Page 30 of Stick Around
“Relationships are complicated, and with men who are older and more experienced, like Billy, it’s easy to get pulled into them. To let those men swallow you up. For goodness’ sake, Grace. You don’t have to get stuck with the first boy you ever had a crush on.”
Grace scoffed. “You make it sound like I’m some stupid child. I’m a grown woman, Mom. You realize I graduated at the top of my class from an excellent school, right? Why does everyone in this family treat me like I’m incompetent?”
“Of course I don’t think you’re stupid. Quite the opposite, in fact. Which is why I’m so disappointed in you for making a reckless mistake like this. It isn’t like you. You’re a good girl, Grace.”
A good girl.Grace snapped back to her first night with Billy. She saw his eyes gleaming and skin glistening with sweat and heard the sound of her own moans filling the truck. Her memory flashed and she was on the back of Billy’s motorcycle. She felt the wind biting at her skin as she outstretched her arms and tipped her head back to the stars. She flashed to the weekend at his fishing shack, and her chest surged with warmth. They’d made love in every corner of the tiny shack, and when that wasn’t enough, they’d made love in the woods. She remembered how it felt to be naked and wild and free.
A whisper of a laugh spilled from her lips. She looked from her mother to her father and back again. This was what they wanted for her. A lifetime of evenings spent sitting in front of the television on opposite sides of the room.
No. I refuse to let this be my life.
She sat down and drew her posture up. “I know you want me to be a good girl, and I’ve tried to be that for you. I followed the rules, I was helpful and respectful, studied hard, always did my best. You know I even went on dates with a few guys in university? Nice guys from good families that you and Dad would have liked. But all of it felt wrong. Uncomfortable. Like I was wearing shoes that were too tight. It never felt like it feels with Billy.Inever feel like I feel when I’m with Billy.”
Grace reached across the empty seat between them and took her mother’s hand. “Mom, I love you. I appreciate everything you and Dad have done for me. I do.” Her father turned his head toward her, but refused to make eye contact. “And I know you’re disappointed in me. You’ve both made that painfully clear. But you’ve disappointed me, too.”
Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but Grace continued. “You two always told me hard work is everything. But that’s not truly how you feel, is it? Because Billy works harder than anyone I know. He’s even buying Mr. Avery’s shop so he can keep it going in his memory, even though it’ll mean a lot more work on his plate. But you don’t know that because you didn’t care enough to ask.”
Her father’s eyes flicked up and his eyebrows pinched. “What actually matters most to you is feeling like you’re better than everyone else in this ridiculous town. All my life you promised you’d be there for me, but the minute I needed you, you both turned your back. Because god forbid the neighbours find out your daughter had sex with a guy who doesn’t have as much money as you.”
Her mother pulled her hand away from Grace’s. “That is not—”
Grace refused to back down. “I’ve wasted years trying to be the daughter you wish I was, and I refuse to lose another day. I love Billy and I’ve known it every day of my life. Every cell in my body knows it. And I can’t wait to have his baby.”
“Wait—” Her mother’s voice was sprinkled with panic.
“And,” Grace interrupted as she stood, “if Noah expects to have a place in my life or my baby’s life, he’ll need to do some serious reflecting on his behavior. The next time he speaks to me like he’s entitled to an opinion about my choices, I’ll knock him on his ass myself.”
* * *
“Come in.”Grace eased the front door open and peeked her head inside. “I’m in the spare bedroom,” Billy called out to the creak of the opening door. She stepped inside and slipped her sandals off before padding down the hall, following Billy’s voice.
She approached the spare room to find him dipping a paint roller into a tray of paint the color of a creamy vanilla milkshake. A sloppy whirr echoed around the empty room as he rolled the brush over the ridges of the tray, working the excess paint out. The sunlight radiating in from the bedroom window drenched him in shimmering peach light as he rolled large Ws of paint on the wall.
“Hey.”
Billy’s shoulders stiffened at her voice. He cleared his throat. “Hey.”
“Sorry to interrupt. I should have called first.” She leaned against the doorway and hugged her arms around herself.
“No.” He set the paint roller down on the tray and picked up a rag from the floor. “You never need to call first. I’m glad you’re here.” He wiped his hands on the rag and tossed it back down.
She bobbed her chin toward the paint. “Redecorating?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Figured the baby will need somewhere to sleep.” He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced around the room.
Grace’s stomach clenched. “You’re making a nursery for the baby?”
He shrugged. “It’s come to my attention that I don’t know a goddamn thing about being a father or a husband.” He sighed, and Grace’s eyes burned. “I’m working on figuring it all out, but I think that shit might take a while. So I figured, in the meantime, I can at least make a nice place for the kid to come home to.”
Grace bit down on her lower lip and squeezed her arms tighter around her chest. “I can’t believe you did this. It's beautiful, Billy.”
“I know it’s not much. I’m working on a plan to get a better place, something bigger and nicer.”
But this is perfect.
He took a tentative step toward her. “Grace, I know I’ve been stupid. I’ve been immature, and I didn’t understand what all this meant. Probably still don’t. But I promise you, no matter how you want me to fit into it, I’m going to bust my ass to make a better life for you and the baby. The life you deserve.”
“What are you talking about? This is wonderful. Your home is warm and cozy and the yard is amazing. It’s perfect. Babies don’t care about how big a house is.”
