Lucky 13

by Rachael Brownell

  “Do you think he’s going to bench you?”

  “Nah. I have a feeling it’s going to be fine. He was smiling at me and staring at the closet the entire time.”

  I let the conversation fade into the background as I take Grant’s hand and turn toward him. I have questions that I want to be answered. No matter what he says, my feelings for him won’t change.

  “So, Grant Gipson … tell me about yourself.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Everything.”

  Chapter 21

  The road Grant traveled to get here makes an amazing story. If I didn’t know about his past, I would think he was pulling my leg. He’s still the same person he’s always been, only stronger.

  After finding out about his father, Grant and Lucy sheltered at the Foundation until their bus left that afternoon. I missed them by a matter of minutes when I went to the Foundation looking for Lucy. They headed straight to Raleigh, knowing that his father was still in New Bern, caught a plane to Texas and drove to Colorado. By the time they finally arrived in Winter Park, everything was all set up for them. The diner was in the process of being remodeled and the movers had their stuff unloaded into their new house.

  After a long debate with his mother, Lucy finally called the Raleigh police department. She filed a complaint with the Chief of Police, telling them who she really was and all about her husband. Grant said that after they investigated his father for a few weeks, they found that he had been searching for them using law enforcement resources and on the public’s dollar. He was stripped of his badge and sentenced to spend time in jail.

  After the investigation was over, Grant begged his mother to let him talk to one of the scouts that had come to watch him so that he could still have a shot at playing in college. It was a battle, but she finally caved when he told her that he wanted to stay close to home.

  Breaking the contract his mother signed with the Foundation, Grant explained everything to the scout. He was sympathetic to Grant’s situation and, knowing that Grant would exceed expectations on the field, made a call to the coaches. Grant was rewarded with a private tryout that earned him the starting backup position.

  “I only have one question,” I say as Grant finishes.

  “Only one?” he asks amused.

  “For now.” I pause, my stomach turning. “How did you know that I would be here?”

  “I may have done a little recon.”

  “You may have?” Pushing him slightly for avoiding my question, Grant rolls onto his back, pulling me on top of him.

  “Yeah. I may have called a friend to find out where you decided to go to college.”

  Chester. That’s why he told me to take care of him. It all makes sense now. If he called him, though, why didn’t he call me?

  “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Two reasons.” Impatiently waiting for him to continue, I lie on top of him and try to enjoy where we are right now. “First, Chester is part of the program so I knew that I could talk to him.”

  What? I never would have guessed that he was part of the program. I’ll have to ask more about that later, but right now I want to know his second reason. “And …”

  “I wanted this to be special. I needed to know that you still wanted to be part of my life. If you had moved on or weren’t looking for me, it would have broken me. I never stopped loving you, Madison. I needed Chester to confirm it for me so I knew I was making the right decision.”

  “You doubted me, us, this?” I ask, motioning between us.

  “Never. I knew that you would always love me, but I was afraid that I may have broken you a little when I left.”

  “You did,” I confess, memories of the day following his departure still fresh in my mind.

  “I know. Chester told me everything.”

  “Basically you were spying on me then.”

  “If you want to look at it like that.”

  “Why didn’t you call if you knew that I was looking for you? I searched everywhere. I used every resource I could to try and find you. It took forever. You could have saved me the trouble.”

  Smiling at me, Grant shakes his head but doesn’t say a word.

  “That’s not an answer, Grant. I need answers,” I plead, slightly annoyed.

  “How did you feel when you found me?”

  “Happy. Relieved. Excited.” Thinking back to the moment I knew I had found him, I try to remember exactly how I felt.

  “If I had called, how would you have felt?”

  “The same, only less exhausted and frustrated after looking for you for months and months.”

  “Fair point. Look at it from my perspective, though. You found me. You loved me enough to search until you found me. Every time you thought you found me and fell short, you kept going. Your determination is amazing, Madison. To know that you never stopped loving me is the greatest feeling. It’s the same way I felt when I found you sitting in the gazebo after all those years.”

  He has a point. If nothing else, I’ve proved to him how much I love him by searching for him and not stopping until I found him.

  “I love you, Grant. No matter how we got here, I’m glad that we’re here, together,” I say, just to confirm what he already knows.

  “I love you too, Madison. I always have and I always will.” Kissing me softly on the lips, Grant rolls on top of me, pulling away and looking deep in my eyes. “Do you know what today is?”

  “Saturday?” I’m confused about the shift in conversation.

  “Actually, it’s Sunday now.” I look over at the clock on his bedside table to see that it’s after midnight. “It’s our anniversary.”

  “What?”

  “Six years ago today I laid eyes on you for the first time. We shared our first kiss, held hands for the first time, and began this crazy journey to find each other.”

  My heart is pounding in my chest. Moments that I had once forgotten are clear as day in my mind now. I remember the first time I saw on him, talking to him about my mother, and having lunch. It feels like a lifetime ago.

  BANG! BANG! BANG!

  I jump, the noise startling me. Grant laughs so I smack him in the chest. He’s more defined than I remember. Images of Grant’s body flood my memory, causing my cheeks to heat up. The last time I got a good glimpse of what’s hiding under his shirt was too long ago.

