Now, she understood. “My best friend’s parents divorced when we were sixteen. It devastated her. They argued a lot, and Casey worried over it, wishing they’d stop fighting. But it never occurred to her that they’d divorce. When they did, she was crushed. It tore her world apart. I hated seeing her so unhappy.”
“Yeah. I was already away at college, but when I’d come home on breaks, seeing the life you knew dismantled and put in boxes, like it never happened . . .”
Alicia couldn’t imagine the pain of having the relationship of the two people you counted on the most fall apart right in front of you. Hard enough to deal with as a child. It had to be harder when it happened as an adult. She reached out and laid her hand over his. “I’m sorry.”
He looked down at her hand then lifted his gaze to hers. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”
“But you obviously don’t like to talk about it, and I brought it up. I’m sorry for that.”
He laughed. “Hey, it’s not like my parents are dead. People ask about them. I have to talk about it.”
“I’ll drop the subject.” She started to withdraw her hand, but he grasped her hand in his, squeezed it like a lifeline.
“Don’t. It’s okay.”
Maybe he didn’t think he wanted to talk about it, but she figured he really did.
“You said your dad still lives in Las Vegas. How about your mom?”
“She moved back to Southern California, near where my grandparents live.”
“Oh, well, that was probably nice for her, to be near her family.”
“Yeah. I visit her during the off-season and whenever we have games there.”
“And your dad?”
He shrugged. “Not so often.”
There was a story somewhere in there. She wasn’t sure she should ask about it. But she’d come this far. He could always tell her to mind her own business or refuse to answer. “Why not so often?”
He paused, stared into the glass of Chianti. “He cheated on my mother.”
She let her eyes drift closed for a fraction of a second, wishing she hadn’t asked the question. When she opened them, he was staring at her.
“Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Garrett.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t do it. My dad’s the one who broke up my parents’ marriage.”
Maybe that’s why he hadn’t wanted to change the subject. She wondered if he’d ever had anyone to talk to about this.
She took a swallow of wine then leaned forward, glad they were in the type of restaurant where voices didn’t carry. The place was lovely, but it was noisy, which meant they could have a conversation no one would overhear.
“Are you still angry with your father over the breakup of the marriage?”
He didn’t meet her gaze. “It was a long time ago. Both my parents have moved on.”
She leaned back. “How so?”
“My mom remarried about five years ago. Nice guy she met where she works.”
“Oh, good for her.”
He smiled. Finally. “Yeah. She really loves Henry. And he treats her like a precious diamond.”
“So you obviously approve of him as a stepfather.”
He laughed. “Yeah, he’s great. And he loves baseball, which is a plus. Though he’s a Los Angeles fan, so I have to deduct points.”
She let out a soft laugh. “Well, yes, I could see how that would detract from his overall score. But I’m glad she’s found happiness.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
“What about your father?”
“He married the woman he cheated on my mom with. Like less than a year after he and my mom divorced.”
“Oh.” She let that settle a bit and worked on her meal. Garrett didn’t offer up further details on his dad and stepmother. She wondered if he saw his father at all or if he’d cut all ties. She didn’t want to ask, and obviously, he didn’t want to talk about his dad, so she let it be.
Their plates were cleared, and they both declined dessert. Garrett paid the bill, and they left the restaurant and headed back to the house. He was quiet on the ride back. Alicia knew he must be thinking about his parents. Pain like that didn’t just go away, especially if you never dealt with it.
When they got back to the house, he grabbed a beer from the fridge and went out onto the back deck. She opened a bottle of water and followed him.
It was a nice night. A little breezy, so she went back inside and put her sweater on, kicked her sandals off, and pulled her feet up onto the chaise, content to listen to the sounds of the ocean waves. Garrett leaned against the deck post, his back to her, giving her a chance to admire his great ass without him being aware of it.
She was worried about him. She could tell he wasn’t relaxed as he took a swallow of beer and set it down on the deck rail. His shoulders were tight, his stance rigid.
Tension wasn’t going to help his therapy. She pushed off the chair and came next to him.
“Are your muscles feeling tight?”
He looked up at her. “If I say no, will you leave me alone?”
She laughed. “That means yes. Come on. Let me give you a good stretch. It’ll ease some of that tension.”
“Ugh.”
“Yeah, whatever, wuss. Suck it up.”