Ethan’s back straightened, but his gaze on Merry didn’t waver.
“I can hack it,” he announced.
Merry looked up at me.
I sucked breath in through my nose.
I had not shared all of Trent’s problems with my son. For instance, he didn’t know his father had used drugs. So he obviously didn’t know how much he had used them either. He also didn’t know his dad had been in trouble with the law. Not once, not several times.
He just knew the things I couldn’t hide—Trent was absent, and when he wasn’t, he was a loser.
I didn’t know what Merry intended to say to my kid.
I just knew I trusted him.
So I nodded.
Merry turned back to my boy.
“Your dad wasn’t there, Ethan. Your dad has problems. He’s got to keep a tight handle on those problems or they’ll get the better of him. He left Peggy without telling her what’s happening with him and she doesn’t know where he is. We can’t know, but this gives indication he’s lost hold and his problems got the better of him. She’s worried, trying to find him, and she thought he would be here. He isn’t, so we couldn’t help her. There’s not much we can do to help her, but I’ll see about doin’ what I can when I’m at work again.”
He shuffled forward, reached out, and curled his hand around the back of my son’s neck.
Then he kept talking.
“It’s important to point out these are not your problems, bud. These are Peggy’s problems. They’re your dad’s problems. Life works out in crazy ways sometimes and it seems your dad gave you and your mom one good thing: when he took off, you guys learned how to manage on your own. So when trouble hits for him, you just keep on rollin’. Now, your mom needs you to keep on rollin’. Can you do that for her?”
“He did to Peggy what he did to Mom, just later, didn’t he?” Ethan asked Merry.
“We don’t know. We just know what I told you,” Merry answered.
“He did to Peggy what he did to Mom,” Ethan muttered.
Merry gave his neck a visible squeeze and light shake, swaying Ethan gently.
“You gonna keep on rollin’?” he asked quietly.
Ethan looked at Merry.
Then he tipped his eyes up at me.
“We’re done with him, Mom. That’s it,” he declared. “He does that to you and me, then he gets Mary and Tobias and does it to them. And even if Peggy is crazy, he did it to her too and that isn’t cool. So even if he does try to come back some day, we’re done. We don’t need him.”
“Your call, honey,” I said softly. “It’s always been your call. And it’ll be your call if something happens and you change your mind.”
He stared at me a beat before he turned back to Merry.
“I’m ready to keep on rollin’, Merry,” he stated.
Merry gave him a grin.
“That’s my boy.”
My heart fluttered.
My son’s chest visibly swelled.
I heard Mom clear her throat.
“Right, I’ll grab the ice cream,” Rocky said.
“Everyone back in the living room,” Dave ordered.
People moved. Merry straightened.
I kept my eyes to my kid.
He felt them and looked up at me.
“You good?” I whispered.
Ethan nodded.
“Let’s go, buddy,” Colt called.
Ethan looked at Colt.
Then he followed his uncle into the living room.
*
“Holy cramoly!” Ethan shouted, yanked what was inside the envelope out, turned his eyes to Merry, lifted his hand straight into the air, waved it around, and screeched, “Colts tickets! Holy cramoly! I can’t believe it! That’s soooooo awesome!”
He popped up and raced over legs and laps, pushing through bodies until he made it to Merry.
Once there, he threw his arms around Merry’s middle and gave him a big hug.
Even now a big boy at eleven, he didn’t let go and only tipped his head back, my little man smiling huge up at my big man.
“Thanks, Merry! The greatest present ever!” he yelled.
Merry grinned down at my kid and ruffled his hair.
Hold On
Kristen Ashley's books
- Holding the Dream
- Dance Upon the Air
- High Noon
- Moon Island(Vampire Destiny Book 7)
- Illusion(The Vampire Destiny Book 2)
- Upon A Midnight Clear
- Son Of The Morning
- MacKenzie's mission(MacKenzie Family Saga #2)
- Loving Evangeline(Patterson-Cannon Family series #1)
- A Billionaire's Redemption
- A Convenient Proposal
- A Dishonorable Knight
- A Headstrong Woman
- A Passion for Pleasure
- Atonement
- Beyond a Doubt
- Beyond Control
- Cavanaugh on Duty
- Colton's Dilemma (Shadow Breeds)
- Conceal, Protect
- Conflict of Interest
- Confessing to the Cowboy
- Dreams Don't Wait
- Explosive Attraction
- Find Wonder in All Things
- Forbidden Fires (Bondage & Breakfast)
- Galveston Between Wind and Water
- Game On
- Gone with the Wolf
- Honor's Players
- Illusions of Love
- Intaglio Dragons All The Way Down
- Just One Song
- Living London
- Lone Wolf (Shifters Unbound)
- Love Resolution
- Lyon's Crew
- Mountain Moonlight
- Need A Want Companion Novel
- Of One Heart
- Once a Bad Girl
- Once a Thief
- Once Again a Bride
- Once and Again
- Once Touched, Never Forgotten
- Once Upon a Kiss
- Once Upon a Prince
- One Desert Night
- One More Kiss
- One More Sleepless Night
- One Night of Misbehavior
- One Night Standoff
- One Texas Night
- Only Love (The Atonement Series)
- Operation Endurance
- Primal Bonds
- Questions of Trust A Medical Romance
- Reflection Point
- Retribution
- Savage Redemption
- Second Chance
- Secure Location
- Someone I Used to Know
- Son of a Preacher Man
- Soul Bonded
- Sunset Seduction
- Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters)
- Sweet On You
- Tempting Cameron
- That Carrington Magic
- The Bridgertons Happily Ever After
- The Demon's Song
- The Dragon and the Pearl
- The Lone Rancher
- The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret
- Translation of Love
- Twisted Perfection
- Vision In White
- When Love's Gone Country
- The Lost Tycoon
- Down on Her Knees
- Love, Your Concierge
- A Demon Made Me Do It
- Campbell_Book One
- The Lady of Bolton Hill
- Born to Ride_A Clubhouse Collection
- A Question of Honor
- Blood on Copperhead Trail
- Passion and the Prince
- Top Secret Twenty-One
- Dungeon Royale
- Make Me Bad(Private Lessons)
- My Fair Billionaire
- Writing Our Song:A Billionaire Romance
- Kissed by Moonlight
- Redemption in Love
- The Masterful Mr. Montague
- Diamonds are Forever
- Every Second with You
- If You Only Knew