Page 43 of Fire and Ice
Her way of dealing with it had been to stand by his side quietly and not fight him over it. She had a non-confrontational personality, and she hadn’t known what to do. She hadn’t wanted her brothers and sisters to know about George’s alcoholism and her inability to handle the problem.
After he’d passed, she’d promised herself she would never put herself in that position again.
And here she was.
She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, concentrating on each inhale and exhale. In her heart, she knew she had made the right decision, but it hadn’t been easy.
One more deep breath, and she opened her eyes. She had taken everything into account, and she knew she was making the right decision.
It was Grady’s last day of his vacation, so she was pretty sure he’d be home. She entered his number and brought her phone to her ear.
He answered on the first ring, his voice soft, hesitant. “Hi, Chelsea.”
“I made my decision.” Her heart beat faster. “I’ve done nothing but think about us since last night. I believe it comes down to trust.”
He said nothing, the link heavy with him knowing their fate as a couple balanced on one word.
“I trust you, Grady.” The words came out full and strong. “You have given me your word, and I trust you.”
“Thank you, Chelsea.” His voice sounded full of emotion. “I will never let you down.”
She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “If you’re free, why don’t you pick something up for dinner, and I’ll get to that dessert I planned for last night?”
He had a smile in his voice. “I’ll be there in an hour.”
* * *
Grady arrived with two takeout bags from Giovanni’s, the restaurant where they’d had their first date. He smiled. “Special delivery.”
She let him in, and as the door closed behind him, he set the bags on the tile floor. He brought her into his arms and held her close in a long hug. She felt like she could melt into him and was glad he didn’t let her go until a long moment passed.
When they parted, he kissed her softly, then picked up the bags and carried them to the kitchen.
As he gathered everything they needed for dinner, she put a square, covered casserole container into the oven to bake while they ate.
They sat close at the table, and she placed her hand over his before they started eating. “I feel I need to explain what I had to consider when it came to your addiction.”
He put his other hand over hers. “I do want to know.”
Chelsea paused a moment. “The biggest difference between George’s addiction and yours is that you have conquered it for eight years. You’ve sought help, and you’ve explained how you made your decision and how important it is to stay sober.”
He just focused on her and didn’t say anything.
She continued. “George didn’t think he needed help. He didn’t even try to stop drinking.” She shook her head. “I felt like a failure as a wife because I couldn’t help him. He didn’t even want my help. So, I just lived with it. When he died, I said never again.”
Grady squeezed her hand and waited for her to finish.
“Then you come along.” She gave him a soft smile. “My heart tells me that you’re different in every way. I believe in you.”
“Thank you.” He held her gaze. “I will never betray your trust.”
“Why don’t we dig in?” Her heart felt brighter. “But first you have to give me back my hand.”
He grinned, released her hand, and picked up his fork. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
Dinner wasn’t the least bit awkward like she’d been afraid it might be. They talked and enjoyed the Italian food, continuing their week-long round of dating and activities as if there hadn’t been the intense break between them.
She left the dining table when the timer went off for the dessert, brought it out of the oven, and let it sit on a trivet to cool.
