someone special in your life.”
Lydia nodded, looking at him. “How about we sit, Gram-Gram.” She helped her grandmother back to her chair, then sat on the small couch next to Ty.
Gram-Gram moved to get up again. “I never asked about drinks—or a snack, maybe.”
Lydia shook her head, gesturing for Gram-Gram to stay put. “We’re fine. We’re probably going to grab a late lunch after we visit with you here.”
“Okay, then.” Gram-Gram focused on Ty again as she folded her hands in her lap. “Ty sounds like it might be short for something. Are you a Tyler or a Tyson?”
“I’m a Tyler, ma’am.”
“And what do you do for a living, Tyler?”
“I’m a personal trainer.”
Gram-Gram nodded. “I can see how that might be your profession. You look to be quite strong.”
Ty grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
She nodded. “Your parents have raised you right.”
“My mom would be happy that you think so. I had my fair share of flicks to the back of the head when I did or said something wrong growing up.”
Gram-Gram laughed. “I guess a flick or two never hurt anyone.”
“They sure didn’t,” Ty said.
Lydia grinned, loving that Gram-Gram seemed to like him.
Gram-Gram looked at her now. “And you’re… dating?”
Lydia nodded. “We have been for a while.”
“I see.”
Lydia cleared her throat as she struggled not to squirm. “I would—I’m going to bring Ty with me to the compound.”
Gram-Gram’s eyes widened slightly. “So, this is quite serious, then?”
She forced herself to nod again. “Yes.”
“And how did you two meet?”
“At the florist in town,” Ty said before she could. “I was picking out some flowers for my sister who just had a baby girl. Lydia walked through the front door as I was flipping through one of those arrangement books, and she pretty much knocked my socks off.”
Gram-Gram laughed again. “That’s a lovely story.”
Ty captured Lydia’s hand as he grinned. “I asked her to help me pick out something that she thought my sister would like. I’ve been thanking my lucky stars ever since.”
Gram-Gram smiled. “Well, I’m certainly looking forward to spending more time with you and my granddaughter.”
“I’m looking forward to that, too, Mrs. Monroe.”
Gram-Gram shook her head. “I’d like you to call me Marietta, especially when I know that Aaron would undoubtedly approve of you for his Lidybug.”
Lydia sat ramrod straight as Gram-Gram mentioned Dad.
Ty slid his thumb over her knuckles, clearly noticing her change in posture. “Thank you, Marietta.”
Gram-Gram held Ty’s gaze. “My younger son had a laid-back nature very similar to yours. His heart was pure goodness. I sense the same in you.”
Ty smiled, sending her a nod. “That’s very kind.”
Lydia subtly pulled her hand from Ty’s—or she hoped it was subtle—as the rush of guilt that swamped her made it hard for her to breathe. “I, uh, I imagine we should probably get going, Gram-Gram. I know you have your afternoon therapies, and we’re going to visit a few of the sights.”
Gram-Gram stood again, using the chair and her cane for assistance.
Lydia hurried over, helping her steady. “You look like you’re well on the mend.”
Gram-Gram nodded. “I’m certainly looking forward to some time at the beach.”
“We’ll soak up a whole bunch of sunshine.”
Gram-Gram nodded again as she smiled. “Give me a hug, my darling girl.”
Lydia hugged her tight, squeezing her eyes shut as she held on. “I love you, Gram-Gram.”
“I love you, too, honey.” She eased back, cupping Lydia’s cheeks in her bony hands. “You go have some fun with Tyler.” She inched her face closer to her ear. “I like this one,” she whispered.
Lydia nodded, beyond ready to leave. “We’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.” Gram-Gram held out her hand to Ty again. “It was lovely to meet you.”
Ty shook her hand. “And you. I’ll see you again in just a few days.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Sit back down, Gram-Gram.”
Gram-Gram shook her head. “I’m going to make my way to the bedroom to change. Marrianne will be by to bring me down for my appointment before too long.”
“Okay.” She kissed Gram-Gram’s cheek. “See you soon.”
Gram-Gram winked. “Off you go, my girl.”
Lydia waved at the door, then closed it behind them, struggling to send Ty a small smile.
“That went pretty well.”
She nodded, spotting the women’s room down the hall, and headed that way, hurrying through the door.
She stopped dead in the center of the room as she met her eyes in the mirror, then stared at the floor, unable to hold her own gaze in the glass, never feeling quite so disgusted with herself as she did right now.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, as her breath rushed in and out. “What are you doing?” she said again before she covered her mouth with her hand and started to cry.
She turned toward the corner in the three-stall space, covering her face with both hands, struggling to stay quiet as she found it impossible to stop herself from sobbing.
Everything about the last few minutes had been horrible. Blatantly lying to one of the people she loved most…
It had been one thing to stretch the truth when she’d introduced Ty to Camille, Jamie, and Gregg, but this had been different. This had been a gut-wrenching reality check of what she’d signed up for when she told Ty that she would help him.
The door opened, and she knew that it was him.
“Lyd?”
She shook her head as the tears kept rolling.
“Lyd,” he said again, turning her to face him.
“I hated that,” she struggled to say, unable to shore herself back up. “I hated that so much.”
He nodded, holding her gaze. “I know you did.”
She sucked in a breath, then lost her composure again. “I feel so ashamed. She was happy for me. She said that stuff about my dad. Never once during the year that I dated Andy did she ever mention my dad.”
“Come here.” He pulled her against him, wrapping her up tight. “Come here, Lyd.”
She hesitated before she held on to him, nestling her cheek on his shoulder. “I don’t know if I can do this. I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I can.”
He said nothing, sliding his hands up and down her back.
Several minutes passed as she worked hard to pull herself together. Easing away, she wiped at her cheeks. “We need to find a way to stop this.”
He sighed as he captured her hands. “There is no way to stop it.”
“There has to be.”
He shook his head. “This is happening even if you back out and they pull me. The Boston field office has been watching Russo for months, and Will keeps popping up on the radar. The DOJ has questions, and they’re going to get their answers.”
She closed her eyes as more tears fell.
“Hey,” he said gently as he brushed them away with his thumbs. “You and me, we can do this. We can do it together.”
She stared into his determined gaze—the man who’d been so good to her over the last few weeks. The man who’d been so sweet to her grandmother. She didn’t want any of this to happen, but if it had to, she wanted Ty to be involved. “Okay.”
He wiped at another tear. “What do you say we get out of here? I want to take you somewhere.”
She nodded. “Sure.”