Page 114 of Caught from Behind

My throat closes up.

This is fucking uncharted territory. We don’t do this. Don’t talk about my mom, don’t discuss what she was like, don’t mention the faint memories I hold tight to that are the only part of her I still have aside from the much-worn teddy bear in my closet at the house.

“Your mom was like Ella—she wouldn’t put up with my shit. She’d dig in her heels, would call me on it, and do it all with a smile.” He shakes his head wryly. “And before I knew it, I was doing exactly what she wanted all along just because I wanted to keep that smile on her face. She was special, your mom.” A breath. “So fucking special and when I lost that…I didn’t handle it well.”

“Dad.”

“I fucked up with you.”

My heart lurches in my chest.

Remorseful eyes lock onto mine. “I fucked up in a lot of ways, too many to fucking count. I didn’t see that before…or was too fucking lost in my own misery to understand. Not until Ella made me see—” Breaking off, his gaze goes back down the hall, and I see Ivy’s joined Evie and Ella as he sighs. “Do what you need to do here, son. I’ll look after your woman until you get home.”

And then, like he hasn’t just pulled the biggest personality change of all time, he just…

Strolls away from me.

He corrals Ella with a gruff, “You can’t be late for your client. She’s got a wedding to get prepared for, right?”

Man’s got ears like an elephant.

I shake my head.

“You’re absolutely right, Todd-o-Rama,” she says before tossing me a wicked grin. “How do you feel about becoming Patches 2.0?”

Laughter in my throat.

My woman waves as the group breaks up—Ivy turning for the weight room and Evie skipping off down the hall to hang out in her mom’s office like usual. The girl’s hair is in a complicated-looking bun-braid combo that I have no idea how Ella managed to create in such a short time.

My woman can work miracles.

Creating gorgeous pieces of art.

Taming grumpy old men.

I wave back and then she and my dad are heading the other direction, disappearing down the corridor that will lead out to the parking lot.

I watch them go.

Then turn for the locker room to get changed.

But I don’t miss Knox coming through the door before I get there, same as I don’t miss him heading directly for the weight room…

Where Ivy is.

Hmm.

And then I wonder what kind of miracles my woman can work there too.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Ella

I park in my usual spot and grab my purse from the back before popping open the door and getting out.

Todd follows me and I try not to look at him suspiciously.

He’s been nice.

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