Page 49 of Hot Puck
I have to believe it’s the change we all need. As much as I love this house, have wonderful memories in it, the girls are right. It hurts to be here without Mom and Dad.
We don’t need the house our parents bought to raise their family in to remember them. They’ll live in our hearts for the rest of our lives, and I want those lives to be happy. If that means uprooting everyone and moving thousands of miles away, we’ll do it.
“Are you coming?” Natalie’s voice focuses my thoughts outward. “I think Candace is stirring. I popped a bottle in the warmer and I can go up and get her while you eat something.”
I stare at the woman standing in the doorway of the laundry room and wonder how the hell I survived the months before she showed up on my doorstep.
She’s a straight shooting, no nonsense, somewhat brash businesswoman, and yet beneath that outer layer lies the softest of hearts. I don’t know all her story, but what I do know tells me she doesn’t show that heart to many.
And for some reason she’s decided to share her soft center with me and my sisters.
“Yeah, I’ll grab a bite then a shower if she isn’t awake when I’ve done eating.” I step toward her. “Thank you.”
“For?” she asks with an arch of her eyebrow.
“Everything. For whatever forces put you on our doorstep.”
“You put me on your doorstep. I was coming for you anyway. Circumstances delayed my arrival though.”
“You were coming for me?” That’s a revelation I didn’t know I needed to hear.
“Yes. We’ve been watching you for a while. And I was supposed to come see you at college months ago, make you an offer.”
“Why didn’t you?”
I can see the war going on in her head. She doesn’t want to tell me what delayed her. I can tell she knows why we didn’t meet before now though.
With a sigh, she says, “My soon-to-be ex. In one of his many misguided attempts to gain my attention, he kept me from making the journey here. Until now.”
“And he’s still being difficult?”
“Yes. As soon as I’m back home I’ll put my focus on dealing with him.”
“Deal with him now. Don’t let our drama pull you away from what you need to do.”
“It isn’t.”
“It is if you’re going to wait until you get home.”
“Okay, I might be focused on you and the girls, but I want to be. It won’t make any difference to wait. He’s going to keep being a prick until I show my face. It’s what he does.”
“Why? You said he’s stepped out on your marriage.”
“He has. Since the beginning I think, although I only have proof for the last few years.”
“Then what does he hope to gain?”
“He thinks he’s winning when he forces me to see him.” She shrugs. “Who knows what goes through his head. I certainly don’t.”
“But you married him?”
“I did. For billions of important reasons.” She grins.
“I don’t like that he’s fucking you around.”
“You and me both.”
“What will make him stop?”
