Page 27 of Sometimes You Fall

I look up at Grady. “I’m so sorry about this.”

“Which part?” He folds his arms across his chest and glares down at me.

“Not here,” I say soft enough that he can hear me, but quiet enough that Chase can’t.

Grady glances over to my son but returns his gaze to mine quickly, giving me a curt nod. His eyes, they’re full of anger. I’m sure he’s pissed about his car, but I’m also not so naïve to think that some of that anger isn’t reserved for me.

The officer clears his throat, breaking through our moment. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to know what you want to do, Grady. Do you want to press charges?”

I stand from the chair, placing a hand on his chest. “Grady, please. I know you’re pissed, but this is my kid. I promise, we’ll pay for the damages, but—”

“I don’t know.” His jaw clenches as I wait for him to continue. “I think we all need to cool off and maybe we can sit down and talk tomorrow,” he says, cutting me off.

My shoulders fall as I sigh with relief. “I’d appreciate that.”

The officer nods, scribbles another note on his pad, then proceeds toward my son, unlocking the cuffs from around his wrists. “You’re free to go home with your mother tonight, son, but this isn’t over. You’ve just had your first brush with the law, and if I were you, I’d be hell-bent on making it your last. Otherwise, you and I will get to know each other very well, and I’m not someone you want to be friends with.”

Chase stares at the ground and nods.

“Thank you, officer.”

“Frank Davidson, ma’am.” He reaches out to shake my hand.

“Scottie Warner. And again, thank you for calling me.”

“Of course.” He tips his chin toward Grady and then leaves the three of us alone.

“Grady…” I start, but he shakes his head at me and starts heading for the door.

“Warner,” he mumbles, shaking his head. “Definitely not Scottie Daniels anymore.”

“Warner is my married name.”

He glares at me. “I’m putting the pieces together, Scottie.”

“Look, I know it’s late, but…”

“I meant what I said, Scottie. I need…” He winces as he looks back at me. “I need some time to wrap my head around this.”

Knowing better than to push any further, I swallow down my rebuttal and gesture for my son to follow me out to the car. Chase launches from the floor and stands behind me. “Can I come by tomorrow then?” I ask.

Grady doesn’t meet my eyes, but I can see the strain in his muscles as he clenches his fists. “Yeah, that should be fine. What time?”

“Probably the afternoon.”

“You know where I live,” he says, and in that moment, I feel like it’s a dig, a reminder that I’ve been in his home, in his bed, and I left without saying goodbye.

But there will never be a goodbye between me and Grady because, no matter how much I wish I could let him be, that’s virtually impossible now that I’m carrying his baby.

***

“Give me your phone.” The second we walk through our front door, I face my son head-on.

Chase hands over the device willingly. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Sorry isn’t going to fix this mess, Chase.”And you’re not the only one who has things to fix here.“I’m so disappointed in you.” He nods, not daring to argue. “You broke the law tonight, and you’re not evenfifteen! Do you realize that if Grady decides to press charges, this could follow you around for years? This could affect your entire future!”

“But you said that you know him, so can’t you talk to him? Get him to cut me some slack?”

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