page1 (2/2)

Now I know that she not only finished college after I left, but she did so while going through a pregnancy alone and raising a daughter all by herself It's no wonder she latched on to Oho could have provided her with a very posh lifestyle

Gracen clasps her hands in front of her and watches uardedly with the safety of a kitchen island between us It's the first tiht her here

I take a swig froht to tehter

"I want her to know I'm her father," I finally say to her

"And will you be a father to her?" Gracen asks primly

It's a fair question, but it pisses o when she was born if you'd have fucking told me about her," I retort

Gracen sighs as she stands from the stool "I can't do this with you, Marek You're the one who left me behind You're the one who said you didn't want the responsibility while you went on to your high-profile career"

"For fuck's sake, Gracen," I growl as I storm across the floor to the island and set my bottle down so hard on the counter foa freedo and had stars in my eyes But I never would have turned nant"

"Oh really?" she snarls as she slams her hands down on the counter, just two feet across from me "And hoas I supposed to know that? Hoas I supposed to fathonant and alone? When the man I loved and trusted dumped me because his career was more important?"

"It doesn'tin ht to know I had a child You deprivedI did to you would ever justify that Nothing you could say could ever make up for that

Gracen deflates right before o flat Whatever I thought I knew about her selfishness in hiding Lilly from me, I suddenly realize that no matter how furious I a

She raises a shaky hand and pushes back a lock of hair behind her ear Her eyes focus on my beer bottle and her voice quavers with strain "U well I' to hit the bed and we can talk about it in the "

Guilt and concern gnaw at , Gracen Whatever it is you're thinking, don't be thinking that I want time with Lilly, and that means she stays here"

Her blue eyes are flat and uneives the barest of nods in acknowledgment and turns away I watch her walk up the back staircase to the second floor, shoulders hunched, legslike they're filled with lead

When she's out of sight, I pick up my beer and dump the rest of it down the drain I'm exhausted and suddenly can't wait to close my eyes and block out the world for at least a little bit

For tomorrow, I become a dad

Chapter 2

Gracen

"Pop-Tarts or Cinna table that seats eight that separates the kitchen fro area

"Eggs and sausage," she says without taking her eyes off the TV screen in the living roo Last week it was Doc McStuffins

"Sorry, baby," I tell her as I ruffle her hair She rolls her head to get away frorin She doesn't like her Paw Patrol interrupted "Out of eggs and sausage, but we'll go to the grocery store later today"

That gets her attention "Will Marek be going to the store with us?"

I cringe, pulling the refrigerator door open as quickly as possible to hide behind it so she hopefully doesn't see said cringe It's getting so hard to field questions from her about the man she is very curious about but really doesn't understand who he is

A flash of anger heats me up from the inside out and I close the door a little too hard after grabbing the o how I'd planned It turned into the sa at each other the few times we've actually talked

I' abandoned because he du that out to him, but all he has to do is re years with Lilly and I'uilt and self-hatred that I can't even look at him when he throws that in my face, so I retreat from his loathsome stare and vicious words

He wins and we go on as before Not talking and not getting anything resolved

Marek see to know Lilly He wants her to know he's her father, and it's tiet up this ht as well sit doith her and explain things Lilly is always up at the crack of dahich h, and race us with his presence

I look over at Lilly before reaching into the cupboard for a plastic cup I had to go buy child-appropriate plates and cups e first arrived, ignoring the abundance of paper plates in Marek's pantry that he prefers to eat off rather than dirtying dishes She's watching me expectantly for an answer, her curiosity over Marek farthat Sky and Chase and the rest of the pups on TV

I open ue because I have no clue if Marek is going to wake up today and bail on us like he usually does, or if he's going to et a sound out when Marek walks into the kitchen and asks Lilly, "Is Marek going where with you today?"

My hand shakes and I pourthe counter with a splash I tip the carton back up and set it down, rab for soives hi him

"We need sorocery store," I tell him casually overa single tear over it

&n

bsp; Marek glances at Lilly, who is now refusing to look at him, and the consternation on his face is easy to read He just tried to open up a conversation with his daughter and she shut hily She doesn't know that Marek feels as aard around her as she feels around him

The front doorbell rings, causing relief to wash over Marek's face He turns back to the for room quickly, happy to be rehter he doesn't know at all "I'll get that"

Lilly's gaze returns to the TV and she's once again engrossed in Paw Patrol, although I see her sneak a peek at Marek's retreating back My heart throbs with sorrow for all the ways in which she just doesn't understand how her life has gotten so crazy lately

I' to sit doith Lilly and set her mind at ease I only hope to God, for Lilly's sake, that Marek was serious last night when he indicated he wants a relationship with her And truthfully, I hope for my sake too, because while I'll put her in s, it's definitely not the best option

Footsteps echo along the hardwood in the forhter than Marek's, and I'lances at Lilly, her s to me "Hey, Gracen, I'm Josie"

"Uhly confused as to what this very pretty woirlfriend? Housekeeper?

She doesn't look or act like either, her s?

The woman must sense my confusion and unease, because she walks around the counter and sticks her hand out for me to shake I take it tentatively

"I'rasps ain I'irlfriend Reed and Marek are best friends"

"IWellal"