Page 66 of Slow Burn
"I blamed you," I rasped in a whisper.
"Aye," Griffin said on a slow exhale. "We do and say a lot of things in anger we don't mean to do."
"I'm sorry." The first apology of many I had to offer.
I was a bit stunned when Griffin chuckled on the other end. "There's nothing to apologize for. Not once did I hold it against you."
"But you left Sault Point without even saying goodbye to Mom and Dad."
"Aye, that I did." There was the smallest hint of embarrassment in his tone. "It was never about what you or anyone said or did. I had me own guilt to deal with. And me own mourning to do."
I leaned back against the bed and pulled my legs up, draping my free arm over the top of my knee. "I've been a pretty shitty friend, haven't I? It's three years too damn late, but I am sorry for the things I said to you."
"Already forgotten." The last part of his response tapered off before I heard a muffled female voice followed by Griffin's chuckle and then something that sounded like a smacking kiss.
It didn't really surprise me that Maddie's face popped into my mind. What did surprise me was how desperatelyI needed to tell her about everything. Give her all my truth and pray like hell that she wouldn't walk away.
Because Griffin was right. I hadn't lost everything. In fact, I found something. Something so beautiful and precious. So unique. I'd do anything in my power to keep her. And her ugly rat.
"Sorry." Griffin's voice broke through my thoughts. "I haven't seen Rae in three days." He didn't explain and, honestly, he didn't need to. Maddie wasn't even mine and still, the days where I never got to see her or spend time with her were the longest.
"Go be with your woman," I told him. "We'll talk again."
There was a beat of silence and then, "I'm glad you called, Adam."
"Me too."
I wasn't entirely sure how it was possible, but I felt ten times lighter when I hung up. For years, the thought that my last words to Angie had not been the ones she needed to hear had slowly picked away at me. The guilt of not getting to her in time to drag her out of the fire, had consumed me.
I breathed easier knowing a flicker of light had now been cast over the darkness that'd haunted me for so long. I wasn't foolish enough not to realize the road to becoming the man I had been was suddenly going to be an easy one.
However, for the first time in a really long time, I was hopeful.
Even more so when I heard car doors slamming shut. A smile spread across my face. Maddie's visit was probably over which meant I finally got to see her. The few hours that'd passed since I'd had my hands and mouth on her had been a few hours too long.
Pushing to my feet, I snatched a t-shirt from my closet before bounding down the stairs and rushing to the door. I barely had time to pull the cotton over my head when the first knock sounded.
Something about it sounded different but I didn't give it too much thought. Hand on the handle, I took a steadying breath to calm my racing heart before pulling the door open. The calming breath I'd taken mere seconds before didn't do shit when it wasn't Maddie standing on my doorstep but rather my sister.
My very pregnant sister.
"Surpriiiise." Her palms were facing the sky and an uncomfortable smile played on her lips.
Words. I needed words if only they'd come. Seeing my sister—in the flesh—after all this time was somewhat unnerving. Not necessarily in a bad way. She just looked so different. So grown up. I hardly recognized her.
"I hope it's okay we're here?" She spoke so carefully, my heart twisted. I had made her like this around me. It was the walls aroundmyheart that'd pushed everyone away and now I needed to lower them.
If only I knew how.
Movement in the street caught my attention. I flicked my gaze over my sister's head and it landed on the SUV parked curbside. Her husband and stepdaughter—she'dkill me if I used that term in front of her because for all intent and purposes the little girl whose name I couldn't remember was hers—were leaned back against it. Probably waiting to see if the monster would bite.
My focus shifted back to Zoe. "I was expecting you in two weeks." She winced, her face falling a moment later. I swore under my breath. Dealing with people face-to-face, even if they were family, was so unfamiliar to me.
Unless it was Maddie.
Everythingwith her was easy.
I cleared my throat and tried again, "Of course it's all right." The way her lips instantly stretched into a wide grin made my heart smile. Especially when it went all the way to her eyes.
