“She got clean. Or so I thought. And during the short period where we were trying to work things out, she ended up pregnant with Henry. I didn’t realize she had stopped taking her birth controls pills.”
“Henry is great,” I say, trying to be reassuring.
“You’re right. I wouldn’t give him up for the world.”
“What happened after that?”
“We stopped talking. She moved out when she was twelve weeks pregnant. Henry was born. She kept the kids every other weekend for the first few months, and then one day I got a call from a police officer. He said Jack found Lorelei in the bathroom, unconscious, with a needle sticking out of her arm, and he called 911.”
I close my eyes. I can’t even imagine how hard that must’ve been for Jack and Grayson. I squeeze his hand, and he squeezes mine in return.
Grayson closes his eyes and takes a breath. “I didn’t know she’d escalated from pain pills to actual drugs. Luckily the ambulance arrived in time to administer Narcan. She survived. I filed for divorce and got custody of the kids, and I haven’t heard a word from her since.”
“I don’t even know what to say.”
“I’ve never had enough hate in my heart to consider hurting someone, but I’m not going to lie, I wanted to murder Lorelei for putting our kids through that, especially Jack.”
“Do her parents know where she is?”
“I don’t ask, and they haven’t said. They still see the kids from time to time, but it’s hit and miss. And they never bring her up. I think they’re embarrassed.”
“Probably. And poor Jack.”
“He’s had a hard time with it,” Grayson acknowledges. “He remembers everything. He went to a counselor for over a year, and he still goes from time to time. The counselor says he’s going to be a work in progress.”
“I hate that for him.” I know how helpless I felt today when Emma fell out of the swing. I can’t imagine how helpless Grayson must feel when it comes to Jack.
“Yeah, me too. Bu
t I’m here. I’ll support him and get him whatever help he needs along the way. I’ll talk when he’s ready to talk, and I’ll always be here.”
“That’s all you can do.”
Grayson takes a deep breath and blows it out. “That’s my sad story. Let’s hear more about yours.”
“Hah! You mean besides the destruction of property and grand theft auto?”
“Are you really being charged with all of that?”
“Nah. I paid to have his car fixed and agreed to a few other things. He dropped the charges, but I still feel bad, because that’s not me, you know? I’m not irrational and crazy, and that’s not how I want my fans to see me.”
“Most of them were probably ready to go to bat for you after they heard he cheated.”
“You’re probably right. My fans are loyal to a fault.”
“So…are you still heartbroken?”
“Over Todd?” I don’t even have to think about it. I shake my head. “No. I didn’t love him.”
Grayson looks pleased with my answer. When I glance at our hands, I see that he’s rubbing my wrist with his thumb. It feels so good, so natural, I hadn’t even noticed it.
“Nick says you’re in town for the summer.”
“Yep. I just hired a new manager, and we’re going to figure out how I can shed my innocent, little-girl persona.”
“The last thing I think of when I look at you is a little girl.”
“Oh yeah? What do you think of when you look at me?”