Marek (Cold Fury Hockey #11)(29)
“What sort of complications?” I ask, a feeling of impending doom hanging over me.
“You’ll probably have a very cranky toddler by 7 P.M.,” she says with a laugh. “Why?”
Relief courses through me, and I can’t even be mad at Josie for yanking my chain. “I’ve got Lilly today, and we’re getting ready to grab some lunch. By the time we’re done, she’ll have missed nap time.”
“Relax,” she says with a laugh. “She’ll sleep if she needs to sleep. I’ve seen kids fall asleep in their lunch mac and cheese before. But she may not sleep. Just depends.”
“But she won’t die if she doesn’t?” I ask to make sure.
“No, she won’t die, Marek.”
“Cool. Thanks.” I say, and then disconnect the phone. Turning in my seat, I look back to Lilly. “Want to do something fun?”
She nods at me with sparkling eyes.
“Then buckle up, little girl, because we’re going to Dave and Buster’s for cheeseburgers and arcade games.”
“I’m already buckled up,” she points out.
“We need to work on relaxing your literal interpretation,” I tell my daughter with a grin, then turn back to the steering wheel so we can get this party started.
Nap be damned!
Chapter 12
Gracen
My phone dings and I grab it off my dresser to take a quick peek. Instantly my stomach churns and my hands start to sweat. Another text from Owen.
I demand that you call me. We have to talk.
This is one of his nicer messages. The voicemails and texts I’ve received from him over the last two days since I told him the wedding was off have ranged from begging to downright threatening. I know I’m a coward not to answer him, but I just can’t bring myself to talk to him in any form. My hope is he’ll just give up and leave me alone. I sent an email to the bank’s manager inquiring how to set up monthly payments on the note, and I’m hoping this stays far downwind of Owen. He doesn’t personally oversee the mortgage department, so I’m hoping I can put a Band-Aid on this mess and he won’t know any different.
The front doorbell rings downstairs and my hands get even sweatier, because that’s going to be Marek’s parents, Gale and Joan. They insisted on getting a rental car from the airport to Marek’s house so they could have transportation while they were here for their visit. Marek insisted on running out for bagels a little bit ago and said he was taking Lilly. He’s still not back yet, and I know he planned this to give me a little time with his parents before they met Lilly. I’m dreading dealing with the fallout, but I deserve it.
I tuck my phone into my back pocket and trot down the stairs to let them in. My chest is squeezing painfully, just like when I first saw Marek two weeks ago when he came to stop my wedding. The memories of losing his parents’ love hits me as hard right now at the prospect of seeing them. I loved them dearly, and they loved me as well. After Marek broke things off, I couldn’t bring myself to see them anymore. I cut all ties, and we lived in a big enough town we never ran into each other when they were in residence over the summer.
As I cut left off the bottom of the staircase to move through the formal room, my breath hitches as I see them standing on the other side of the double doors, which are mostly clear glass and framed by dark stained wood. Gale—tall and powerfully built like Marek—and Joan, with that trademark curly dark hair and crystal blue eyes. They lock eyes with me through the glass and I take a deep breath as I open the door and swing it open.
We stare at each other for a moment, then before I know it, Joan is through the door and wrapping me up in a warm, all-encompassing hug. It catches me by surprise, and for a second, my body locks stiffly. My eyes cut to Gale as he walks in, and I see an understanding there.
I hug Joan in return and squeeze her hard as I mumble, “I’m so sorry.”
“Just stop it,” she murmurs back, giving me a squeeze. When she pulls back, she puts her hands to my face and studies me. “No apologies.”
I shake my head. “It was wrong. I deprived you two and Marek of so much.”
“Did you do it spitefully?” Joan asks, her warm palms upon my cheeks giving me much-needed security.
“No.”
“Do you regret it?”
“More than you’ll ever know,” I assure her with a quavering voice.
Again, those blue eyes hold mine, the gentleness within them causing my chest to loosen slightly. “I am sure you had your reasons, Gracen, and it would be foolish of us to pretend like we could understand them. But I know you, sweet girl. You’d never do something to intentionally hurt Marek or Gale and me. I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt your daughter. So I say we start fresh and we let those bygones be bygones. Sound good?”
Sounds utterly fucking amazing, but all I can do is nod with a swollen lump of emotion in my throat.
“Okay,” she says brightly, and steps back from me. I turn to Gale and he opens his arms. He’s the one I expected to be pissed, because while Marek got his mom’s looks, he got his dad’s fiery Lithuanian temper.
Instead, Gale pulls me into a warm hug and gruffly says, “It’s good to see you, Gracen.”
I nod my agreement, again the emotion stealing my voice.