Page 43 of SCRUMptious

Chapter16

D O N AL

“Hey, what’s wrong?”Lauren laid a hand on my shoulder, and I spun around, ready to attack. The second I noticed it was her, I jumped back and ran my hand through myhair.

In my haste to get away from my dad and his twisted revelations, I hadn’t stopped to think about how my leaving our fucking wedding reception would affecther.

Shit, I was an asshole.

I pulled her into my arms and held tight. “You wouldn’t believe the shit my dad just pulled.”

“You’re shaking, Donal.” Lauren caressed my back in a calm, soothing motion until I felt my breathing even out and the tension in my limbs dissipate.

I dropped my lips to the top of her head, then rested my cheek against her hair. Instead of the traditional bridal updo, she’d left her hair down and now her soft waves felt like silk against my skin. “Why would he do this, today of alldays?”

“Come on, let’s go in the back and you can tell me everything.” Lauren led me down the hall until we reached the master bedroom.

Once inside, she locked the door behind us and I dropped onto the edge of the bed. I pulled at my tie, feeling like I was choking on the damn thing, but it got all tangled up in knots before I could yank it over myhead.

“Here, let me do that.” Lauren took ahold of the silk, unwound it, and then tossed it on a chair in the corner of the room. “That better?”

I rotated my neck and the muscles stretched and my bones cracked. “Yes, much.”

Lauren stepped between my legs and rested her hands on my shoulders. “Now tell me what’s got you so upset.”

“You saw my dad and me talking?”

“Yeah, it made me happy.” She smiled down at me, her smokey eyes filled with love. “He’s been here a couple of days but you haven’t spent much time together.”

“I should have kept avoidinghim.”

She brushed my windswept hair back into place, the stroke of her small hands working their magic against my temples. I leaned into her palm and sighed as calm washed over me. This woman was a balm to my soul, and I had no idea how I’d gone my whole life without her. I wasn’t a religious man, but I’d been thanking god every fucking night since she’d said “yes” for bringing her into my world.

“Lay down with me and we’ll start at the beginning.”

I settled on my back, bringing Lauren with me until we were facing one another. Lacing our fingers together, I repeated everything my dad had said. I didn’t hold back; we didn’t have any secrets from each other.

“Wow, that’s a lot to absorb,” she whispered once I’d fallen silent.

“It is,” I whispered back, feeling much more composed now that I’d shared my burdens withher.

She traced a finger over my forehead, easing the frown lines that marred my skin. “I can understand why you were so upset. You’ve been lied to your whole life. By both ofthem.”

I swallowed and nodded. And that was the crux of my anger. I could understand keeping me in the dark when I’d still been a kid, but I was a man now. They should have taken me aside—together—long before now and come clean.

“The thing about the kids is fucked up, but strangely noble in a twisted sort ofway.”

I chuckled. When she put it likethat …

“Who doesthat?”

She shook her head and her lips tilted up at the corners. “Yourdad.”

“My dad,” I repeated.

She scooted close until our bodies touched, and I rolled onto my back, tucking her into the crook of my shoulder so her face rested on my chest. “On the one hand, you’re like, ‘Are you insane?’ but on the other, you’re like, ‘Well, that was awfully nice ofhim.’”

“He’s a regular fucking Robin Hood,” I laughed.

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