Chapter 2 CHA

I loved that sound. It was so natural, sweet, and endearing.

Shoving the comparisons from my mind of the women I'd dated and how they'd always laughed to gain attention, I started to walk back toward the main house. "I think it's time we had some breakfast, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm starving."

My father, Harrison Blackwood, was sitting on the back porch, waiting and watching us.

I nodded at my father, taking the cup from her as I walked into the kitchen.

"Perfect timing. I have everything ready," my mother said.

"Good."

I watched my father and Maggie talking. She wasn't wearing any makeup. The clothes she was wearing weren't too tight either. Three-quarter-length trousers, a plain white top. She hadn't tied up her hair either, and the long locks fell around her.

She looked like an angel.

"I'd look at it, son, there's drool on your lips," my mom cautioned.

I laughed, but of course, my focus went right back to the woman who would be writing a check after this weekend. I was hoping it would be a pretty big one, since I was going to surprise her Monday morning.

We had family stuff.

Dressed in a pair of shorts and one of my shirts, Maggie was on the tennis court, mortified. She did not do tennis. She did not do sports unless swimming, and she told Lily as much.

"Don't worry, we're not going to eat you alive. Mom and Dad just love to show off about this."

"They do?"

"Yeah. I think they get a kick out of making us lesser mortals feel worse than them. They're amazing. They're a team, in case you hadn't noticed," answered Lily.

"I have. They clearly love one another."

"Yes, it's so gross. All these years later, and they still can't keep their hands off each other."

She laughed. "You don't like seeing your parents together?"

"I do, but come on? Would you want to see your parents making out?"

Sadness washed over Maggie. "If I'm being honest, yeah, I would. My parents died when I was fifteen years old."

"Oh, crap, shit, I'm so sorry." Lily clapped her hand over her mouth, concern lines etched on her face.

"Don't be."

"I was so insensitive." Her voice was laced with concern as she reached out, her hand covering her arm, trying to offer comfort.

"It's fine."

"Glenn didn't say." The implication was clear.

"He doesn't know."

"Huh?" Lily's head cocked to the side.

"I mean, the subject of parents, when questioned, I have never known him not to tell individuals. I don't wish people to feel sorry for me." Lying at the moment was no good. "Oh, look there he is." She did not bid Lily goodbye.

Running to me, she forced a smile. "If anyone asks you about my parents, just say that I don't want people to know."

"What? Huh?"

"My parents. They were killed in a car accident when I was fifteen. They were good parents. I love them, miss them, and it's hard to discuss. I messed up to Lily." She did not know what else to do, so she put her hand on my shoulder.

"Wow, I'm... wow. I did not know."

"We did not exactly talk about it."

"I know."

"It's all right."

"It is?" I said.

"Yes, it's fine." She did not wish to talk about her parents' death anymore. What no one knew was that she'd been in the car with them, the only survivor. A drunk truck driver had rammed into them. It was a miracle that she'd survived. Even now, she remembered waking up in the hospital being totally alone.

No mom to bake her cookies or father to tease her. Her life had been ruined. She'd gone into the foster system, worked her tail off, and come out at eighteen with a job and graduating from high school. It was the least she could do.

It had been six years since the accident, but even now, it cut her to the heart. She hated the memories more than anything.

Unknown to the tension, my parents proposed that we play in pairs.

"I'm not very good," she said. "I don't play tennis."

"No worries. Glenn will help you," Harrison said.

She nodded and pursed her lips.

First game, we played Lily and William. It did not take long into the match that she realized I was competing against William and my contempt for him was profound.

She and Lily ended up sitting out for the remainder of the game, sipping a refreshing glass of iced tea while we continued to play.

Harrison came and put an end to it, called a tie, and then other couples could play.

When she and I played my uncles, she tried her best not to shriek when the ball was heading in her direction.

I was sweating profusely, and by the time we were to play my parents, she was a wreck with nerves.

"You never played tennis?"

"Never," she replied.

