“She is happy. I plan on making sure she stays that way,” Lucas replies. “I don’t want her worried about Eva, so while she’s with you this weekend don’t talk about her unless she brings her up.”
“We don’t ever talk about her. She’s like Voldemort, She Who Must Not Be Named.”
I laugh, and Lisa smiles at me.
“I’m ready.” Maddi comes flying out of her bedroom, then skids to a stop. “Where is Merida?”
“She’s at home, sweetheart. We can go pick her up after dinner if your dad says it’s okay.”
She looks at Lucas, who nods, which makes her smile even bigger.
“Wait until you meet Merida, Grandma! She’s so cute.”
“So ugly she’s cute,” Lucas says under his breath, but I still hear it and elbow him in the ribs. “What?”
“She is cute,” I chide.
He smiles. “Whatever.”
So she’s ugly, but she’s loving and cuddly and the perfect dog, as far as I’m concerned.
“I’m starving.” David breaks into my stare-down with his son. “Let’s go eat. Where are we heading?”
“It depends. What is everyone up for?” Lucas asks as he turns us toward the door.
“Not some fancy place with overpriced dishes and too-small portions. Preferably somewhere I can get an American-made beer in a bottle.”
I smile at David, loving him a little already.
“We can go to the Wooden Mill,” I suggest. “Abby and I have had lunch there a few times. They have really great food and beer.”
“Works for me,” David agrees.
We head downstairs and catch a cab so that Lucas’s parents can keep their parking spot. When we make it to the restaurant, we are seated almost immediately at a curved booth. I sit on the inside, next to Lucas, with Maddi on my right. Lisa sits next to her, and David at the other end. The waiter comes to take our drink orders. I notice that it feels normal—nothing like the dinners I used to have with Tom and his parents, where I was always afraid to eat with the wrong fork. After ordering our appetizers and main courses, we settle into simple, lighthearted conversation. Even though I mostly keep quiet, because they spend a lot of time talking about Lucas’s siblings and their kids, I never feel out of place. Lucas never lets me feel that way. He keeps an arm wrapped around my shoulders or a hand resting on my thigh. He touches me, giving me the connection I need. He tells me he likes where I am, likes me at his side. He wants me to know it.
“So, Courtney, what about you—do you have any brothers or sisters?” Lisa asks during a lull in conversation.
I feel Lucas tense next to me.
“I don’t—or anyway, none that I know of.”
Her eyes fill with confusion when they meet mine.
“I grew up in the foster care system,” I explain.
“Oh.” She looks briefly at Lucas. “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
“It’s okay,” I assure her. “I did meet some really great people along the way, but I don’t have a family.”
“You have us,” Maddi says.
My heart seems to stop. I look down at her, and she reaches up, taking my hand.
“We’re your family. Right, Daddy?”
Oh my god.
My throat closes up, making it hard to breathe.
“Yeah, honey,” Lucas agrees.
I wonder if he means it, or if he’s just saying that because he doesn’t want to hurt Maddi’s feelings—or mine.
“See? You have a family now.” Maddi beams at me.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” I somehow manage to get that out through the lump in my throat.
“Excuse me,” Lisa says, pushing at David to force him out of the booth. She walks quickly away in the direction of the bathroom, keeping her head bowed.
“I’ll be back,” David mutters as he heads after his wife.
“What happened?” Maddi asks, sounding concerned. She keeps her eyes on her grandparents’ backs.
“Nothing, honey.” Lucas reaches his arm past me to touch the top of Maddi’s head.
I want to get up, but I keep my seat and hold Maddi’s hand. When Lisa and David come back to the table, I can see that Lisa has been crying.
“Is everything okay, Grandma?” Maddi asks, not missing anything.
“Yes, honey. You’re just so sweet sometimes that Grandma can’t handle it.” She hugs Maddi, kissing the top of her head. Her eyes meet mine, and she smiles and then reaches over the top of Maddi’s hand to clasp mine briefly before letting go.
Thankfully, dinner arrives, and conversation turns back to easy chatter. Through the rest of the meal, my heart feels strange inside my chest—as if it’s suddenly too big for the small space.
Chapter 13
AGAIN
COURTNEY
“I cannot fricking believe him,” Abby growls into my ear through the phone. “What the hell is wrong with him?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s done. I’m done,” I say quietly so I don’t wake Maddi. She’s lying with her head in my lap on the couch.
After dinner, we stopped by my apartment and picked up Merida—along with an overnight bag for me. Lucas insisted I stay with them tonight, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He said he didn’t trust Tom not to show up at my place while I was there alone. I tried to tell him that wouldn’t happen, but he would not listen. We argued for a good ten minutes before Maddi cut in and said she was ready to go home, so I gave in.
When we got back to Lucas’s place, his parents were already there. They stayed long enough to meet Merida and tell Maddi that they would see her in the morning. Once they hugged us all goodbye, Lucas, Maddi, and I settled on the couch to watch a movie. Maddi didn’t last long. She fell asleep about twenty minutes ago. When my phone started to ring, Lucas gave it to me and told me it was Abby. I’d already guessed who it was—I had been waiting for her to get back to me since I’d messaged to tell her about lunch.
“I really think I should send his attorney a letter letting him know that his client’s continual harassment of you is unacceptable.”
“Okay,” I agree. The phone goes quiet. “Hello?”
“Okay. So you’re going to let me send his attorney a letter?”
“If you think it will help him to see that I’m serious about leaving me alone, yes.”
“I do think it will help. Even if it doesn’t, at least we will have proof that you’ve made your feelings known. That way, if he tries to contact you again, we have a reason to move forward with a restraining order.”
“Thank you.”
“You already know you’re welcome, babe. Now tell me how dinner went with Lucas’s parents.”
“It went really great. They’re nice. Normal. Totally the opposite of Tom’s mom and dad, which was refreshing.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” I hear her moving around. “Are you still spending the weekend with Lucas?”
I smile. I can’t help it. “Yeah.”
“I want all the details Monday—and you’d better not even think about holding out on me.”
“You know that’s not going to happen.”
“Don’t make me get you drunk,” she says.
I laugh. I do have loose lips when I’m drinking, and I would probably tell her every single detail if I were drunk enough.
“Have a good weekend, Abby. Go out on a date. Or at least do something fun.”
“I plan on it. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” I hang up the phone.
Lucas slides my cell from my fingers, then places it back on the coffee table. “What was that about?”
“Abby is going to write a formal letter to Tom’s attorney letting him know that his client needs to stop contacting me, and that if he doesn’t, we’ll pursue a restraining order.”
“Good.” Lucas looks at Maddi. “I’m gonna put her to bed. Why don’t you go get ready yourself?”
My stomach fills with butterflies. The last time I stayed here, it wasn’t something I planned. I spent the night sleeping in my clothes. Tonight is different. We’re different. Things between us are more intense now. I don’t know how I will be able to handle sleeping in the same bed as him and not taking advantage. I just can’t since Maddi is in the house.