Lucas waited.
“But later, he had choices of his own, and he
still stayed away.”
“Did Mom want him to stay?”
“She wanted him to choose you for himself.”
“Did he?”
I forced myself not to soften the truth.
“Not when he should have.”
Lucas stared at the photo.
“Do you hate him?”
“I did before I knew who he was.”
“And now?”
“I understand him better.”
I paused.
“That isn’t the same thing as forgiving him.”
Lucas nodded.
“Do I have to meet him?”
“No.”
“But can I?”
Every frightened part of me wanted to say not yet.
For ten years, Lucas and I had been enough.
What if letting this man into our lives changed everything?
Then I remembered Teagan’s words.
You never asked why I was scared.
I wasn’t going to make Lucas pay for my fear.
“Yes,” I said.
Their first meeting took place at a public baseball field.
