Chapter 25
“Thanks for agreeing to come over,” Eric said as he patted the couch beside him.
Ty hadn’t realized, when he said he was staying at the inn, that Eric had scored one of the cabins. From what she understood, they were usually booked out in advance. She shuffled a few feet forward, moving from the wood floors onto the rug in the living space. There, Ty contemplated sitting on the lounge chair instead of the couch.
“Don’t be shy,” Eric urged, patting the spot once more.
Ty sighed and shook her head. “I’m just not sure I should have come here, that’s all.” She’d only entertained Eric’s plea because she already had a sitter for the night. And if Ty really planned to give Eric a chance to ease back into Lucas’s life, she needed to get a clearer picture of his intentions. Besides, it was best to go about things civilly. The last thing she’d want is to have visitation mandated by the court through lengthy, expensive court hearings.
“My being here…it doesn’t send a good message to Memphis,” Ty explained. “He owns part of this place, and if he sees that I’m here—”
“He won’t. Unless he’s stalking you.”
“I canceled a date with him tonight,” she said, moving to take a seat on the opposite corner of the couch.
Eric went quiet. It took her a moment to realize that he was looking at her expectantly, a serious expression on his bruised face. “I think you canceled that date because you’re having second thoughts abouthim.”
“You’re wrong,” Ty snapped.
“Am I though? I saw how hurt you were out there, Ty. That guy didn’t think twice before throwing the first punch. At leastItook Lucas into consideration. From my standpoint, I saw that you guys were nowhere near before I retaliated. We can’t have Lucas looking up to guys who—”
“I’m not ready for you to sayweyet, okay?” The fury was ready to fly, but Ty knew that unleashing it would get her nowhere.Breathe.She did, one deep breath in, then out. She scooted until she was perched at the edge of the couch, her back straight, her chin high, her mind right.
She turned to look at him once more. “When you say things like that, it makes me sick.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re making it sound like we’re a parenting team and that has nevereverbeen the case. It hasn’t been me and you. It’s been me. Only. Since before he was even born.”
“But it doesn’t have to be that way. I want to change all that.”
“Youcan’t!” Now she was back on her feet, too aggravated to sit down. Ty paced the length between the rug and the entryway, back and forth. “You can’t undo what you did. The time is gone, and nobody can get it back.”
Eric breathed out an exhausted sigh. “I meant from here on out, Ty!” He cursed under his breath and raked a hand through his hair. “Geez! Do you intend to crucify me at every corner? I’m trying to do what’s right here.” Suddenly his face scrunched up. He lifted a hand to his cheek and gave it a tentative pat. “Ouch…he got me pretty good.”
Ty sighed. “How long ago did you plan this trip?”
Eric stood up from the couch and walked toward the kitchen. “About a month ago.”
“You could have given me a warning.”
“I didn’t have your number.”
“You could have had my mom give me a warning. I bet she’sthrilledthat you’re here.”
She heard ice clanking from the kitchen. Eric wandered back in with a makeshift ice pack on his cheek. “She is,” he said flatly. “My parents are thrilled too. They want nothing more than for us to get back together and raise a happy grandchild for them to spoil rotten.”
Ty chuckled under her breath. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”
“As for your dad…he’ll warm up to me over time.If,”he added, “you’ll give me another chance.” A corner of the dishcloth dangled from the ice pack a moment before the ice came tumbling out.
Ty hurried over to help him gather the ice. Eric was already plucking the cubes scattered over his lap. Ty moved in to scoop up the ones on the rug.
“My dad doesn’t approve?” she asked, wondering if Eric knew something on the topic that shedidn’t.
“Your mom said she wasn’t telling him about my trip here,” he explained, cupping the dishcloth as she dropped in the cubes.
“But my mom knew…”
