“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?”