Page 23 of Married to the SEAL
“Not long.”
“The truth.”
He took a deep breath. “A year and a half.”
“What do the doctors think?”
“That I am a walking dead man.”
“But you’re running for office.”
“You know that I must.”
“Does Grace know you’re sick?”
He blew out air. “I couldn’t stand to have her treat me like I could die at any moment. Better she eyes me with disdain than comforts me with false emotions.”
Matteo knew the strain between father and daughter, and also knew what it would do to Grace if this man died before the two of them had found some peace. “You’ve got it all figured out,” said Matteo. “Keep everybody in the dark, win a presidency you know you won’t be alive for, and set your daughter up to live with regret for the rest of her life.”
“I’m doing the best I can for everyone involved.”
“The presidency I can understand. But Grace would be heartbroken if you two didn’t make up. Just think about it.” Matteo stood and held out his hand. “Think you can stand?”
“I don’t need help.”
“Suit yourself, but it’s been my experience we all need help sometimes.”
14
He tookhis time getting to the bar, stopping several times to make conversation with well-wishers. By the time he got back to Grace, she was standing alone, frozen like a statue.
He was immediately concerned. “Are you okay?”
She didn’t respond. She didn’t even look at him.
Matteo took her hand and pulled her toward a door, not knowing where it went, intent on getting her out of this room.
They entered a large library, shelves high with books.
He turned to her. “What happened?”
For a moment, Grace’s face remained a mask devoid of emotion, then her mouth turned down hard at the corners. “He came back.”
“Who?”
She shook her head quickly like she couldn’t bring herself to say the name, and suddenly he knew.
“The baby’s father,” he said.
She nodded and took in a loud sobbing breath.
“Where is he?”
“He isn’t here at the party. He’s back in town. Lilliana told me.” Her pain was so raw and so close to the surface, he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in her relationship with this man.
He longed to comfort her. He opened his arms, and to his surprise, she fell against his chest. “Shh. It’s okay,” he whispered, his hand gently rubbing her naked back.
“I’m so stupid,” she said, pushing away from him. “I actually thought something must’ve happened to him. Can you believe that? I thought he’d been hurt. I stayed there for months, waiting to hear anything from him or to find out what happened. I called hospitals. I even called his family, but he was here the whole time.”
