Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Ricardo put a weathered hand on Grey’s shoulder. “No need, son.”
“There’s every need.” Grey’s voice caught, the word son still echoing in his head. “Back then, I wanted you to be different. I didn’t want you to be a janitor. I wanted you to have aspirations and dreams.”
“Nothing wrong with wanting more,” the older man said. “I was happy with a decent job that fed my family, but I respect what you accomplished.”
He didn’t get it. “I was embarrassed,” Grey said, needing to say the words, to purge them and the awful feelings from his brain. “I acted and treated you like my father treated me, and that’s unforgiveable.”
Ricardo led him to a set of chairs, and they settled in. “When I met your mother, you were an angry, hurting boy. You had good reason. I don’t imagine it was easy for you to go to school while your stepfather cleaned up everyone’s messes. Your reaction was normal for a teenager. Even more normal for one whose father messed up his head.”
“Even later, when I insisted you move, I wanted you to live where I thought you should. I didn’t understand or respect who you were or what you wanted.”
“You wanted to make our lives better. How can I fault you for that?”
“How can you not? Worse, I haven’t been home in too long.”
Ricardo leaned back in his chair, his long, tanned legs stretched in front of him. “You’re here now, yes? And you see what’s really important in life?”
Grey inclined his head. “I hope so.”
“Then your mother and I did our jobs. What we instilled in you back then, what you rejected because you didn’t understand, you now accept. With age comes wisdom. Only by living life can you figure out what’s truly important.”
“Do you see why I fell in love with this man?”
His mother’s voice took Grey by surprise. He’d been so focused on listening to Ricardo’s wise words he hadn’t heard the women join them. He glanced at Avery and his mom, wondering how much they’d heard. From the dampness in his mother’s eyes, too much. And maybe enough.
“You chose well, Mom,” Grey said to her for the first time.
“I know.” She smiled and kissed her husband’s cheek. “There’s something to be said about marrying for love,” Susie said. “And learning from past mistakes. Can we move on and just enjoy our day together?” she asked.
Grey nodded, knowing he’d learned so much from these two people in front of him and hoping he could use it to make his life as happy as theirs obviously was.
He rose and walked over to Avery, slipping his hand into her smaller, softer one. “Everything good?”
She nodded. “Your mom’s amazing. And that kitchen? Grey! It’s so great. State of the art.”
“It’s the one thing she let me gut and do from scratch in the house. She loves to cook.”
“Well, you should see what she has ready to put on the grill. You’d think she had a week’s notice that we were coming. And the desserts? To die for.”
He grinned. “That’s my mom.”
The rest of the evening passed quickly. They reminisced about Avery and Grey in high school, bringing him back to the reason he’d returned home—the woman who was currently helping his mother bring dishes into the kitchen from the patio, where they’d eaten dinner. In the short time he’d been back, he’d realized Avery still understood him in ways no one else did. She saw the fragile boy beneath the rock star persona and supported him. That was what Avery meant to him, did for him.
The chemistry was a bonus and had only grown stronger over the years. Watching her in that sexy dress, her hips swaying as she walked, her cleavage covered due to the higher halter but hints of her full breasts teasing him beneath the material, Grey decided family time was over.
“We need to get going,” Grey said, rising to his feet.
“Grey! I haven’t finished helping your mom yet.” Avery shot him a chiding gaze that only served to make him hotter.
“You two go. We’re finished here,” his mother said.
Glancing at the mostly cleaned table, Avery nodded. “If you’re sure.”
“You two have better things to do than hang out with the old folks. I’m just so happy you came by.”
“And I’ll come again, Mom. I promise.” He rose and hugged his mother tight. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too.”
Grey said good-bye to his stepfather, and Avery made her rounds too. Finally, they were in the car, driving home.
“Things went well, yes?” Avery asked.
“Very.” Although he and his mother hadn’t had an in-depth conversation, she’d heard what he’d said to Ricardo, and in his heart, Grey knew she understood how he felt.
“Someone was in a hurry to leave though.” Avery turned her head, and he caught her gaze for a moment before returning his focus to the road.