Forever After All by Kaylee Ryan
Chapter 8
McKenna
I’ve spent the last three days with my nose buried in a book. I’m so close to my dream of becoming a lawyer, I can taste it.
Me.
I’m going to be a lawyer.
I’ve dreamed of being just like Gramps since I came to live with them. His knowledge of the legal system kept me with them. He saved me from my drug-addict mother. I would say parents, but dear old dad eventually bailed. Apparently, I ruined his life. Gram and Gramps have paid for countless therapy sessions for the messed-up insecurities and feelings I have toward my biological parents. My grandparents are my parents; they raised me and showed me love. I shudder every time I think about how my life would have turned out had my grandparents not fought for me.
“McKenna Dawson, Attorney at Law,” I answer the phone.
“Mac,” my best friend replies.
“Hey, Lara.” I’d know her voice anywhere.
“Good to see you’re practicing. Are you hiding from me?” she inquires.
“No. Why would you think that?”
“I haven’t seen you since the lake on Saturday.”
“That’s because I’ve been buried in books. Studying my life away for the bar exam.”
“I know. McKenna, you’ve got this. You’re wicked smart, but there is such a thing as studying too much.”
“Are you feeling neglected?” I tease.
“Yes. I am. You and me, we’re going to the Silver Star tonight for dinner and drinks.”
“What time?”
“Seven.”
“Okay.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Mac,” she sighs. “I’m picking you up. I’ll see you at seven.”
“Is this a date?” I joke. “You know I don’t kiss on the first date.”
Her laughter greets me through the line. “Stop it,” she splutters. “I’ve missed you so much. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“See ya then,” I say, ending the call.
“Did I hear you right? You have a hot date tonight?” Grams asks.
“No. Not unless you count dinner and a drink with Laramie?”
She nods. “That’s a date with an old friend. The best kind, in fact.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I think getting away from all of this”—I motion to the dining room table where my books are all spread out—“might do me some good.”
“I think that’s a great idea. You’re going to burn yourself out. Your grandfather says you know the information. He said you did great when he was quizzing you last night.”
“Yeah, well, Gramps is biased.” I laugh.
“I think he’s both.” She grins. “Speaking of,” she says as Gramps walks in the door, “what are you doing home so early?”
“Court was canceled, so I thought I’d come on home and see my girls.”
“Good, you can tell this one she’s going to overload that brain of hers,” Grams teases.
“She’s right, you know. Go on, get out of here. Get some fresh air.”
“Are you getting sick of me, Gramps?”
“I’ll never have enough of you, but I would like to spend more time with my wife.” His eyes crinkle at the corners. “It’s time for me to sit back and enjoy life and let my granddaughter take over the reins.” He winks at me, and my chest swells with pride and love for them.
“Are you really going to trust me with your legacy?” I ask him. I know this is what we’ve always talked about, and a part of me still feels as though I’m not worthy. That little girl in me who was told she was a mistake is still inside me.
“McKenna—” He releases his hold on Grams and comes to stand next to me, bending to wrap his arms around me. “The office isn’t my legacy, sweetheart. You are.”
Hot tears prick my eyes. I nod as it’s not possible to speak with the golf-ball-size lump of emotion clogging my throat.
“Now, now, enough of that. Don’t be crying on me. Your grams will have me sleeping on the couch, and I didn’t get married to sleep alone, Mac.” He winks at me and smiles his familiar smile.
Gramps is one of those people who loves with his entire heart. He refuses to go to bed angry, and my grams is the moon and the stars in his eyes. He loves her fiercely and with a passion I’ve only witnessed between them. I dream of finding a man who loves me half as much as Gramps loves Gram.
She’s the same with him.
Sure, I’ve seen them argue, but they’re always respectful with one another, and no matter what the argument, the love between them is undeniable.
“Why don’t you go out and get some fresh air? Call your friends and see if they want to do something? Get you out of this house and away from these books for a little while,” Gramps suggests.
