Page 57 of You're the Reason

Grace looked toward Seth, but he wasn’t much help. His jaw was locked again. “We got to go, Mom. I’ll be back next week.”

The only response was the song “Look Away” blasting from down the hall, and Seth motioned toward the door.

“Don’t we need to check on her?”

“Nope.” He handed her the bag of broccoli. “My guess is she went to find a hidden bottle and Chicago’s Greatest Hits. Memories of my dad will do that to her. And every time my dad comes up, Chicago comes out.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to... I mean, she brought it up.”

He cupped her face in his hands, making sure she met his eyes. “You did nothing wrong. She’s an alcoholic and a drug addict with many regrets. One is burning all of my dad’s stuff in a drunken rage shortly after he died.”

“What was he like?”

“Kind, loving, giving. He was a good guy.”

Grace couldn’t wrap her mind around a dad like that. A dad that wasn’t demanding and harsh.

He dropped her face and she immediately missed the warmth. “You don’t have any photos of him?”

“I had one for a long time.” He gathered the bag of garbage and stepped toward the door. “I kept it and a few other personal things in the vet houses to keep them safe from my mom.”

“The houses that burned?”

“Very ones.” He held the door and waited for her to walk out into the cool evening air. “The town wanted to erase an eyesore. And in turn, I lost every last bit of my childhood.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Life happens.” Seth just shrugged and followed her toward the car, stopping to drop the garbage in the bin. “But this is just one of the reasons The Storm has to disappear. The further you go, the deeper they dig.”

He was so casual about it, but it broke her heart. All of it. His childhood, his mom, and even the way he used it as a reason to push everyone away now.

Grace reached in her pocket for the five, but it was gone. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She didn’t have to tell him. He already knew.

He shook his head. “I still don’t understand how she does that when she can barely walk straight most of the time.”

Seth was right. This was his world, and she didn’t understand it at all.

Suddenly, it all came together. His friendship with Gabe. Officer Hammond asking her if she was all right. His mom.

Seth had a whole life she knew nothing about.

“So what do you think, Jon?” Seth had spent most of yesterday putting together his slide presentation on his day off. But after spending the entire day before that with Grace, he had to keep busy, otherwise he would no doubt show up and beg her to go on that date he still owed her.

Jon turned his office chair toward Seth as the presentation ended, his elbows propped on the sides. “What changed your mind?”

“I thought about what you said.” Not to mention the conversation with Grace on Saturday. Seth adjusted his tie. “I think this town—the kids—could benefit from a place to go. But it can’t be a one-size-fits-all. This would be half rec center, half ninja gym.”

“So The Storm is back.”

“No.” Seth shook his head and leaned forward. “I’ll head it up, but as Seth. Not The Storm.”

“But the money?—”

“It isn’t about the money, it’s about the kids.”

“Says the guy not paying the bill.” Jon turned a pen over in his fingers, then again. “I know I told you to present this to the board. But after my meeting with them a few days ago, the board was clear about looking at trimming, not expanding. So this kind of budget is?—”

“I get it, I do. But this is really important to me.”

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