The ball was served and came to her. She swung her racket or bat, or whatever they called it, and it flew across the court to be returned by Catherine.

She tried to keep away from the ball as much as possible. She and I would be pressed against one another numerous times. Fortunately, she did not hit me with her hitty thing. She really did not know what it was called.

By the last serve, the ball was heading towards the middle, and nature took its course as she ran for the ball, but fell to the ground under my weight as I fell on top of her. The ball dropped behind us, and my parents won, and she groaned.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

She reached up to touch her head. "I don't know. Ouch. That hurt."

"Is she okay?" Harrison and Catherine both asked as they came over, as well as Lily repeating the question.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Bruised ego but all good." She didn't want to get up and move.

"Allow me to go and take care of that," I said to her. I got up and held out my hand to her. She took it, and we left the tennis court and made straight for our room but headed directly to the bathroom.

"I'm fine."

"I hit you rather hard."

"You body-clocked me. Hitting noises sound so abusive," she said. "If I'd known I was going to have to do sports, you'd have so been on your own."

"You wouldn't have assisted me?"

"Hell, no. Are you insane? Tennis is a lethal sport with that ball flying every possible direction." She shook her head. "There's no way I would have ever done anything like that. It's scary."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I totally do."

I touched the back of her head. She groaned.

"How does it feel?"

"It feels fine. Honestly. Just a little bump."

I applied a cold compress to her head. "I'm sorry about your parents."

"Thank you."

"I know Lily feels awful."

"I'm sorry I almost messed up. How can two people who've been together not know every little detail about each other?"

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It... it was six years ago, but it still hurts, you know?"

"I can imagine. I know my parents are huge pains in the butt and they infuriate me but I really wouldn't want to live without them."

I applied the compress to her head, and she just had this sudden need to tell.

"I was in the car with them. It was a car accident." She rattled off the facts as if they were on a checklist.

"You don't have to tell me."

"I do. They were great parents. Mom was a baker and a cook. If there was something on her mind or worrying her, you always knew because there was always a lot of food. Cakes, cookies, pies. You name it. The neighbors loved her too. Dad, he was a jokester. He loved life and loved talking about life. He was so enthusiastic about everything." Tears filled her eyes but she wiped them away.

I wrapped my arms around her. "It's okay."

"You're so lucky," she said. "Your family loves and cares about you."

"I know."

It was making this lying really hard. She did not want to lie to people who were clearly good. They were a good family. A unit.

There was a knock and we both looked up to see my father in the doorway. "Do we need to call for your sister?"

"She's got a bump on her head."

"And my pride is totally wounded."

"You did good, Maggie."

She snorted. "Really?"

Harrison laughed. "We're having some lunch when you're ready."

Then he left us alone.

I brushed some hair out of her face. "There, do you think you can face my family without your pride intact?"

"I'll do my best."

"Good." I removed the compress. She combed her fingers through her hair to straighten it out rather than use a brush.

We joined my family and they were all super-sweet and supportive.

In less than twenty-four hours, she'd seen a side of me she didn't honestly believe existed. I was sweet, kind, supportive, loving. I was everything a woman wanted in a boyfriend and more.

She had no clue what she was going to do by the end of this weekend. My family didn't deserve to be lied to, but she also saw the concern Harrison had for his son.

Lily was settled down, married, having a baby.

I was a wild child, out partying, and she could only imagine for the company that was bad news.

She sat as far away from the core family as possible, watching and trying not to let the guilt get the better of her. It was nigh on impossible because they were all so nice. Each and every one of them had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome.

I took a seat next to her, setting a plate of mixed grilled vegetables in front of her. She smiled at me, and we ate in silence.

"What kind of things are we going to be doing after lunch?"

"Oh, probably some running."

She groaned. "I'll not eat."

"Joking. Joking. We'll probably all sit and spend some time around the pool. It's too hot to do anything else. Can you swim?" I asked.

"Yes." At least there would be something she would be capable of doing. Biting into a grilled zucchini, she attempted not to consider what she was going to have to do for the remainder of the weekend.