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Oh. I didn’t expect to hear that. “Well, I’m glad you can see I’m not in this alone. But being serious for a moment…I haven’t been with anyone since your mom left. There are a lot of complicated feelings there for me, and I figure there might be for you too. If you have any questions, you can ask me. And this doesn’t change anything with me and you. You’re still my whole damn world, kiddo. Now I just hope we can share that world with Rhett too.”

“We can. I want you to be happy. I want him to be happy. I like him. He fits with us. It’s nice having him around. I just…” She looks down, playing with her napkin. “What if he leaves like she did?”

That nearly tears my heart out. I get up, walk over to her side of the booth, and sit beside her. I get her concern. In the beginning, Rhett was so private about what he was feeling, the way April used to be, but now he shares more and more with me. “I’m so sorry that happened to you; to us. I don’t know what the future holds. None of us do. I was scared of the same thing, but all I can say is, just because she left doesn’t mean Rhett ever will. I don’t believe he will. I don’t think I realized that being here, the quiet life we live, isn’t what she wanted. But it’s different with Rhett. Like you said, he fits with us.” I wrap an arm around her, and she rests her head on my shoulder.

“You’re right. And we can’t spend our lives not living because we’re scared of what might happen. That’s what my therapist says.”

“She’s smart.”

“Yeah, she is.” We’re quiet for a moment, and then she says, “I kinda knew from the start…with Rhett. At first, I thought maybe he just needed us, but now I think maybe we needed him too. When he’s over, it’s like we have our own family now. We always did, me and you, but now it feels complete.”

Damn, this girl will never cease to amaze me, make me feel like the world is hers to conquer and that she can change it. I know she’s changed mine. “You’re absolutely right. Now, how would you feel about Rhett coming over tonight and having dinner with us?”

She looks up at me and smiles. “I’d like that.”

Our waiter brings our food, but I don’t move back to my side, instead sitting next to my daughter. We eat and laugh and talk, enjoying each other’s company. I’ll never understand how April could have walked away from this, but not everything has an answer. Just like with Rhett’s father, sometimes people just are the way they are.

We head home afterward and do some housework. I shoot a message to Rhett to let him know everything went well with Meadow and that we’re excited to have him over tonight. I put on a stew earlier, so dinner is already sorted out.

When I hear the knock at five, I call out, “I’ll get it,” just as I hear pounding on the stairs.

“Not if I get there first!” Meadow shouts, and I run from the kitchen toward the front door to see her pulling it open just before I can reach her.

“Oh,” Rhett says, probably wondering why Meadow and I charged him, and we both chuckle.

“She’s being a brat, trying to get to you before me,” I explain.

“Sorry if I want to welcome my dad’sboyfriendto the house,” she sings.

“You little shit,” I tease, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and giving her a playful noogie. Rhett watches us, giving the smile I’m so used to seeing from him now, that warms my chest. “Ignore us.” I pull away and stand up straight again. “Come in.”

He takes a step inside, and Meadow hooks her arm through his. “Should we play some chess?”

“Hey, maybe he’s here to see me!” I call after them as Meadow leads him into the living room.

“Dad, I get to hang out with yourboyfriendtoo.”

“Are you going to keep calling him my boyfriend every time you talk to him and saying it like that?”

“At least for a little while, yes!”

I chuckle, and then, before turning into the other room, Rhett looks over his shoulder at me, beaming.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Rhett

The day hasfinally arrived when Morgan, East, and I are going to have a session with East’s therapist. Talia and I have been talking about it too because I can’t pretend I’m not nervous about it, can’t pretend that my head isn’t a mess and my stomach in knots.

Tripp and I had a good day at work yesterday, which helped, and then I stayed at his place last night. It’s only been a week since we told Meadow, and she’s still teasing us about beingboyfriends. I must admit I enjoy it. This is what being a family is all about, and with them, I feel like I have one, while at the same time, I’m getting my Swift family too: me, Morgan, and East.

I arrive twenty minutes before the appointment because really, I don’t have any choice in the matter. That’s how I work. I sit in my truck, chest tight, though logically, I know this will be okay. All the changes lately, our conversations, sharing stories about El, the hugs and laughs and barstools and revealed secrets, all of it led to this moment where everything is on the table and we can finally let go of the past.

I jump when there’s a knock at my window and turn to see East standing there. He frowns, then walks around to the other side and gets in.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“Freaking out,” I admit.

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