“You trying to get rid of me, old man?” I place my hands on my hips and try to glare at him, but it’s impossible. We both know there’s zero heat behind my words.
“I know what law school is like. I also know what the stress and worry over the bar exam are like. Trust me on this. Getting out of the house will do you some good. Clear your mind.”
“Actually, Gram was saying the same thing. Laramie called, and we’re going to dinner tonight.”
“Wonderful. Here.” He reaches into his wallet and hands me some cash. “Tonight is on me. Tell Laramie I said to show you a good time.”
“This is Laramie we’re talking about. That’s a given.” I laugh. “Thank you, Gramps. I love you.” I kiss his cheek.
“Never a dull moment when that one’s around,” Gram says affectionately.
“Definitely not,” I say, thinking about my best friend. I’ll never forget the day we met, and we’ve been joined at the hip ever since. She’s more than my best friend. She’s my sister, and it has nothing to do with how I feel about her brother.
* * *
It’s early afternoon, and after an hour of studying, I need a break. I still have hours before I meet Laramie for dinner, so I decide to see what Grams is doing. Tossing my books to the side, I make my way downstairs, following the noise to the kitchen. Gram is frosting what looks like a cake. “You need some help?” I ask Gram.
“Oh, I think I’m good, but I would love the company.” She smiles.
“Who’s the cake for? It’s adorable.” I point to the bear cake she’s working on.
“Oh, Sally Henson’s little girl. She’s turning three tomorrow.”
“Are you staying busy with your cakes and pies and whatnot?” I ask, pulling up a stool at the island. I’ve been so lost in my world of studying that I feel like I’ve been neglecting them.
“I am. I’ve even had to turn people away, and you know I hate that.”
“That’s great. I’m so happy for you. I know you were nervous starting up your own business, but you’re doing amazing.”
“Don’t go making me blush.” She smiles warmly.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything that I can help you with?”
“No. You work too much as it is.”
“I’m taking a break, remember,” I remind her.
“Yes, and do you know what taking a break means?” She raises her eyebrows, making me laugh.
“Fine, but I feel useless. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been able to just sit with nothing to do.”
“Well, I do need to drop this cake off and run to the store for supplies. Would you like to ride along?”
“I’m your girl, Gran.”
“That you are.” She smiles. We spend the next twenty minutes chatting while she finishes the cake. I miss being home.
“Thank you for your help. I’m going to box this up, and I’ll be ready.” She points to the bear cake.
“It’s too cute.” I smile at her before dashing up the stairs.
* * *
“This is a haul,” I tell Grams as we pull into the driveway. The entire back of her van is full of baking supplies. After delivering the cake, we made her weekly run for supplies. I didn’t expect the van to be loaded to max capacity. I was thinking a couple bags of flour and sugar, but no, we bought fifty-pound bags instead.
“I know.” She grins.
“Is it like this every time you go shopping for supplies?”
“It is.”
“I hate that you’re lugging all this by yourself.”
“Oh, I don’t. Not usually. Rip usually stops by to help. Your grandfather swears he didn’t put him up to it, but I’m not sure if I believe him.”
“How does he know when you go?”
“Well, I’m somewhat a creature of habit. I always go shopping on Wednesday afternoons. I hate going at the beginning or at the end of the week and definitely not on weekends. The store is always packed.”
Climbing out of her van, she opens the back, just as an old pickup truck comes barreling up the driveway. I stop and stare as Rip, in his faded blue jeans and sleeveless T-shirt, steps out of the truck and heads our way.
“Miss Agnes, you weren’t planning on doing this without me, were you?” he asks, placing his hands on his hips.
“No.” She waves him off. “Mac went with me today, so I was able to finish earlier than I usually do.”
“I was watching for you,” he tells her.
“Rip, I’ve told you I can handle this. I hate interrupting your workweek.”
