Drawn Deeper (21 page)

“Grandma, what are you doing today?” Eric looked up at her hopefully.

“Nothing important. You boys are welcome to come over to Grandma’s if you’d like.”

“You can come to the movies with us!”

No. Oh,
hell
no. It was all I could do not to say it out loud.

“Well . . . I don’t know about that,” she said.

“Please, Grandma. It’ll be fun. I’ll share my Sour Patch Kids with you.”

I couldn’t have said no to that. And Grace couldn’t seem to, either. She gave me a look that was both helpless and miserable.

“I suppose . . . I could,” she mumbled.

“Yes!” He looked over at me. “Meredith, will you come watch cartoons with us? The one with that guy I was telling you about, the all-fiery and orange one. It’s on, and I want you to see him.”

“I’ll be there in a bit,” I said, smiling.

Eric left the room, and Grace and I stared at each other silently for a few seconds.

“I’m not going away,” I said. “So you and I need to find some common ground.”

She sighed softly, then nodded. “What time are you leaving for the movies?”

“We’re going to lunch at the deli at twelve thirty and then to the movies right after.”

“I’ll come back over at twelve-fifteen.” She walked over to the table, picked up her casserole and left.

I wanted to send a distressed text to Kyle, but I decided against it. I could do this. For Jordan and Eric, I could spend an afternoon with Grace and even be nice to her. And
then
I’d talk to Kyle about it.

I dreaded Grace’s return, but she put on a happy face for the boys. As I drove the four of us to the restaurant in my Jeep, Grace’s silver hair blowing in the breeze from my passenger seat, I wished I had a photo to send to Kyle.

He would either laugh or piss his pants. Maybe both.

When I found a downtown parking spot, Grace smoothed down her hair and led the way into the restaurant.

The boys were chatty, saving us from having to make awkward conversation. As Jordan talked about his baseball team, I caught a glimpse of Grace, and my mind wandered to a memory I hadn’t thought of in a long time.

My mother had died seven months before the wedding date Reed and I had set. So it was just two months after losing her that I’d had to shop for a wedding dress, minus the one person I wanted there with me.

My bridesmaids, all college-aged like me at the time, had been preoccupied with how my tan lines would look and whether I should wear a veil. They’d laughed and admired dresses when we got to the shop, while I’d put on a fake smile and dreaded the thought of that first glance in the mirror dressed in a wedding gown my mother would never get to see me in.

Grace had been waiting for me as I stepped out of the dressing room. She’d taken my hand and led me to an empty viewing room. As soon as I stepped onto the podium and saw myself in the white beaded gown, I’d lost it, covering my face with my hands and sobbing.

She’d put an arm around my shoulders and passed me tissue after tissue, taking the used ones when I was done with them.

When I’d finally gotten it together several minutes later, she’d said, “I hate that any of this day has to be bitter for you, Meredith. I hope we can find some sweet in it, too. Your mom would be overjoyed to be beside you right now. I can’t replace her, but I’m honored to be here with you.”

I’d nodded and cried some more. That catharsis had helped me. Instead of holding in the pain, I’d let it all out, and she’d been there to share it. I was able to try on dresses after that and even ended up having a good time.

“Will you cut up my spaghetti?” Eric asked me.

“Sure.”

“Dad cuts it really small.”

I felt Grace watching me as I cut his food into the small bites he wanted. Did she still remember the time when she hadn’t despised me?

When Reed and I were together, I’d been as in love with the Lockhart family as I was with him. The house had always been filled with happy laughter and the male banter of the brothers. Henry and Grace set high expectations for their sons, but they also loved and supported them in every way.

I’d panicked over the thought of joining the family I loved so much when I knew I wasn’t ready for marriage. I hated the thought of letting every last one of them down—not just Reed.

“Can I sit by you at the movies?” Eric asked me.

“Sure.”

“I want to sit by you,” Jordan said, giving me an imploring look.

I arched my brows, sending him a silent message, and he turned to Grace.

“I’ll sit by you, Grandma.”

He’d understood me telling him to include Grace. That was a little bit freaky and a lot cool.

“Just remember Meredith has two sides,” Grace said with a smile. “You can both sit by her, boys.”

Was she being gracious or just making sure she wouldn’t have to sit by me? Either way, I decided to take it as a win.

The movie we watched about a man trapped in a cat’s body was cheesy and horrible, but the boys loved it. Another win.

When we pulled back into the driveway, Grace got out of my Jeep, hugged the boys, and said she was leaving.

“Thanks for including me,” she said to me.

Her appreciation almost sounded . . . genuine? I was too shocked to respond for a second, but I recovered.

“Thanks for coming. And thanks for buying. That was very nice of you.”

She nodded at me and went to her car. The boys and I went into the house, and they both sat down with electronic devices.

I sat down myself and texted Kyle.

Me: How’s the hunting going?

Kyle: Done for the day. We’re cooking the fish we caught today at our lodge.

Me: Hope you’re having fun.

Kyle: It’s been a blast. Miss you guys.

Me: Miss you too.

Kyle: Hey, don’t make plans for 2 weeks from yesterday. I want you to come with us to Mason and April’s wedding if you can.

I read his message twice, my heart full with happiness. Being asked to a family event was a pretty big deal for me.

Me: Sure, if you want me to, I’ll be there.

