“McKenna,” Gramps sighs. “Sweetheart, your parents didn’t just start down a path of drugs when you were born. It started when they were young. That’s how they met. You didn’t cause them to turn down that path.”
“I remember,” I tell him. “Dad would tell me I ruined his life. That I was a mistake.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize I’ve never really told anyone but Rip, Laramie, and Colby the truth. One night in high school, we had a bonfire, and I was drinking, and it all just kind of came out.
Gramps' fists tighten. “Listen to me, and listen good. You are not a mistake. Never ever a mistake. They let drugs and alcohol take over their lives. They were both addicted long before you were born. They cleaned up their acts because of you. We didn’t know things were as bad as they were until we got the call that your mother had been taken to the hospital.”
“We didn’t know about how he talked to you, or we would have explained this to you sooner,” Grams says softly.
“I thought it was me,” I say, losing control of my tears again. “I thought it was my fault, and I didn’t want to do that to Rip. I love him too much.” I sob, placing a hand over my belly. “I love this baby too much.”
Gramps stands from his chair and sits on the other side of me on the couch, and together, the three of us embrace as my tears fall unchecked. “That boy loves you, Mac. Anyone who sees him with you can see it.”
I nod. “I love him too. But I never wanted to trap him. I love him enough to let him go.”
Before he can reply, there’s a pounding on the door. “McKenna!” Rip shouts, and my tears fall faster.
Chapter 29
Rip
I lasted about thirty minutes at my place, long enough to convince my sister I was fine and to send her home to tell her husband about their baby. I hugged her tight, told her I loved her, and sent her with a promise to call about tonight’s plans. It was maybe three minutes after she pulled out of my driveway that I grabbed my keys and headed to McKenna.
I can’t sit back and wait for her to believe that she and this baby are what I want. I have to show her. I have to fight for them. There’s no other option. I won’t ever stop fighting for my family.
I don’t think when I pull into her grandparents’ driveway, I just climb out of the truck, race up the porch steps, and bang on the door. “McKenna!” I pound again until the door opens. My arm is midair, getting ready to bang again, but I stop when I see Harold standing there.
“Rip.” He nods.
“I love her,” I blurt. “I love her so much I can’t breathe when she’s not with me. I want her to be my wife more than anything, and our baby.” I swallow hard. “She’s carrying a part of me, Harold. I don’t know what to do with that but smile and feel like I’m ten feet fucking tall. She’s having my baby, and I love them both.” I tap my chest over my heart. “Please, can I see her? I need to tell her. I need for her to understand that I’m not me without her. I want our family,” I say, breathing hard.
He watches me as I run my fingers through my hair. I’m ready to yell for her again. I need to see her, but when he pulls the door open further, I see her standing with tears rolling down her cheeks. I rush inside, past her grandfather, and pull her into a fierce hug. I breathe her in, willing my heart rate to slow. When I finally pull away, I cradle her face in the palm of my hands, wiping at her cheeks with my thumbs. “Kenna, I—” I start, but she stops me with her words.
“I heard you.”
“I meant every word. I’ll tell you every damn day for the rest of our lives.”
“I’m sorry. I thought—” She stops and swallows hard. “I thought that I was the reason,” she cries. “He told me I was a mistake and that I ruined his life. I didn’t want that to be you. He told me he was trapped because of me, and I didn’t want to trap you. I love you too much to do that.”
“Listen to me.” I wait for a few heartbeats, until I know that I have her full attention. “There’s nothing in this life that I want more than you and our baby. I don’t know what I need to do, but I’ll prove that to you. I will. I swear to you, McKenna.”