Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls #1)(65)

He didn’t deny her assumption. His head tilted. “She’s rough. Are you sure you want to take her on?”

Ellie lifted a shoulder. “She’s just a baby.”

“Was Julia a tough infant?”

“Not really, but I was only eighteen. I had no idea what I was doing. I had Nan, thank God, but she had to get up for work. She was still teaching then.”

“What happened to Julia’s father? You mentioned him earlier, so now I’m curious.”

She regretted her previous slip. “I got pregnant senior year in high school. My boyfriend wasn’t ready to be a father.”

“What about your parents?”

And now for the topic even more uncomfortable than teenage pregnancy. But what the hell? She was tired of pretending her disastrous high school years didn’t exist. Maybe Nan was right. It was time to make peace with her past. “They wanted me to give her up for adoption. When I refused, they kicked me out. I’m so glad I had Nan.”

Ellie didn’t like to think about what would have happened if she’d been younger and didn’t have a grandmother willing to tell off her own son. Ellie’s and Julia’s lives could have turned out much worse.

“What about Julia’s father? Is he alive?”

“I have no idea. I haven’t heard from him since she was a baby.”

“Really?” Grant sounded incredulous.

She shrugged. “He didn’t want any part of being a father. He voted with my parents for putting the baby up for adoption. When I wouldn’t do it, he said it was my problem. He went to college in Northern California, as far as he could get from me and still be in the continental United States.”

“You could have sued him for child support.”

Ellie gave her head an angry shake. “I didn’t want anything from him. For all I know, he could be dead or in prison or be married with two point five kids by now. It’s been a long time.” Unexpected bitterness welled in Ellie’s throat. She’d thought she was over his callous abandonment. “I wasn’t about to beg him for anything.”

“I can’t imagine knowing I had a child and not caring what happened to her.” Grief flashed in his eyes. Was he thinking of how much his brother would miss raising Carson and Faith? “How did you even end up with a guy like that?”

“I was a teenager and full of rebellion.” She stared at his strong forearm under her palm. “And he was hot.”

Grant laughed. “I thought guys were the only ones who thought like that.”

“If they were, girls wouldn’t get pregnant in high school.”

“Good point.”

But it suddenly occurred to Ellie that, while she encouraged Julia to be independent and educated, maybe she’d been too strict in other areas. Sure, Taylor was older, but Ellie hadn’t taken the time to get to know him before forbidding Julia to date him. Her daughter had a good head on her shoulders. This afternoon, she’d exhibited intelligence and courage. Ellie needed to allow her to make some of her own decisions. Within reason.

Ellie dropped into the chair.

Grant’s hand fell away. “Kate was estranged from her parents, too.”

“I know. It was one of the things we had in common.”

Grant heaved his frame off the desktop, pivoted, and paced toward the door. “Hannah called Kate’s parents. They’re coming here this week sometime.”

Ellie lifted her head. “I’m not sure that was a good idea.”

“But their daughter died. Don’t they have a right to know?” He stopped, his face creased with indecision.

“Maybe,” she conceded. “But Kate had no contact with them. Did you know they hadn’t spoken to her since she married Lee?”

Grant stopped, whirling to face her. “What? Why?”

“They have serious money. Kate said her mother was a Daughter of the American Revolution.” Ellie looked away. “They told her Lee was a gold digger.”

“That’s ridiculous.” His jaw clenched. “My father was a colonel in the army. He gave up his life for his country. It doesn’t get any more worthy than that. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we were far from destitute.”

Ellie held a hand up. “I agree with you, and so did Kate. She wanted nothing to do with them.”

“Why are families full of so much conflict?” Grant massaged his forehead as if it ached. “Now I wish I didn’t have to invite anyone to the funeral. It’s going to be stressful enough without all the drama.”

“What are you planning?”

“I’m not sure. We can’t plan anything until the medical examiner gives the OK, but Mac is supposedly handling the preliminaries. I don’t even know how many people will come.”

Ellie did some quick mental math. “Between Lee’s firm and clients and the families from the skating club, you’ll have a hundred at minimum. I’d plan on more. They were both popular in the community.”

“I really wanted to keep it small for Carson’s sake.”

“Will you bring him?”

“The school counselor said I should let him make the decision, but I’m not leaving him at home, not after that guy tried to grab him. If he doesn’t want to go, I’ll stay home. Or maybe we won’t have one.”