Undo Me (The Good Ol' Boys #3) (32 page)

I spoke with conviction, “On
that
day you just turned into another girl I used to fuck.”

She shattered. Her glass house breaking as she ran away from me. I held the hammer firmly in my hand ready to use it again, when needed.

“Dylan Anthony McGraw,” Mom snapped from behind me.

I spun around, facing her as she came toward me. “Don’t even go there, Ma. Don’t even try to fucking go there with me.”

“Oh my God! I am so ashamed of you right now, I can’t even look at you.”

“Good,” I barked. “Then turn your ass back around so you don’t waste my time with this fuckin’—”

Her hand was up in the air, connecting with the side of my face before I even got the last word out.

“Oh, Dylan, I don’t care where you just got released from. I don’t care what you may have seen. I don’t care what you have gone through or who you think you are now, but if you ever,” she gritted out through clenched teeth, shaking the sting off her hand that I felt on my cheek.

“Ever, raise your voice or talk to me like that again, boy, I will not hesitate to remind you who it is you’re talking to. Do you understand me? Or do you need me to remind you again?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I forced out, holding my cheek.

“Oh my God. Where is my boy? Where is my son? Because I have not seen him since you walked through these doors yesterday afternoon. I raised you better than this.”

“Yeah, Ma. You raised me so damn good and I still ended up in prison.”

She shook her head. “Whose choice was that? Yours! No one else’s but yours. That girl has been through enough and she doesn’t need your shit on top of everything else. She is an amazing mother to that young girl.”

I jerked back. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“Obviously not clear enough.”

“She has Giselle. She’s had her for the last six years, and has done nothing but include us in her life. I know my granddaughter because of her. That girl is exactly like you, and up until a few minutes ago, I was proud of that fact.”

“I… I didn’t…” I stuttered.

“Now, you get your act together before your guests arrive. The one’s who are so excited and relieved that you’re finally home. Go take the stick out of your ass and find
my
son. When you do, have
him
come find me.” She spun, walking back inside.

“Jesus Christ, six years, Ma! Six damn years. You couldn’t have told me that when you visited! You couldn’t have let me know that Aubrey had Giselle, that she was raisin’ her. I have spent the last six years thinking of nothing but my daughter! No one had the decency to tell me that!” I yelled, stopping her and making her turn to face me.

“What good would that have done? You were behind bars. The last thing we wanted to do was cause you anymore pain. You know, as well as I do that seeing Giselle and not being able to hug her and kiss her would have torn you apart. Hell, maybe if you would have accepted Aubrey's visitations or read her letters, she would have told you. If I would have known this—” she gestured at me, “—would have walked out, trust me, Dylan, I would have told you. Your sourpuss mood while you were in there was understandable and never stopped anyone from visiting you. But you’re out now. It’s time to put on your big boy pants and deal with the fact that this is your life now. Hopefully the Dylan I used to know, the boy I raised to have manners and respect others, will still come out on top and figure out something meaningful to do with his life, instead of tearing everyone to shreds for his own decisions.”

“I don’t know how to anymore, Ma,” I honestly spoke.

“Then figure it out before you really lose everyone that you and I know damn well, you still love.”

I was more lost now than I was three weeks ago when I was released from Hell. I never thought getting back to the real world would be such a huge adjustment and drastic change. I didn’t know which way was up or down anymore.

I went for a walk to try to clear my head and ended up where my childhood existed, Alex’s restaurant and the beach. Maybe I just needed to talk to Alex. I walked into the restaurant for the first time in six years, spotting a very pregnant Lily.

“Hey,” she greeted, walking up to me, rubbing her stomach.  

I nodded.

“I would hug you, but I’m pretty sure I’m growing a wrestler in my belly, and he will more than likely kick you.”

I nodded again.

“Did you become a mute behind bars, Dylan?” She cocked her head to the side.

I shook my head. “No. Just don’t have much to say, I guess.”

“Well, then you came to the wrong place. The kids are surfing, Alex is out there if you want—”

“Kids?” I interrupted.

Her eyes widened. “Umm… yeah. Shit. I suck.”

“Lily?” I gave her a questioning glare, wondering what she wasn’t telling me.

