Page 46 of Whatever You Need

I staredat my grandfather’s estate as I pulled into the main house, a place that had once felt like a home to me. I looked to my left and noticed an unfamiliar Lexus parked at the top of the long winding driveway. I sighed, hoping he didn’t have company because what I needed to say really needed to be said in private.

I leaned my head back against the seat and prayed that I was doing the right thing by telling him about my relationship. During the car ride over, I played with a few different ideas in my head and tried to come up with a way to convince him I needed more time.

It became clear after spending the entire weekend with Marco, that this conversation was unavoidable. I was already in deep and my feelings were becoming too hard to ignore.

Now, as I placed my shifter in park and ran my hand along the steering wheel, the queasiness in my stomach had me questioning if I was ready to have this conversation after all. I hesitated a bit and glanced at my phone, wondering if I should have called and told him I was coming.

I adjusted the strap along my purse and then rang the doorbell. The heavy wooden door swung open.

I furrowed my brows in confusion. “Mom? What are you doing here?”

“Amelia.” She stepped forward and wrapped me up in her arms. “Your grandfather just left to visit your grandmother. I was just dropping off some paperwork before I headed over to the hotel.”

“I didn’t know you were coming into town,” I said, feeling thrown off from her presence. “You could have stayed with me.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be offended, dear, I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

I nodded, pretending to understand when, in reality, it hurt when she refused to stay with me. It always felt like she went out of her way to keep her distance. Deep down I knew she cared about me in her own way, but it still stung, and a part of me felt foolish for even wanting more of a relationship to begin with.

“You would never bother me, but I understand why you would want your own space.”

I stepped inside and followed her into the foyer. She waved her free hand toward my grandfather’s sitting room as if this were still her house. This was the home I was raised in. Even after my dad died, my grandparents insisted that we stay here. They claimed it was because they didn’t want my life disrupted any more than it was. As I got older, I suspected it was because they didn’t trust my mother to raise me.

She moved over to the loveseat and patted the cushion. “Let’s talk. It’s been so long. How are you?”

“I’ve been well. How about you?”

She slid her hands along the armrest of the leather chair and filled me in on all the charity events she’d attended and the trip she was planning to take to the South of France right after the new year.

My phone pinged with a text, interrupting her prattling on about a friend who just bought a property in Belize. I pulled it out of my bag; my heart swelled when Marco’s name flashed across the screen. I clicked on the message. It was a picture of him and his nephew.

Marco: Hey, your little admirer stopped by with my brother. Matteo was impressed with how much work was done. Thanks for saving my ass.

Me: You’re welcome. Give Nicky a kiss for me.

His reply was instant.

Marco: You could kiss him yourself. How much longer are you going to be? They brought leftovers from Moms’.

My lips lifted up into a smile. This would be our third straight night in a row together. Not that I was complaining.

Me: I shouldn’t be too long. My mother is in town and we are just catching up. I’ll text you when I’m on my way.

Marco: The roads are getting slick. Please drive safe.

“Is that Owen?” my mom asked as I tucked my phone away, back in my purse.

“No,” I told her, not wanting to get into it.

“Are you sure?” she asked hopefully. “Because you were smiling pretty hard while reading what was on that screen.”

“Did grandfather say when he would be back?” I asked, trying to change the subject. The last thing I wanted to do was tell her why I was actually here. My mother adored Owen and has been pushing us together since we were in diapers.

She sat up in her chair and folded her hands in her lap. “Amelia, what’s going on?”

I rolled my lips together and silently wondered if I could confide in her without her judging me. “I have something I need to talk to him about.”

Her gaze narrowed. “Why do I not like the sound of this?”

---