Page 52 of One More Time

There was another knock on my door, and Blake leaned inside. He flashed a quick grin in Wyatt’s direction. “Are you all lined up?”

“Sure thing. I’ll be at the brewery tomorrow.”

“Good deal. Catch you later. Will you both be at locals’ night?”

Blake left after we nodded. I was relieved he didn’t linger because I wasn’t ready to talk more about it.

A few minutes later, Wyatt got ready to leave, and I stood to walk him to the door. “Bring it in,” he said, holding his arms out. He gave me a big hug. I didn’t realize how much I needed that hug. When he stepped back, he studied me. “I’m proud of you.”

“You are?”

“You’ve got more courage than I do. Telling the truth, especially when people don’t want to hear it, takes a lot.”

That evening, I was about to gather my jacket and purse to walk from our main offices across the street to the winery when there was a knock on my office door.

“Come in!” I called, curious as to who it would be. Once our official office hours ended, the building tended to be fairly quiet unless someone worked late.

My mother peered inside the door, her gaze hesitant when she saw me. “Is it okay if I come in?”

“Of course.” My fingers curled tightly around my purse, and I held it in front of me, almost like a shield.

My mother closed the door behind her with a decisive click. She studied me for a moment. “I owe you an apology,” she finally said.

“You do?”

“I do. I believe you about Jake. I wasn’t supportive of you when you told me, and I’m sorry.”

I blinked quickly. “Did you talk to Wyatt?”

She shook her head sharply. “I didn’t need to talk to Wyatt to choose to believe you. I have a lot of guilt about how things went after your father died. I don’t know how to fix everything. I knew Jake had a temper. It isn’t surprising that he hit you. I hope that’s all it was.”

The following pause was long. I knew she was asking me to fill this gap in information. Jake had also been sexually abused by our grandfather, a detail none of us had known until years after his death.

“No. Nothing like that ever happened, Mom. Jake was a bully to me. He wasn’t always, and I loved him too. I promise. Loving him, in a way, kind of made it worse. I’m not sure why I decided to say something after all this time. I think I was just tired of keeping it a secret.”

She took a few steps closer and reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her touch was warm and reassuring. “I’m sorry it happened. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.” She blinked, her eyes shining with tears. “I’m sorry I didn’t protect all of you.”

“Grandfather was as bad to you as he was to the rest of us,” I pointed out. I remembered him yelling at her too.

Her mouth twisted to the side as bitterness flashed in her gaze. “He yelled at me, but he never laid a hand on me. I feel like I failed all of you.”

“It’s okay, Mom.”

She looked into my eyes as her hand fell away from my shoulder. “I hope it is. I’m still going to miss Jake. I’m sad about what happened to him. I’m sad about what happened to you, and I’m sad for all of us.”

We ended up walking together over to locals’ night, and after a difficult few days, I felt a little lighter.

I was also feeling tender and emotionally raw. When Jack asked, “Can I stop by tonight?” I shook my head.

Chapter Thirty-One

Jack

As I watched McKenna slip out the side door, I wanted to follow her. I wanted to ask her why I couldn’t stop by tonight.

The conversation carried on around me. Hannah’s voice snapped through my distraction. “Is that McKenna?” My niece stood beside my brother, who was busy talking with Rhys.

“Haven’t you met McKenna?” I asked.

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