She sighed. “See, the kids are kinda all friends. So… you know, they all hangout together and stuff. They love surfing. I mean Giselle is only a year older than Mason, and they’re like two peas in a pod.”

“Giselle? She’s out there?” I pointed towards the beach. My heart began to beat harder. The daughter I never met was right outside.

“Well, yeah. But if someone asks you who told you that, you never saw me, okay?”

I left before she got the last word out, walking toward the beach.

“Dylan,” Alex announced, stepping out in front of me. “What are you doing here?”

“I need an invitation now?” I snapped.

“No. Of course not. It’s just umm…” She glanced at the water.

“My daughter is out there,” I stated, finishing her sentence for her.

She wearingly nodded, pointing. “She’s the furthest one out. You can’t miss her. Her hair is almost white from the sun and salt water. She’s beautiful, Dylan.”

I took in my girl for the first time in sixteen years, desperately yearning to run out into the water to meet her, hold her, and tell her how much I loved her.

“Does Aubrey—”

“Fuck her,” I gritted out.

“Dylan, that’s not fair.” She reached up touching my shoulder in a comforting gesture.

I scoffed, taking my eyes away from my daughter that already owned my heart.

“Half-Pint, do I look like I’m in the mood to be fucked with right now?”

She put her hand on her hip, cocking her head to the side. “Dylan Anthony McGraw, you need to take a step back and realize that I’m not like the boys and I won’t take your crap. You’re better than this. Aubrey has been through hell—”

“And what about me, Alex, what I have been through?” I countered.

“I know. Trust me, I know. But Aubrey has done nothing but try to make amends with you and everyone that she’s hurt. It’s taken her a long time to get to this point in her life. She’s come such a long way, and I won’t let you ruin that for her.”

“Well, I’ll be damned, Half-Pint. Here I thought you were
my
friend.”

“You know I am. But if you don’t forgive her, Dylan, then you’re never going to be able to move on. Aubrey spent ten years of her life unable to forgive herself and it got her nowhere. This vicious cycle needs to end. For everyone’s sake, especially your daughter’s.”

“She has nothing to do with this.”

“She has everything to do with this. She lost ten years with her mom and sixteen with her dad. You think that girl wants to see her parents’ fighting? See her dad hating her mom? Do you think that’s fair to her!” she yelled, pointing to Giselle.  

I jerked back, opening my mouth to say something, but quickly shut it.

“Exactly,” she simply stated, saying it for me.

“Half-Pint, I’m not like you. I can’t forgive and forget that easily.”

“Dylan, don’t you think I know that? Lucas put me through hell, but at the end of the day I always knew he loved me. There was never a question about that. I forgave him because I couldn’t live without him. After all this time, after everything you guys have been through. Can you honestly look me in the eyes and say you can live without her?”

“I don’t know who I am anymore, Alex. Me. Of all people, you have to know how hard that is for me. I lost everything. Everything that’s ever meant anything to me because of her. I don’t know how to move past the fact that she ruined my entire life in a matter of seconds.”

She frowned. “Dylan, she lost everything, too. Don’t you see that? You need to give her a chance to explain. You owe her at least that much.”

“I owe her absolutely nothing. Not one fucking thing, Half-Pint.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. She’s the mother of your child. You owe her everything.”

I stood there shocked as shit. I never thought about it that way. Before I could contemplate more, I felt someone walking up to us, and I didn’t have to wonder who it was.

I turned to face my daughter for the first time in sixteen years. I actually fucking gasped at the sight of her. She was breathtakingly beautiful, exactly like her mother, except she had my eyes. She had freckles on her face and bright blonde hair from the sun. She wore a black bikini that I would be burning and never allowing her to wear again. She was shaped just like her mom.

She nervously smiled. “You probably don’t know who—”

“I know who you are, darlin’,” I interrupted, tugging on the ends of her hair.

She beamed. “Mom says you used to do that to her. She’s told me all about you. All about your love and relationship. How you guys met and what you went through. How you were always there for her. How much you loved her and saved her. How much she loved you. She tells me I’m just like you! I’ve probably looked at the pictures she has of you about a million times. I’ve wanted to meet you for a really long time now. Mom never let me go to your visiting hours with her because she said you didn’t want to meet me under those circumstances. You didn’t want me to see you like that. But she said that you talked about me all the time. That you loved me so much and that you couldn’t wait to finally meet me. I fought with her every time she told me she was going to visit you. I’m so happy right now! She told me you hadn’t come to meet me yet because you were trying to find the perfect time. I know this probably isn’t that time, and I know I’m all wet from the ocean, but can I hug you? Please.”

