Page 45 of The Chase
“Hmmm.” Yes, Kurt was a very attractive man. Hard to miss that. “He’s a total toad. Who says he loves me. What am I supposed to think about that?”
“A total toad is not that good of a daddy. And I watched that man with those babies of his. Babies he didn’t have to take in, I might add. And…he looks at you the way Hudson and Chad look at your sisters. Something to keep in mind. Andyoulike to look back—when you think he’s not watching. Care to tell me whatreallyhappened?”
“We were…together. Made the baby the first time Ievergot naked with a man, and then he practically threw me out minutes later. Saying he’dmade a mistake.Now that there is a baby, he thinks I’m going to just play along with whatever he wants and forget what he said that night. But how can I? It hurt, a lot. How can I ever trust him again?”
“Tell me exactly what he said.”
Greer spilled the entire story to her mother. Her mother just shook her head. “I see. Not much different from what your own father said and did when I told him about Georgiano Maxwell Hiller the third’s coming arrival. It took me a while to forgive him.”
Greer knew the story. George had been six months old by the time her father had tracked her mother down and captured herforever. They’d had a bit of a rocky start back then. But they’d loved each other and worked it out. “Daddy wasn’t that big of a toad.”
“Honey, your father was the epitome oftoadback then. Arrogant, cocky, and yes, spoiled. He thought he was God’s gift to women, and I was just the lowly temporary secretary he did something stupid with. And he just gotcaught.He made that very clear when I told him about Georgie. He thought I’d trapped him. He said we’d work out astructurefor your brother’s very existence. Grr. That still burns me, how much of a toad your father was that day. Yet I have now forgiven him. Mostly. Of course I had to leave after that. He didn’t want our baby, and I know he didn’t wantmethen. Except physically. So…to hell with him. I was going to build a life for me and my baby boy without him.”
Her mother had told her father the baby washersand not his, gave him a notarized letter stating she wanted nothing from him for the baby, and then taken off to stay with relatives all around the state.
Her father had been kept hopping just trying to find her.
He finally had, when George was not even six months old. It took him three more months to catch her fully, as she liked to say. They’d been married three weeks later. And then had eight more children over a span of twenty years, including their baby Gregory, who had passed away at around four weeks old. “But you and Daddy loved and respected each other then.”
“No. We were two incredibly hardheaded, stubborn people who were definitely in lust with each other. Love…came a few months later. Like…after your brother was born. Love can be so complicated. And people can say and do stupid things—especially when they are afraid or confused. Have the two of you even sat down andtalkedabout what happened that night? Or about the baby and the future? Or—did you just cut him outcompletely and threaten to run away forever, your own version of baby Georgie with you?”
Oh, her mom had that look in her eyes again. One that said sheknewexactly what Greer had done. “He barely even acknowledged me until he found out about the baby. Almost three months.”
“In his defense, he’d been a bit busy, right? With those baby girls of his? Becoming daddy.”
“Yes.” That was one way to put it.
“Yet when you needed him after George’s wreck, where was he?”
She knew exactly what her mother was saying.
“And after Jessica hurt your brother and Hala—where was Kurt?”
“With the Glasses. And…me.” He’d stayed where she could find him in an instant, until the moment her brothers had walked her out. Kurt had followed her to the truck and told her good night. And to call if she needed him.
“That boy, he cares about you. Deeply. I don’t think you will ever know fully how much…until the two of you actually sit down and talk, Greer Katarina. Stop being so much like your mother, and just go get your man. I don’t think you will be truly happy until the two of you figure this out.”
“He’s coming for dinner tonight. Gia suggested it. He’s bringing the girls.” She’d told Gia everything, and all the ways he’d made her feel. Gia had suggested starting with a simple…dinner. That was it. And going from there.
Gia had then told her not to waste time. It was too precious. Her sister had still been so battered over what had happened to her at the courthouse. Gia’s words had made a real impact.
Greer thought about her mother’s words as she drove back to the ranch. Her mom and dad lived less than five miles from theranch. They would always be close. George and Ronnie were in town, less than seven miles from the ranch.
Greer didn’t know where the rest of her family would end up. Gia was already making noises about moving into Hudson’s house, once the fire damage was repaired. Hudson and Ryan were still at the ranch now—Greer suspected Gia was sneaking that beautiful man into her suite at night after Gunn and the boys were asleep.
Ayla and Aubrey were there now, too. Supposedly to take care of Hala and Grady—but Greer knew the truth. Everyone was ending up there because they loved each other. Guthrie and Aubrey were talking about looking for a house near Hudson’s, on the same stretch of highway. Ayla and Aubrey wore Hiller engagement rings. It made Greer gooey to even think about it.
Genny was happy, Gia was happy, Ayla and Aubrey and Chantal had all captured one of her brothers each, and now her best friend for almost longer than she could remember was with Grady. Her family was beautiful and happy, and things were going to begoodfor them all now. Greer could just see all the babies they would have. It would be fun to see how alike Gunn and Guthrie’s babies would look, and Gia and Hala’s, for that matter. They’d probably all look like Ryan. Would Chantal and Genny both have redheaded babies?
Her eyes stung.
They were all going to be happy.
And her baby would be right there in the middle of it all. She—or he—would be close in age to baby Mira and baby Max. And she just knew one of her siblings would start a family right away, too. There would be playmates and aunts and uncles and grandparents and so many connections… her baby would never feel alone. Not in this family.
But Kurt…Kurt didn’t have that. She believed him when he said that was what he wanted for the baby—and for Bristol andBronte. Those sweet little girls deserved people to love them, too.
Family…connections…they shaped who people became.
