Page 112 of All I Need

“Except me,” Ellie reminds him.

“I don’t understand how you’re here,” Mick tells her.

“Crazy chain of events,” she says but doesn’t explain more so I do for her.

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“She’s the one you took to Sanders’s farm?”

“You talked about me?”

My eyes move to her. “When we were in Chicago. Grayson told him how far gone I was for you.”

“I knew there was a reason I never trusted you,” Miss Polly says, wrapping an arm around Ellie, shooting daggers at Mick.

“He…” Ellie starts to say, like she’s going to defend Mick.

“I’m sorry. I was young and made a stupid decision but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened. If I hadn’t fucked up we wouldn’t have Grayson so I can’t say that I’m all that sorry,” Mick says and damn if he’s not right. I hate that he started this “chain of events” as Ellie called it, but I can’t deny what he said is true—if he hadn’t cheated on Ellie, which I didn’t know had happened, Grayson wouldn’t be with us and I can’t imagine a life without him in it.

“I didn’t know you cheated on someone when you were with my sister. Does Willow know that?”

“No, she doesn’t.”

“So you’ve been lying to us this entire time?”

“It wasn’t important.”

Ellie gasps and I ball my fists. “Not important?” I ask, my head turning to the side.

“That’s not what I meant,” he quickly says, trying to backtrack. “You were important. Always were, Elle. But when it came to Grayson and how he came to be, it wasn’t a factor.”

“You need to tell her,” I growl.

“I know. Especially since… well, this, between you two,” he points between Ellie and me, “it’s something that’s sticking?”

“Yes,” I say immediately, eyes boring into Ellie, daring her to defy me.

She doesn’t.

Thank fuck.

“I don’t know where to go from here,” she says sadly.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I ask, my ease over her agreeing that we’re still, and always will be, a thing, vanishing into thin air.

“It’s just… how can I be around Grayson knowing…”

“You’re blaming my nephew?” I ask incredulously and a little angry but she’s shaking her head back and forth telling me I misunderstood her.

“No. I’m not blaming him, just the situation.”

“Ellie, the situation sucks, for sure. But Grayson is the one person who comes second in my life. I can’t be asked to choose between you two.”

“Second?”

“You’re first. He’s second.”

The words are a physical blow to her and she slowly sits down on the couch.

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