I shook my head immediately. “I can’t do that. I promised myself after Michael that I wouldn’t fall in love every again. I just can’t do that. I have a terrible track record that proves I am horrible at relationships.” My heart raced at the idea of saying those words to Grady and being met with silence. “I’ll find a way to make things right and friendly again. That’s all I need.” The lie felt like sawdust on my tongue.
Valona shook her head and laughed. “No offense Margot but if I can open my heart to a man far too gorgeous for me after what Rodney did, then you can sure as hell admit to Grady that you love him.”
I shook my head. “I can’t. I’ve been so awful to him.”
“And if you actually felt awful about it,” Carlotta said with a friendly smile that took the sting off her tone, “then you would do something about it. Don’t wait for him to listen, make him listen.”
“You can’t make a man like Grady do anything he doesn’t want to do and clearly talking to me is at the top of that list.”
“Make it impossible for him to ignore you,” Lacey offered. “Show up in his bed naked and refuse to go anywhere until he listens.”
“And risk that rejection? No thanks.”
Pippa sighed and pointed at my plate to encourage me to eat. “I’m sorry to say this Margot but if you’re too scared to risk rejection then you don’t deserve the happiness that comes with being in love.”
Carlotta nodded her agreement. “Grady is great. He’s gruff sure, but he’s sweet and funny and he is always willing to help out however he can. You could do a lot worse than Grady and considering your track record, I’ sorry to say that you have.”
“Ouch.”
Carlotta flashed a wide, friendly smile. “That’s why I said I’m sorry to say it.”
“You didn’t sound sorry though,” Lacey stage whispered and the rest of us laughed.
“Okay let’s say that I was brave enough to force him to listen and to risk rejection, is there anything I could actually do or say to earn his forgiveness?”
Pippa, Valona and Lacey all looked to Carlotta who knew Grady best.
Carlotta sighed. “Show him that he is enough for you. That you don’t actually care that he works at the bar he owns, that you don’t think he’s some low class trash. And also tell him those same things and do it in no uncertain terms.”
“Oh,” I deadpanned. “Is that all?”
The women laughed. “It’s scary as hell,” Lacey admitted. “But worth it.”
“Definitely worth it,” Pippa said with a smile. “You think I wanted to trust Ryan again after everything? I didn’t but I also couldn’t deny that no one had ever made me feel the way I felt when I’m with him.”
“Dammit,” I growled because that’s how I felt about Grady. He wasn’t who I would have chosen for myself but he was who my heart had chosen because he accepted me as I was and let me be me, and seemed to love me anyway.
At least I hoped he did.
Chapter 26
Grady
“Two pitchers of frozen strawberry margaritas and one pitcher lemon-lime on the rocks. Rocks separately,” I told the group of after work happy hour women with my best, most charming smile. “Cheers ladies.”
The women were rowdy and filled with laughter. “Cheers right back atcha handsome.”
I flashed a smile I didn’t feel and ambled back to the bar to pour beers for a few of the regulars who kept their gazes fixed on the televisions above and steadfastly read world and sports news all night. I made more Happy Hour specials as more and more of the five o’clock crowd spilled inside and filled the place. Business was booming and I didn’t enjoy any of it because of Margot.
The past few weeks had been tense. Hell, they were more than tense. It was a silent battle of wills between me and the stubborn woman who carried my kids. She wanted to talk but it was only because her fine southern sensibilities made her incapable of dealing with someone who was angry or didn’t like her, which was her problem not mine. I wouldn’t allow her to apologize simply to make herself feel better. She had to mean it or keep it to her damn self.
“Cheer up boy, this joint is jumpin’.” Mama’s voice pulled me from my thoughts and I flashed her a grateful smile.
“Hey Mama. What are you doing here?”
She shook her head. “You first. Why the hangdog expression?”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She let out a loud bark of laughter which drew a few stares. “You can lie to the world, son. You can even lie to yourself but you can never, ever lie to your mama. I know you and I know you’re upset. I even know why but I thought it’d be polite to let you tell me yourself.”