I blinked away my tears and cleared my throat. “I would love that more than anything.”

She jumped into my arms and it was the first time in six years that I truly embraced someone back. I closed my eyes and held her as tight as I could against me, trying my best to hold it together. I couldn’t believe Aubrey lied to her. I couldn’t believe she included me in Giselle’s life all those years as if I was right there with them. With just a few words my hatred towards her lessened in a matter of seconds.

As if it wasn’t even there to begin with.

Giselle was the first to pull away, and I resisted the urge to pull her back toward me and never let her go.

I locked stares with Aubrey when I opened my eyes. She was hugging herself in a comforting gesture, with tears in her eyes. I actually took her in that time and she appeared as if she hadn’t aged a day, if anything she looked younger.

She wore a soft yellow dress that hugged her in all the right places, and after all those years it was still my favorite color on her. Her blonde hair was long, down to her waist. It was lighter than I remembered. That only told me she must have spent a lot of time on the beach.

“Mom!” Giselle greeted, hugging her and looking back at me.

Our eyes never wavered from each other.

“Can Dad come over for dinner?” she asked, instantly bringing my attention to her. “Oh, I mean… can I call you Dad? Is that alright?” She looked up at me, waiting for an answer with nothing but love in her eyes. Her mom used to look at me the same way.

“Darlin’, I’d be honored.”

“Good.” She nodded. “Now, that you’re out we can finally be a family!” She shouted, jumping up and down.

“Giselle,” Aubrey cautioned. 

“What? You told me yourself you’re still in love with him.”

I grinned and it seemed so foreign coming from me. I couldn’t remember the last time I smiled.

“Giselle! Go get your stuff. Now!”

She frowned. “Why? I’m only repeating what you’ve told me for the last six years.”

“Giselle, I’m not going to tell you again.”

“Fine. Dad, can you talk some sense into her?” she questioned, rolling her eyes before she left. She was definitely my kid. I almost felt bad for Aubrey having to deal with a mini-me.

Aubrey looked annoyed, and Half-Pint couldn’t wipe off the huge fucking smirk on her face. She didn’t even try to hide it.

“I’m going to leave you two alone,” she declared, leaving.

Aubrey shook her head as I stepped toward her until we were face to face, only a few inches apart.

“I’m sorry. Giselle doesn’t have a filter. She doesn’t think before she speaks. Want to guess where she gets that from?”

I laughed. I couldn’t remember the last time I did that either.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said.

“You and me both. I sort of just ended up here.”

“Oh.”

“I’m glad I did,” I said, nodding toward Giselle.

She nervously licked her lips, folding her arms over her chest. Making me look down at her breasts that were now pushed up with the necklace I had given her all those years ago.

A soft blush crept along her face when she realized I was staring at her chest. I gazed into her eyes. She swallowed hard, and I fought back the desire to tug on the ends of her hair.

“You lied to her,” I stated, breaking the silence between us.

She grimaced, probably thinking I was going to attack her again.

“Thank you,” I added.

She instantly relaxed. “You can see her anytime you want, McGraw. We can work something out so you can get to know her. Although, what you see is definitely what you get with her. You have more in common with that girl than you’ll ever know.”

“I want joined custody.”

I jerked back. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“Dylan, we don’t have to do that. I won’t keep her from you.”

“I want it to be official. Legal. Documented. I don’t trust you. I’m sure you can understand why.”

It was like he kept dropping bomb after bomb over my head. Not giving me anytime to seek shelter.

“I also want her to carry my last name. She’s mine as much as she is yours. I want it—”

“Already done,” I blurted, cutting him off.

He narrowed his eyes at me in disbelief.

“I’ll show you the paperwork I filled out when I got my parental rights back. She’s carried your last name for the last six years, McGraw. I wanted her to know where she came from. Which is why she knows everything about you. Except, I didn’t tell her one thing.”

He cocked his head to the side.