Page 93 of Chasing Forever
She looks down and smiles. “I’m sorry, Mack. My mind is all over the place. I’m trying to win Daddy back.”
I freeze at the door and look over my shoulder. She looks at me, waiting for my reaction as she’s kneeling, running her hands through Mack’s fur.
“You never lost him.”
Her lips tip up, and that smile undoes all the turmoil inside me. And it guts me in equal measure. She shouldn’t have had to come to me. I should’ve been the one pounding on her door last night.
I jog to her car, grab the remaining bags, and return to find her unwrapping one of those fancy dog treats she carries at the store.
“I didn’t forget about you.” She hands it to Mack, and he trots off, apparently satisfied.
“I thought he’d never leave us alone.” I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder.
She leans back into me. “We need to talk. I don’t want to sweep the fight under the rug… but why are you home? It’s not because of our fight, is it?”
I hold her tighter. “I’d rather talk about us.”
My voice cracks on the edges. She hears it. Of course she does. She swivels in my arms, slides her hand into mine, and leads me to the couch.
This is it. The truth I haven’t said aloud. The one I’m not ready to own but want to share with her at the same time.
She abandons the groceries and sits beside me, legs crossed, facing me. “What is it?”
I love that she knows something’s off. Love that she sees me even when I’m trying to hide.
“I went to my parents’ place last night.” I take her hand, needing something steady.
She scoots closer, her calf brushing my thigh. I want her in my lap but if she straddles me, this talk won’t happen. And it needs to.
She doesn’t try to fill the silence but waits for me to speak. I’m probably scaring her.
“I went to tell them to stay out of our relationship. And tell them I was cutting them out of my life.”
“Brooks.” Her voice breaks.
“My dad was angry. He wanted me to endorse him as mayor, but they wouldn’t listen to me. Hell-bent on saying you were…” I frown. “Using me.”
She nods. I assume my mother accused her of the same when she went to see her at the store. I’m sure it doesn’t make it any easier for her to hear it again though.
“My dad was pissed after I told them that if they couldn’t respect you and our relationship that I didn’t want them to be a part of our lives. When I didn’t cave, I told him I was backing Miller and… he lost it.” I swallow hard.
Her hand flies to her mouth. “No.”
I look her straight in the eye. “I do not want them poisoning this. What kind of life could we have if they’re constantly trying to destroy us?”
Her hands tighten over my mine.
“Anyway, my dad blew up, forbidding me, and when I didn’t bend to his will, he got vengeful and said I wasn’t his son.”
She gasps, and her eyes widen. “What?”
“Yeah.”
“What did your mom say?” She searches my face.
“She was taken aback at first. Upset. Crying. But we both know he did it to punish her.”
Lottie’s eyebrows draw down. “For what?”
