The Second Chance (Inferno Falls Book Three) by Aubrey Parker

Author:Aubrey Parker [Parker, Aubrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eros
Published: 2015-11-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

Maya

I can’t keep talking about Grady with Mackenzie, but she’s so curious already. It’s as if the paddleboat revelation has uncorked something inside her, and now she’s decided that this is a party. She knows nothing about Grady other than the unnamed, unspecified basics that have come through my responses to questions I don’t want to answer, and she certainly doesn’t know what he once meant to me, what he means (or could mean) to us both. To Mackenzie, Grady is a man we’re going to play with this afternoon. I won’t give him more importance in this conversation than she demands, mainly because I don’t know how strong I am.

I tell Mackenzie I need to go to the bathroom. Then I sit on the toilet, fully clothed, with the lid closed, and hang my head. I admit to myself that I may still love him, no matter what I claim. I admit that my gut reaction when I heard he was on his way back was affection, not anger. I admit that during that first meeting the other day, I was searching for signs that he still cares because I’ve never stopped. And I admit that I set today’s date as sabotage. Because something in me believes it’ll all still work out, that he’ll want to be with me again, with us. That he’s my white knight, come to save me.

But that’s stupid. That’s wrong. So after hanging my head, I splash water on my face and carefully reapply my makeup — more than what’s required for a sensible single mother going to a playdate in the park. Then I go back and pretend the expectations are set but that the rest of the discussion never happened.

She’ll meet him when she meets him. I have to be bold enough for that because he should meet her. But I’ll keep things brief, and I’ll make sure that Grady stays at arm’s length. I don’t want to discuss him. It’s best for us all to understand what this is, and what it most definitely isn’t.

Still, I can sense Mackenzie’s curiosity. I shift to asking about school.

But she shuts me down. Just like that, she doesn’t want to chat. If I won’t discuss what she wants to, she won’t meet me halfway. And that is all me. Stubbornness and spite come from her redhead mother — lock, stock, and smoking barrel.

We find Grady at the grandstand. He’s just standing there, in khaki shorts, some band’s gray tour shirt up top. He’s facing away from us, and although I’m sure I’m being ridiculous, it occurs to me that he’s set up this way so I’ll be forced to speak first. We’re preparing to circle around and meet on equal footing when Mackenzie breaks from my grip and runs forward, small feet clunking across the wood, shouting.

“Mr. Grady! Hi!”

Grady turns. His expression is momentarily tormented, but it clears almost immediately. Mackenzie’s enthusiasm is a secret weapon. She has a way of unlocking even the most dour personalities and solving the surfaces of what feel like the most pressing problems.

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