Page 77 of Grave Games

That surprised me. “He’s been around here that long?”

Romeo nodded. “Seems to me Liam just wants to make your path in life smooth and easy, because you’ve had a hell of a time and deserve smooth and easy. But he’s also helping out because he’s your dad and he loves you. And that’s the bottom line right there,” he added, giving me a squeeze when I looked back into those beautiful, sea-colored eyes. “He fucked up, both as a father and as a man, and you have every right to hate him forever because of that. I just know he loves you, Shy. All he wants now is for you to have a happy, fulfilled life. He’s dedicated to doing whatever he can to make that happen, even if you choose to never speak to him again. He’s here because he loves you. I wouldn’t let him near you if I thought otherwise.”

“True.” The word whispered out of me, because that last statement echoed the absolute trust I had in him. Romeo loved me, I had no doubt about that. My man would fight every danger in the world in order to keep me safe.

Yet he’d let my dad in.

My brows drew together as I turned back to stare at my father, waiting for the rage and hurt to erupt like a volcano inside me. It never came. Yes, the memory of him yelling that I’d ruined my brother’s life by acting “like a whore” with Marvel was still there, a scar that would never fully fade. But for the first time, that old trauma didn’t blot out other memories of my father.

Wearing matching jerseys and cheering on the Bears during football season.

Learning my cheers along with me when I was in middle school.

Making his special chocolate chip pancakes every Saturday morning for Josh and me.

Carrying me home on his back after a marathon night of trick-or-treating.

He’d always tried to find a way to make things better.

Just like he was doing now.

How had I forgotten that?

I turned in my husband’s arms, gave him a quick kiss, then jetted into the kitchen. It was still awaiting the arrival of our pots and pans later on in the day, but it did have the appliances installed, and since we’d spent the night here last night we had a few things tucked away in the fridge. I grabbed a couple of cold sodas and headed back out, pausing just long enough by Romeo to give him another kiss.

“Thank you.” I loved how carefully he tried to read my expression, clearly looking for signs of stress or upset. “Thank you for knowing I needed this.”

“All kids need their parents, even when they’re all grown up,” came the shrugging reply. “Our kids are going to need to know what it is to forgive, because they’re going to have me as a dad and I’m far from perfect. I have every belief I’m going to screw up a lot—not because I don’t love them, but because I probably won’t know what the fuck I’m doing. If I can get you to forgive your old man, that gives me hope that I’ll be forgiven for whatever dad mistakes I’m destined to make.”

That put things in perspective like nothing else. Romeo and I were actively trying to start our family while knowing next to nothing about parenting. We were just two humans who had a lot of love to give and a lot of hope for the future.

My father was no different.

That thought had me smiling as I went out the back door and into the courtyard, though my nerves were jangling so hard my knees threatened to buckle. But if my father could bring himself this far and get this close to me without any expectations, I could find the strength to bridge this final gap.

I could do this.

I could forgive.

“This is a really big project to do all on your own.” I stopped about ten feet from him, marveling at the pure whiteness of his hair. That was new. “Does Mom know you’re doing this?”

My dad froze, as if trying to become a statue. Then he sent a careful side-eye my way, as if he expected me to throw something at him. “She knows I’m here. I might’ve been a little fuzzy on the details.”

“Romeo and I can help, you know. Though wouldn’t it be easier to just give up the ghost and knock the whole thing down?”

“Oh, I don’t think you want to do that. This courtyard can be made to be beautiful again. I mean, sure, it’s been through some things, and it might not even look like it’s salvageable. But with a little TLC, it’ll be as good as new. Better, even.”

Like us. We could be like this wall, with a little TLC. “Welp, you’re the expert on this. But I still want to help, even if it’s just to bring you some hydration.” I held out the can of soda, and smiled when he slowly closed the distance between us to take it. “And next time you come around, maybe you can bring Mom. I’ve got so many questions about how to set up a household for two—how to set up a budget, that kind of thing. And what on earth am I going to do with those windows?”

He paused in opening his soda to look back at the house. “What’s wrong with the windows? They’re amazing.”

“Dad, have you seen the size of them? Over the summer we’re going to be cooked under glass. Not to mention Romeo will have trouble watching the Cubbies if the TV is sitting in direct sunlight.”

“Nowthat’sa problem.” My dad chuckled, and all at once I was transported back to my childhood, when everything was good and right with the world. “Let me guess, he’s got one of those huge jobs that can split-screen, and be a camera, and all that crazy stuff?”

“Of course. If it’s not the latest technology, it’s not worth Romeo’s time. He says it’s because as Chief of Security for the Gravediggers, he has to have a working knowledge of all the latest tech. I say it’s because he likes big-boy toys, the cooler the better.”

“He seems like a good man,” Dad said, the humor fading from his eyes. I understood. There was a time in my life when the mere mention of the wordGravediggerwas enough to turn my stomach. “Are you happy, kiddo?”

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