  “Get up birthday boy!” Voices yell for Grant.

  “Is it your birthday?” I ask, confused.

  “Yep. I met you the day I turned thirteen. You were like a gift that I didn’t even know I was getting. Will you be my present again?” A devious grin appears on Grant’s face as he crawls backward off of me.

  After laughing uncontrollably for an hour while the rest of the team embarrassed Grant, he finally closes the door, shutting his teammates out. I can still hear them singing as they travel back to their rooms. Once the dorm goes silent, Grant and I crawl into bed together. He holds me tight as I curl into him. His arms wrapped round me makes me feel like I’m home again.

  “Madison,” Grant whispers in my ear.

  “Yes?”

  “You never answered my question.” I know what question he’s referring to, but I don’t answer him. “Will. You. Be. My. Present?” Punctuating each word, Grant asks me again.

  “Always,” I reply, turning in his arms.

  My father is flying in today which makes me nervous. It’s been over three months since I’ve seen him and even longer since we’ve spent a holiday together. Grant rubs his hand up and down my back as I nervously wait for him to arrive. People flood the baggage claim area, pushing through the crowd to gather their luggage and get out of the airport. His plane landed almost twenty minutes ago, so he should be here any moment.

  I’m starting to wonder where he is when I catch sight of him. Standing and waving, my father smiles in my direction. Grant stands as he approaches, catching my father off guard. I decided not to tell him about Grant. I told him I was seeing someo
ne and that we were going to have Thanksgiving dinner with his family. I wasn’t sure he would come if he knew that it was Grant.

  My father wraps his arms around me, hugging me tight.

  “Grant,” he says, extending his hand as I pull away from him. “It’s nice to see you again, son.”

  “You too, sir. Thanks for coming.”

  Confused by their cordial interaction, I look from one to the other as they both stare at me. Someone has to tell me what’s happening here. Instead of explaining, they both smile at me.

  “Ready to go?” Grant asks, taking my hand.

  “Um, sure.”

  The drive to Winter Park is filled with light conversation. There are so many questions that I want to ask both of them, but not while they’re in the same room. The fact that they’re talking to each other like they’ve done it a million times before has my skin crawling. Something is up and I want to know what it is.

  By the time we pull into Lucy’s driveway, I’m eager to get Grant alone. As soon as we’re in the door, Grant calls for his mother, announcing our arrival. She comes around the corner as she wipes her hands on her apron, a huge smile on her face.

  “Michael,” she exclaims, surprise on her face, stopping dead in her tracks. “What are you doing here?”

  Of course she knows my father. Why wouldn’t she?

  “Lucy,” my father whispers, barely loud enough for me to hear.

  “You know each other,” I state, confirming the obvious.

  “Yeah, we used to,” my father replies, moving toward Lucy, never taking his eyes off of her. “We met a long time ago.”

  “I haven’t seen you in years.” Lucy’s glowing, her hands shaking as they grip her apron.

  “It’s been a long time.” My father is standing in front of Lucy, looking directly in her eyes.

  I see what he sees. It’s the same look I imagine I’ve given Grant a time or two; the same look I’m sure was in my eyes outside the library after seeing him again for the first time in months. It’s the look of unconditional love. Things are about to get weird.

  “I think Grant and I are going to go talk for a while,” I announce, pulling Grant by the hand down the hall without waiting for a response from either of them.

  Once we’re behind closed doors, I turn to find Grant smiling at me.

  “Thank was weird. How do they know each other?”

  He takes a step toward me and I step back, bumping the back of my legs against his bed.

  “They’re occupied and we’re alone. I can think of other things I’d rather do than talk about our parents. Can you?”

  Pulling him down on top of me, I let the events of the day leave my mind and focus on the feel of his lips against mine. I hear Lucy call us for dinner a while later, forcing us to come up for air. Grant groans, pushing himself off of me and pulling his shirt back on. I fix my hair and smooth my clothes back down, attempting to look presentable in front of our parents. They’re not stupid so I’m sure they will assume something was going on, but I also don’t need to confirm their suspicions.

  When we reach the dining room, we find Lucy and my father sitting next to each other, engrossed in conversation. I watch as my father holds her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles as they talk. They don’t hear us come in, so I clear my throat. Turning their attention to us, neither attempts to let go of the other or hide the fact that they’re holding hands.

  After saying grace, conversation comes to a halt. I look at Grant, nodding toward their clasp hands and give him a look. I want him to ask so that I don’t have to. He shakes his head at me, so I give him the stink eye.

  “So, how do you know my father, Lucy?”

  “We met a long time ago, when he was in town for a while.” If she were a cartoon, Lucy would have hearts in her eyes right now.

  “When?” I probe.

  “While you were in the hospital, Madison.” My father’s confession catches me off guard. I’m shocked. He never mentioned meeting someone. I always thought that he was by my side the entire time, waiting for me to wake up.

  “So, you started dating while I was in a coma?” I can hear the anger building in my voice, so I take a deep breath and try to reign it in.

