Page 118 of Branded
I grinned as I peeked into the small bag that currently held my Christmas present for Smitty’s parents.
It wasn’t much—just a pair of earrings I’d thought the cool and hip Celeste would like, and a bottle of whiskey that was Ryan’s favorite.
I’d gotten lucky that I’d been able to pick up the gifts, considering it was Christmas Eve and the shops had been packed, and his parents hadn’t originally been planning on coming to visit and celebrate the holiday until after the New Year.
But their cruise to Hawaii had gotten canceled, and for some reason they’d decided to freeze their butts off in Baltimore instead of finding another way to the tropics.
I would be glad to see them.
They’d visited a few more times since that initial—dramatic—dinner, and things had been smooth and fun, and Smitty had been able to talk to them a bit about all the things that had been going through his head.
That had brought clarity and understanding, and…tears from Celeste.
But she’d recouped quickly, had held her big, broad son in her arms, and they all had talked for a long time.
Slowly, I was watching Smitty shed that hidden burden, the buried pain he’d carried for far too long, the one masked by jokes and a big personality.
I was watching him soar.
My lips turned up further as I set the bag beneath the tree at Smitty’s place—a house that was going to become mine soon. My lease was up in May, but we’d decided to break it, and I was going to move my stuff in over the All-Star break.
Though, it may be less of a break and more of me frantically getting my stuff in so that I could watch Smitty take part in the festivities.
He’d been playing…incredible.
The rosters weren’t publicly announced yet, but everyone knew he’d be on the roster.
Because he was flying, those heavy weights released.
Only…there was one more weight that still remained.
So hopefully, my luck—the one that had turned up pretty earrings, a bottle of whiskey, and the wallet (boring but I’d been desperate, okay) I’d tucked into the bag behind the tree—would hold.
Because…I’d done something.
Something that might backfire, especially considering it was definitely overstepping boundaries.
But…
I loved Smitty.
I wanted him to be happy.
I wanted them all to be happy.
So, when I’d heard that his parents hadn’t spoken to Brandon since the night at CeCe’s, except for the occasional check-in to make sure he was breathing, I’d known I had to do something.
Even I had found a way forward with my dad.
He’d given me radio silence for a month, then had called, and…I didn’t know why, maybe old habit, maybe stupidity, maybe…just not quite knowing what he wanted and had been overcome with curiosity to find out.
I’d picked up the call.
And…he’d been tentative, the first thing off his tongue, an apology.
That didn’t erase everything. Hell, who was I kidding? It didn’t erase anything. I’d suffered for years because of his actions. But…also…
I could have a polite conversation with him for ten minutes once a week.
