“Yeah, well, I’m just glad Victoria and I didn’t have any kids,” Chase says, referring to his soon-to-be ex-wife. “I didn’t grow up in a perfect home where my parents got along and we all sat around having meals together like you guys do. My parents barely got along. And after…” He clears his throat, his face all of a sudden looking pained. “After my sister died, it only got worse, until my dad drank himself to death.”
“You had a sister?” He’s never mentioned having a sibling.
Chase nods. “It’s not something I like to talk about. We grew up in a shitty neighborhood, surrounded by shitty people, and it led to her making shitty choices. Now she’s gone. Where I come from, that elusive happily ever after people talk about is only found in those bullshit Disney movies.” His sad eyes meet mine. “And since we were so poor, we couldn’t even afford to watch them anyway.” He shrugs.
“I didn’t get it at first either,” Mason says. “I actually came from a similar home. It took me finding Mila to understand what real love is all about.”
“Oh, I know what it’s all about,” Chase says bitterly. “I loved Victoria with every ounce of my being. But look what loving her got me: ten years wasted, homeless, and sleeping on my best friend’s couch. I think I’ve had enough of that love bullshit to last me a lifetime.”
“You’re too young to be this bitter,” Mason says. “Take it as a learning experience and move forward.”
“Oh, I am.” Chase chuckles. “Every night since I signed those divorce papers I’ve moved forward.” He waggles his brows, and Mason and I both groan.
“Well, I’m not trying to move forward,” I say, wondering how the hell we went from me trying to convince Lexi to be with me, to Chase transforming into a manwhore. “I’m trying to figure out how to get Lexi to admit she wants to be with me.”
Mason grins. “That’s easy. Do what I did when I needed to convince your mom to stay married to me… Show her how good it can be with you.”
“It’s kind of hard to do when she’s avoiding me.” And going out with another guy… Thankfully, from what I’ve seen, she hasn’t been out with Jason again, and the night she did go out with him, she got home only an hour after me, so I know she didn’t go with him back to his place.
“You’re just going to have to try harder.” Mason smirks.
The waitress drops off our food and we eat in silence. I think about what Mason said. Maybe he’s right. Maybe the key to getting Lexi to give in, isn’t to beg her but instead to show her.
After we finish eating, we talk for a little while, then head to the gym to get a workout in. Afterward, I stop by Lacie’s place to check on her. She’s finally starting to come around. She’s not back to work or even leaving the house yet, but she’s at least showering. I bring her some food from one of her favorite restaurants and she thanks me. When she stands to take it, I notice something is different… her stomach has a bump.
“Lacie?” My gaze darts between her face and her stomach.
Her eyes well up with tears. “I’m thirteen weeks.”
“Did my dad know?”
She nods. “It wasn’t planned, and because I’m almost forty, we were worried about the possibility of a miscarriage, so we were waiting to tell everyone.” Tears slide down her cheeks. “I can’t believe I have to do this alone.”
“Hey, you are not doing this alone. You have me and my parents. Your sister… I know it’s not the same, but I promise you, you aren’t doing this alone.”
She chokes out a sob. “Thank you, Alec. That means a lot to me. Your brother is going to want to know all about his daddy, and you know him the best.”
“Brother?”
“Yeah. I had a blood test done. It’s a boy.”
“Congratulations.” I give her a hug. “My brother will know exactly who his dad was. I promise.”
After Lacie updates me on her pregnancy, I head home. On the way, I call my mom to let her know about Lacie, and she promises to stop by to check on her. While Lacie and I were talking, she mentioned possibly moving in with her sister. She lives a couple hours north, and she felt bad for leaving and taking my brother with her. But I assured her that no amount of distance would stop me from being part of their life, and if moving in with her sister is what’s best for her, then that’s what she should do.
I get home and find Chase on the couch, texting on his phone. “Want to go out tonight?” he asks. Tonight is his last night off before he’s back on shift.