“It’s fine. I do mostly paperwork on Wednesdays, and I can see you drive by from my office window.” He winks at her, and she smiles.
“You’re a good man, Rip Callahan,” Gram says, patting him on the back.
Rip ducks under the back of the van, careful not to hit his head. “Kenna,” he greets me. His voice is deep and husky and causes every single part of me to melt for him. Seriously, if I was ice cream, I’d be a puddle on the ground, and it has nothing to do with the Texas heat.
“Rip.”
He winks at me, then begins to unload an armful of supplies and carry them into the house. With his help, it only takes three trips for each of us, with Rip carrying the majority of the load.
“Well, ladies, I need to get back to work.”
“Thank you for your help. These are for you.” Gram hands him a small container of something.
“Thank you. I have last week's container out in the truck.”
Gram waves him off. “I’ll get it some other time. You go on back to work. I appreciate your help.”
“Have a good day,” he tells her before turning his eyes to me. “Kenna, why don’t you walk me out and I can give you that container?”
“Sure,” I say, falling into step behind him.
“It’s been a few days since I’ve seen you.”
“Yeah, I’ve been studying nonstop. Gram and Gramps actually forced me to take a break this afternoon.”
He nods. “I was hoping to get to spend more time with you now that you’re home.”
“I’m sure I’ll see you around.” It sounds like I’m brushing him off, but I’m not. I just need to process what all this new attention from him is. I mean I know what he says it is, but it’s hard for me to grasp. It’s confusing. On Saturday, when he drove me home from our day at the lake, he patted the seat next to him. I rode there in the center all the way home. His hand was on my thigh, driving me crazy. He walked me to the door, hugged the shit out of me, and kissed me on the forehead before stepping back and making sure I got inside safe.
That’s the last I’ve seen of him. I don’t know what any of this means, and the girl in me who had daydreamed about these exact moments doesn’t have the guts to ask.
“Dinner tonight?” he asks.
“Sorry, I already made plans with Laramie.”
“My sister is stealing my time with you too,” he says softly.
“Another night?” I suggest. My voice quivers as my nerves take over. “Or not—” I stop talking when he steps in close.
“Anytime you want to see me, all you have to do is say the word. I’ll be there.”
My head tilts back as I stare up at him. “Tomorrow night?”
“My place. I’ll make us dinner.”
“Y-You don’t have to do that. We can go out.”
“Kenna.” He pushes my hair back off my shoulder. “I’m making you dinner.”
“Okay.”
“What time will you be finished studying?”
“Never.” I laugh nervously. “How about five?”
“Perfect. Come on over when you’re done.”
“Around five-thirty or six?” I suggest. I’ll definitely need time to freshen up.
“I’ll be ready for you. How about we eat at six? Will that give you time to change and do what you need to do?” He knows me so well.
I nod. “What can I bring?”
“Just you. Now give me a hug. I need to get back to work.” He pulls me into his chest and wraps his strong arms around me. I don’t hesitate to hug him back. I don’t know how many hugs like this I’ll get with him, so I’m taking what I can get. “Have fun tonight. Call me if you need a ride.”
“We will.”
With a wave, he’s back in his truck and driving away from me. I watch him until I can no longer see him. It’s not until I reach the door of the house that I realize I forgot the container. This should be fun to explain.
“Rip leave?” Gram asks.
“Yes.”
“Where’s the container?”
I look up to find her smirking. “He um… he thought he had it, but he didn’t.”
“I see.” She grins. “Well, it’s no worry. I can get it next time.”
“Right. Next time. Let’s get this put away.” I keep my focus on the task at hand and pretend to ignore her knowing looks.
As I help Gram store all of her baking supplies, I can’t help but think about Rip. About the change in him, at least when it comes to me, and the fact that he helps Gram every week. I wonder if Gramps did put him up to it. Regardless, the act has my heart swelling in my chest. I’m glad he helped to look out for them while I was gone.
It really is good to be home.