Kyle: Don’t worry about my mom. I’ll take care of it.

Me: Speaking of your mom . . .

Kyle: Oh, shit. What??

Me: She came over.

Kyle: SHIT. Good thing my shotgun’s here and not in my house.

Me: Probably.

Kyle: How bad was it?

Me: Words were exchanged. But then Eric invited her to the movies with us.

Kyle: I just cringed so hard for you.

Me: She came. Rode next to me in my Jeep.

Kyle: You’re joking.

Me: No.

Kyle: Wow. Did she insult or offend you in any way? If she did, I’m going to her house tomorrow before I come home to set her straight.

Me: Nothing I couldn’t handle.

Kyle: Usually just talking about her rattles you.

Me: I know. I’m wearing my big-girl panties today.

Kyle: Oh, do tell. Like cotton briefs? I could get into those. ;)

Me: You’ve got a standing invitation.

Kyle: Damn. Mason needs help cleaning the fish. I have to go.

Me: Have fun. See you tomorrow.

Kyle: Can’t wait.

I was still smiling a couple minutes after our conversation ended. It wasn’t just because of Kyle, but also because I’d finally stood up for myself. I’d never done that—not with Grace, not with the guy at work who called me the Runaway Bride or any of the former friends who’d shunned me after I broke it off with Reed. Not with anyone.

It felt good.

Kyle

I’d only been gone three nights for the bachelor party in Montana, but it felt like longer. When I walked into the house and the boys ran toward me, I hugged them and then picked one of them up in each arm and carried them into the living room.

They were hitting me with questions, rapid-fire.

“Did you get a deer?”

“Could you see our house from the plane?”

“Did you touch fish guts?”

“Where’d you put my baseball shirt?”

I set them down and took the slingshots I’d bought them in Montana out of my carry-on bag.

“No pointing stuff at people, or these are gone,” I said, handing them over.

Jordan’s gleeful smile made me sense that something would be broken with his slingshot in the near future. But I’d had one as a kid, and I hoped they’d have as much fun with theirs as I had.

The boys were out the back door without another word, and I pulled Meredith into my arms and kissed her. The boys would see us being affectionate at some point, anyway. Might as well be sooner rather than later.

“You smell like smoke and . . . the woods,” she said against my lips.

“Yeah, I need to shower.”

“I like it, though.”

“Oh, really? The smoke’s probably from all the cigars we smoked.”

“How did I not know you smoke cigars?”

“It’s not very often that I do. I ordered a box for here, too, though, in case you ever want a little Bill and Monica action.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I like that you aren’t funny all the time, but when you are, you’re
really
funny.”

“I don’t think anyone’s ever considered me funny before.”

“I do.”

I kissed her again, squeezing her waist. That made me think of the time she rode me on the couch, and I started to get hard.

“Did you guys eat?” I asked, releasing my hold on her.

“We did. There’s sandwich stuff in the fridge, though.”

We went into the kitchen, and she sat on the counter while I made myself a roast beef sandwich.

“I need to run a quick errand if you can stay a little longer,” I said.

“Sure. I took the whole day off work, so it doesn’t matter when you get back.”

I finished my sandwich and went to find my carry-on bag in the living room, taking out a small black box.

“Just a thank you for watching the boys this weekend,” I said, holding it out to Meredith.

Her lips parted with surprise. “Oh, no. Kyle, I was happy to do it. I had lots of fun with them. They even helped with yard work at my place.”

“Then consider it a thank you for making me so happy.”

Tears pooled in her eyes. “You don’t have to, though. I’m happy, too.”

“Take it, Mer.”

She reached forward and took the box. I shifted nervously as I waited for her to open it, because I hadn’t picked out a gift for a woman in a very long time. Kim had always preferred to choose her own presents.

After looking in the box that held a white gold necklace with a letter “M” pendant, she gave me the wide smile that lit up her whole face.

“This is beautiful. Thank you.” She cupped my cheek and leaned up on her toes to kiss me. “Will you put it on me?”

“Sure, if I can work the tiny clasp with my giant fingers.”

It took three tries, but I got it on her. She brushed her fingers over the pendant, her cheeks a pretty pink shade that reminded me of the way she looked after sex.

“I’m gonna go do my thing,” I said. “I won’t be too long.”

“See you later.”

I’d planned on taking a shower and spending more time with Meredith and the boys before I went to see my mom, but I was too eager to wait.

When I parked in the driveway of my parents’ house, I saw Mom on her knees next to a flowerbed by the deck, pulling out tiny weeds.

She looked up as I approached, holding a hand over her eyes to block the sun’s glare. “Well, what a nice surprise. Your father said you boys had a great trip.”

“We did.”

She went to stand, and I offered her my arm. She held on to it while I helped her up with my other hand.

“Getting up and down is much creakier than it used to be,” she said, shaking her head.

She took off her gardening gloves and headed for the back door of the house. “Let’s have some sweet tea, shall we?”

“Sure, sounds good.”

I followed her into the kitchen, where everything was as neat and clean as I remembered it being growing up. Mom had taken lots of pride in keeping a nice home for her family.

It was quiet in here, which was rare. Usually, there were kids underfoot when I was in Mom’s kitchen, and my brothers were often carrying on conversations over the noise.

Mom set a glass of tea down for each of us and then started arranging cookies from her jar on a plate.