I sighed, but didn’t acknowledge the fact. “What if it doesn’t work out? What if he… changes?”
Sab rolled her eyes at me.
“It’s a serious concern,” I protested.
“That’s not your real concern. You’re not worried that he’ll change, you’re worried that you’ll get hurt. Which is a reasonable worry, considering everything that happened with SD.”
She didn’t know the full story, but that didn’t stop her from hitting that nail on the damn head.
“And you think I shouldn’t worry about getting hurt?” I asked.
“I think you can take the safe route by being just friends with him, and be really happy. But if you take the plunge, and give him the chance to catch you, you could be insanely, intensely in love with both him and your life.”
My chest tightened at her words.
She was right; I knew she was right.
I just needed time to determine whether or not I could afford to take that risk.
“What did my parents say when they were here?” I asked, changing the subject.
Sab shot me a knowing look, but didn’t call me out on it. She knew I always made my own decisions, after taking time to think about it and hear her thoughts.
“They hired a PI to find you because they missed you.” She shrugged. “Exactly what you and I would expect them to do. They said they wanted the chance to apologize, and to meet your baby.”
I scowled at the wall we were facing.
“I tried to get them to leave, but there was no way. And you know confrontation isn’t my forte.” Sab made a face.
Grabbing her hand off the bed, I squeezed it. “I know. I wouldn’t expect you to send them away. I just… I don’t know. I have no idea what to think or feel.”
“I can imagine,” Sab admitted. “They were great, when we were in high school. But the werewolf thing freaked them out, to the point where they did unforgivable things. Maybe you can forgive and move on, but… I don’t know if you should.”
“Even if I forgive them, I don’t know if I want them in my life.” I tilted my head back against the headboard. “If it was just me, I would tell them to leave. But it’s not. Elliot’s parents passed on already, so they’re the only grandparents Evan could have. And I had a really happy childhood, so I know they could be good with him. But I don’t know if I can let go enough to really let him have them in his life.”
“Forgive and forget seems like the stupidest common advice ever, doesn’t it?” Sab teased.
I flashed her a half-amused grin. “It so does.”
“You don’t need to decide right now. You can try to be around them, to see whether or not their apology is genuine. Or just give yourself time to think about it more.”
I groaned. “I invited them to the pack dinner tonight, and I haven’t even met any of them in my human form. They were there, and I just… I don’t know. Panicked? They wanted to meet Evan, but I didn’t want to let them meet him in our house, where everything would feel really permanent.”
“Hey, a pack dinner is probably a good place for them to meet him,” Sab countered. “There will be other people around, so it won’t be awkward. And think of all the buff guys there to throw them out on their asses if they’re jerks.”
I grinned. “We’re terrible.”
“No, we’re rational.” Sab grinned back.
“You’re invited to the pack dinner too, you know. Permanently. And I didn’t beg or ask; Elliot offered.”
Her eyes lit up. “Seriously?”
“Yep. It doesn’t come with a sexy werewolf mate, but the view will be good,” I teased.
“Damn straight it will. They do dinner together every night?”
“Most nights. They rotate houses, and take turns buying the food. Zed cooks whenever he’s not working, and everyone else takes turns when he is. June usually shows up even when Zed’s working, too, so you won’t be the only single chick.”