“Grant,” Alex said softly. “Why don’t we move to the couch?” She needed to hold him for this story.
He nodded and stood, leading the way to the couch. They sat together and Alex put her head on his chest and her arms around him.
“I used some of the money to get this place, because if I didn’t have a home for us, I didn’t stand a chance of keeping Reagan. So I made that a priority and got my job at the auto shop. At first, I worked so many hours I struggled to get Reagan to school on time and still sleep and eat. It was rough.” He scratched lightly up and down her back as he talked. “We got a good routine worked out after a while.”
“You’ve always struggled, then, haven’t you?”
“For years, yeah. I skipped many meals to ensure Reagan ate. She got free lunch at school, but I had to feed her dinner. Some days, dinner was the only meal I ate. She wouldn’t eat if I wasn’t eating, sneaky brat. She knew what she was doing. Still, I managed to pay the utilities and rent, and we lived on government subsidies that weren’t quite enough. She learned to be frugal and never was the type to want designer clothes. She shopped at the thrift store.”
“She sounds like someone I’d like to meet.”
“That reminds me, it looks like she’s coming here for Thanksgiving. Do you have plans with your family, or would you be able to join us?”
“I’d love to join you. My parents live in Montana, but my aunt and cousin live here. We do Thanksgiving together, but we can work something out so that we do noon and you do evening, or vice versa. I’ll bring you some of my lasagna.”
He sat forward so that she had to shift, and she looked up at him. “Lasagna?”
“I’m Italian, babe. You’ll be lucky if all I offer you is the lasagna.”
“I didn’t realize you’re Italian. So you don’t have some big family affair for the holiday?”
She frowned. “We used to, but my parents moved for my dad’s job and I stayed here. My grandma passed away about a year and a half ago, and my aunt is divorced. It’s just me and Carmela and Aunt Francesca.”
“Which means Christmas will be interesting, too.” He scrubbed his beard for a second and then kissed her forehead. “We’ll make it work.”
He settled back against the couch, bringing Alex with him. She knew this time that he meant they would make all of it work.