  “No. In fact, we only saw each other that once and it was almost a year before we saw each other again. I was given an assignment in New Bern and stayed at your grandma’s while I was in town. Lucy ended up coming over to see your grandma at some point and we hit it off. Well, after I apologized for being an ass to her at the hospital.”

  “Where was I during all this time?”

  “You were in school. It was only a week long assignment. I believe you stay at a friend’s house for the week if I remember right.”

  I remember that. I stayed with a girl named Sue and her parents while my father was out of town. I had asked to come so I could see Grandma, but he wouldn’t let me miss school. I was pissed at him the entire time he was gone and didn’t speak to him for a week after he got back. Thinking about it now, he was rather somber when he came home from that trip.

  I nod my head, accepting his answer, and focus on devouring the pile of food that Grant put on my plate. Everything looks delicious, but my appetite has disappeared. His visit was supposed to be about meeting Grant. I want them to have a good relationship since I plan on Grant being a part of my life for a long time to come. His trip wasn’t supposed to rekindle an old flame, especially if that old flame happens to be my boyfriend’s mother.

  The rest of the meal is eaten in awkward silence. My father and Lucy don’t seem to notice. They’re both smiling as they eat their food, never letting go of each other’s hands. I should be happy that my father finally found someone. I love Lucy, like a mother. It’s just too weird.

  My father and I have plans to stay in town for a few days. At first I thought the sleeping arrangements would be tight, considering my father would have to sleep on a couch. He assured me that he would be fine with those accommodations, having slept in various uncomfortable places before. Before we all say goodnight, I realize that the couch is not set up, and I shiver at the thought of what’s probably going to happen behind closed doors tonight.

  “I’ll take your mind off it,” Grant whispers in my ear as he crawls in behind me.

  “Doesn’t it creep you out at all?”

  Forcing me to turn over and look at him, Grant kisses me before answering. “No. I remember when I first met your father. You weren’t around and I didn’t know who he was. My mother fell head over heels for him. When she told me who he was, I freaked out on her. I had despised your father for the longest time for not letting me see you after the accident. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. He was good for my mother. But then, he left. He had to. His assignment ended and she was left alone, with a broken heart. Instead of fighting for him, she let him walk away, knowing that there was a chance that she may never see him again. She didn’t try and date after that. I felt bad for her and it pissed me off. I hated your father for my mother because she couldn’t.

  “When you came back to town, I stayed as far away from your father as I could so my mother wouldn’t get hurt again. When you told me about your relationship with your father, it was easy for me to hate him even more. Seeing him today at the airport, I saw a glimpse of the man my mother fell in love with. He’s changed, Madison. He’s not the same person you used to hate. He’s the man my mother fell in love with all those years ago. They both deserve to be happy, even if it is with each other, but yes, it does creep me out a little.”

  He has a point, a valid one. They both deserve to be happy, and I would never want to deny either of them that. I’ll find a way to get over it in time. Until then, I need to focus my attention elsewhere. Like, my own relationship and the sexy man lying next to me, half naked.

  “What were you saying about taking my mind off of it?” I scoot a little close to Grant and press my body to his, our minimal clothing the only barrier between us.

 
; “I have a few ideas,” he replies, rolling on top of me and devouring my lips.

  By the time we have to take my father back to the airport, I’m almost used to seeing him kiss Lucy. Almost. I have to turn away as they say goodbye to each other. It’s still not something I want to watch.

  We drop him off at the terminal, saying goodbye quickly. I’ll see him again in a few weeks for Christmas. My original plan was to visit him for half of break and then stay with Grant for the other half while the dorms are closed. Knowing that Lucy and my father are in the midst of rekindling their romance, I have a feeling that my father will be coming this direction for the holidays.

  “I’m glad you and your father finally found peace in your relationship,” Grant says out of nowhere as I pull into a parking spot in front of my dorm.

  “What do you mean?”

  “When I left, you weren’t speaking. It’s nice that you’ve found a way to meet in the middle.”

  “It wasn’t easy. If you hadn’t left, we may never have spoken again. I relied on him a lot after that. I was at my lowest point and he picked me back up basically. It felt like he was all I had some days, even with Libby calling and coming over non-stop.”

  “Can I ask you something?” I nod, giving him a questioning look. “Did he ever tell you?”

  “Tell me what?” I’m pretty certain I know what he’s referring to, but I ask anyway.

  “About the accident?”

  Memories flood my mind–the accident, the car, waking up. It’s an overwhelming feeling. A feeling that comes every time I think about that day.

  “Yeah. We were looking for you the day he told me.”

  “And …”

  “I get it. I died,” I say, dismissively. I don’t want to rehash it again if I can avoid it.

  “And …”

  “I’m okay. It was a miracle of some sorts, but I’m perfectly fine.”

  “I know that, but emotionally … how are you dealing with it?” His concern is apparent. I’m going to have to talk about it to reassure him I’m fine.

  “At first it was a huge shock. I couldn’t believe he kept it from me. Now, I think of every day as a blessing. Things could have gone the other way. I might not be sitting here, talking to you, if they had.”