Danny’s eyes opened halfway. The ventilator and bags of transfusion blood were gone, but he still barely looked like himself.
Ollie reached out and gently put his small hand over Danny’s, and there was a hint of some kind of emotion in my ex’s eyes.
“I made you a card, Dad. Did you see?”
Danny nodded his head, just slightly, which made Ollie grin ear to ear.
Ollie started talking rapid fire, catching up Danny on the hospital, the nurses, the cookies he and Maisie had baked with Dane. Anything and everything.
“Uncle Teller’s back, isn’t that cool? Mom’s been staying here at the hospital almost the whole entire time, so you wouldn’t be alone. Even though they have terrible coffee. Grayden’s been with her. He’s her boyfriend.”
So Ollie had noticed Grayden and me sitting together. I hadn’t told him we were dating, but yeah. Kids picked up on plenty. Especially mine.
My jaw tightened, and my gaze met Danny’s. I lifted my chin defiantly.
After a while, Danny’s eyelids drooped. I told Ollie to meet Grayden out in the hall. “I just need to say a few things to your Dad real quick. Okay, Ollie-bear?”
When Ollie stepped out, I closed the door behind him.
There were so many things I could say to my ex. I could ask if he’d ever cared about us at all. I could ask why he’d driven toward our house when he was bleeding out.
Even if Danny were able to speak, there was no way I’d get a satisfactory answer.
“Do you know who attacked you?” I asked. “Just nod or shake your head. Yes or no.”
He shook his head slowly. No.
Was that true? I had no idea.
“Grayden probably saved your life. I heard the nurses talking. If no one had slowed the bleeding right when he did, you’d probably be dead.”
Danny didn’t respond. His eyelids drifted closed, but I sensed he was listening. I went closer.
“Things have been bad between us for a while. You haven’t been a good father. You’ve been an asshole to me. But things are going to change, do you hear me?”
I picked up Ollie’s card and set it on the bed, right on Danny’s lap. “You almost died, and nobody was here for you but me and Ollie. I was only here for his sake, not yours. Against all odds, your son loves you. He’s still willing to give you another chance. I really hope you realize what a rare, precious gift that is.”
Grayden had proven to me that second chances were real. I was getting my second chance at love. Grayden had a second chance at a relationship with his siblings.
I wanted to believe Danny could change. That he could earn his new chance too.
“I’m with Grayden now. But you’ll always be Ollie’s father. He needs you. If you can step up and be the dad Ollie deserves, then you’ll be welcome in our lives. If you don’t? Then we’re finished. The next time the worst happens, you really will be alone.”
I turned around and walked out. Grayden and Ollie were waiting for me in the hallway. My guys.
When the three of us were together, especially with our families around us, I felt like I could face anything.
FIFTY
Piper
“Hey, um, Grayden?”Ollie stuffed another bite of pancake into his mouth.
“Yeah, what is it, Big Air?”
Ollie laughed at the new nickname. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did.” He winked. “Go ahead and ask another.”
