A New Hope (Thunder Point #8)(56)

“See, that knowing everything? That’s going to get between you and me. So you were right, good for you. But I did my best with Natalie and guess what? If you tell me right now that you don’t think I’m good enough for Ginger, that there’s no way it’s going to work, I’m not listening to that, either. See, I didn’t see it working out with that * Ted you were with for three years but it was what you wanted at the time and I kept my mouth shut. And when you settled in with Scott, I thought that was great, but I never said anything like, ‘Hey, great recovery, Peyton.’”

“Wow,” she said. “You didn’t like Ted?”

“Who did?” he asked. “I know you think Ginger is too good for me. You’re probably right. I know you think it would be great if I could somehow deserve her and make a decent life with a decent person—I get that. The bottom line is—we didn’t hire a matchmaker. That’s no good, Peyton. We have to find out if we work, not get together because someone as smart as you endorses it. You have to let it be up to us.”

“You love her?”

“I do. She’s amazing. I admire her so much.”

“What about all those other women?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. The question quieted him, made him think. “Spinning my wheels. Marking time. Looking and making mistakes and... Look, I’m not proud of that, all right? I didn’t break laws. I was careful with their feelings. It didn’t always work but I was. There hasn’t been anyone in a while now. And if it makes you feel better, it didn’t do anything to make me happy. In fact, it made me miserable.

“But I’m happy right now,” he went on. “That doesn’t mean I’m diving in too fast, but for God’s sake, let me try being happy. Will you?”

Peyton got tears in her eyes. “Aw, Matt...”

“Jesus, don’t cry! Don’t! I want to smack you so don’t cry!”

“I’m pregnant,” she said, and tears ran down her cheeks. “I hate that you ever thought I didn’t want you to be happy.”

“Awww...I’m not mad at you, Peyton. Well, a little bit because I thought you wanted to keep me away from Ginger. I just thought you wanted me to be happy your way,” he said. He got up from the kitchen table and found the box of tissues. He tossed it at her and it accidentally hit her in the head before she caught it. He winced.

“I did,” she said. “I wanted you to be happy my way. I have a little issue with that being-right thing. But I didn’t know you knew so much about yourself. About Ted. About rocky situations. About working through things with an amazing woman. About looking for love in all the wrong places. I just thought...”

“That I was a big dumb lummox.”

“Well...”

“Save it,” he said. And he waited while she mopped her eyes and blew her nose. He tried keeping a scowl on his face while she sniveled. He crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. It was all an act. He wanted to hug her.

“Really,” she said with a sniff. “Nothing could make me happier than to think of you in a healthy relationship with a nice woman like Ginger.”

“All evidence to the contrary,” he said.

“If I say sorry can that be the end of it?”

“I don’t know, Peyton,” he said. “Can you mind your own business?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You might want to go a little easy on me.”

“That’s the price of forgiveness,” he said. “Your word. Then you stand by it and mind your own business.”

“All right,” she said irritably. “I can’t believe you made me cry.”

“Those were fetal tears and you know it. I can’t remember when you’ve ever cried over one of us boys.”

“I might cry a little easier these days,” she relented. “So. You’re going to be around awhile?”

“I’m going to leave for the farm Sunday night. We might bump into each other but let’s be clear, I’m here to be with Ginger. I need to spend time with her.”

“All right, jeez.”

He softened. He smiled warmly. “Maybe next week or the week after we can get together.”

“Well, don’t go to any trouble,” she shot back.

“So. We understand each other?” he asked.

“We understand each other, mutiko,” she said, meaning little boy.

That made him frown. “Don’t push it,” he warned. “I have things to do.” He stood to leave. After taking a couple of steps toward the door he turned back to her. He put a small kiss on her forehead. He hugged her gently. “Behave,” he warned.

Thirteen

Grace had never wished illness on her mother but it was true that the relationship she had with her now was better than ever. Their routine was calming. When Grace rose in the morning she would go upstairs to Winnie’s room. She would usually knock softly, not just to be sure Winnie was awake but also to be certain she wouldn’t wake or disturb Mikhail, who never admitted to spending nights in the chair beside Winnie’s bed. Grace would go into her mother’s room to find Winnie sitting up, wearing her favorite bed jacket. This particular morning she’d seen Mikhail out on the deck with coffee.