Page 29 of Pucking Secret

“And I hate the thought of you worrying about me for no reason.”

Grinning, I murmur, “Touche.”

We chat for a little bit about school and Millie’s latest antics. I do my best to hide how distracted I still am, but of course, my grandma can see right through me.

“Millie, dear,” Gram says. “Why don’t you go play with those dolls I showed you the last time you were here? The ones I said were like the dolls I had as a girl?”

Beaming up at her, Millie declares, “Okay!”

She hops off Gram’s lap and rushes into her bedroom to find the dolls.

“Something’s bothering you,” she bluntly says after several minutes. “Spill.”

I hesitate, glancing at Millie, who’s returned and has plopped down on the floor with the rag dolls Grandma got for her. I lower my voice.

“I saw Owen,” I admit. “You remember Owen? From… uh,high school? That one?” I give her a pointed look. “He’s playing for the Night Hawks.”

Her eyebrows lift and her eyes widen in shock.

“That’s a heck of a coincidence,” she declares, glancing toward Millie. “What are the chances?”

“About one in a million,” I grumble.

Her eyes flick back toward Millie. She asks softly, “Have you talked to him?”

“He apologized,” I say, feeling the words stick in my throat. “For how he left. Said he wished he could’ve told me face-to-face. But, Gram… I can’t tell him about…” I nod toward Millie, careful not to say her name or get her attention in any way. “It seems like he has no idea. I’m thinking he never got the message. I don’t care. He doesn’t deserve to know.”

Her expression softens, her surprise showing through. She measures each word carefully. “Do you think that’s fair to…?” She jerks her chin toward Millie, as well.

My stomach twists, and I peek over at my daughter, happily babbling to herself as she arranges her dolls.

“He dropped the ball, either way,” I say firmly, careful not to give anything away that Millie will pick up on. “He went to Canada and that was that.”

“Hmm,” she hums, her eyes thoughtful. “What about you, though? Do you still have feelings for him?” She covers her mouth. “Sorry, too obvious.” She drops her voice to a whisper. “Butdoyou?”

“No,” I answer too quickly, the word sharp. “I don’t. Not after everything he did.”

Gram doesn’t look convinced, but she doesn’t press.

Instead, she murmurs, “You’ve worked so hard to build a life for you and Millie. Don’t let uncertainty knock you off course. You’ve always had a good head on your shoulders, and I know you’ll do what’s right for you and Millie in the end.”

Her words feel like a warning and a truth I don’t want to face. My stomach churns again, my anxiety and turmoil bubbling.

“Speaking of disruptions,” Gram says, her tone lightening, but there’s an edge to it that has me tensing. “Your mother’s in town.”

I groan, burying my face in my hands. “What? Are you serious?”

“Dead serious,” she says with a small laugh. “She called me this morning.”

“Why didn’t she call me?”

Gram shakes her head and lets out a breath of frustration. “Likely because she doesn’t want to admit that the reason she’s in Denver isn’t to see either of us, but for some new man she’s been talking to on the internet.”

“Goddamn it…” I snap.

“Mommy! That’s a no-no word!” Millie exclaims from her place on the floor.

“Sorry, baby, you’re right,” I say. Focusing back on Gram, I continue, “So I’m guessing she called you, knowing you’d tell me, so she wouldn’t have to.”

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