Stonehill series collect.., p.125
Stonehill Series Collection, page 125
The rest of his stress faded away. Part of him had been worried she might use his mom’s behavior as a reason to put distance between them. “Thank you, but I’m more concerned about you.”
“I’m okay. I talked to Aya this afternoon. If anyone knows how tough it was growing up looking like an outsider in this town, it’s her. She had to deal with the same crap I did. I feel better after talking to her.”
“I’m glad.” They sat at the table and thankfully changed the subject. As they ate meatloaf and mashed potatoes with the most delicious brown gravy Aiden thought he’d ever had, he was happy to soak up the normalcy of the moment. No talk of the past, of his parents, or anything else that had caused them pain. She talked about a beautiful house she’d toured with clients and how perfect it was for them. She was certain they were going to buy it, but the price was a bit higher than they wanted to go. Meg was confident she could negotiate a better price if they’d just take the risk.
He loved seeing the excitement on her face as she talked about how she could get the house price down. She’d never had that kind of fire when she talked about medicine. She’d never seemed so driven as she did now. He was so happy she’d found her way. He hated that she’d hit rock bottom first, but he had in his own way as well.
If he hadn’t gone to New York, he probably never would have had the courage to really find himself and his way back to Meg. He probably would have lived the rest of his life skating by, not just in his career but in his personal life too. He couldn’t imagine that his love for her would have run as deep now if he hadn’t lost her and had to find his way back.
Meg stopped speaking midsentence and grinned at him. “You’re not listening.”
He chuckled. “I am.”
“What’d I say?”
“That you’ve never been happier and you’re so glad that we found each other again.”
A brilliant smile crossed her face. “That’s not even close to what I said.”
“Well, that’s what the sparkle in your eyes said.”
She laughed and tossed her napkin at him. “When did you become such a sap?”
Sliding his hand into his pocket, he gripped the ring and, without letting himself second-guess, pulled it out and showed it to her.
Her smile froze as she stared at it.
Aiden didn’t let the shock on her face deter him. “I was torn between this promise ring and the bracelet. I’d decided it was too soon for a promise ring, but after today, this is right. This is the right time, even if we have only been back together for a short time. I want you to know that you are my future, and when we’re ready—a month or a year or two years from now—I’ll replace this with an engagement ring.”
She smiled but not the same brilliant happiness that she’d shown when she opened her bracelet. She focused on the thin band as she bit her lip.
“If you don’t like it—” he started.
“I like it. I love it. It’s perfect.”
He swallowed as that rock started forming in his stomach again. “So why do you look so pensive?”
“Because you’re right. We have only been back together for a short time, Aiden. And with your parents, and mine, not approving of this, things could get rough. Maybe this…maybe this is too soon.”
“No,” he stated without hesitating.
“Our parents are not going to be supportive. Mine blame you for me dropping out of school. They aren’t going to approve of us being together any more than your parents do. That’s going to weigh on us, Aiden. That’s going to be a problem we have to face over and over again until they change or we…”
“We can overcome that, Meg. I really believe we can. As long as we overcome it together. I’m not going to let my parents hurt you again. I promise. If that means we don’t see them, then we don’t see them. I can accept that as long as I have you beside me. And I’ll do my best to win over your parents, to prove to them that I’m worthy.”
She laughed softly. “Well…I promise to only translate the nice things my parents say to you.”
Aiden laughed as he slipped the promise ring onto her finger, cursing when the band stopped at her knuckle. It was just a bit too small. Meg took her hand from him and gave the ring one final push until it rested in place. She held it up for him to see.
“Now you’re stuck with me,” she said. “This thing is never coming off.”
He put his lips against hers. “That’s exactly how I planned it.”
Chapter 19
The dread in Meg’s stomach was like a boulder weighing her down. She took Aiden’s hand before he could turn off the ignition. “It’s not too late. We can run.”
He glanced up at her parents’ house and seemed to consider it. “We have to do this.”
“We don’t have to.”
This had actually been his suggestion. He’d convinced her to have one dinner with her parents to try to smooth things over with them. If Aiden couldn’t win them over, if they still blamed him for “ruining” Meg’s life, then at least they had tried.
“Aya will be here,” Meg said. “She is going to try to act as a referee if needed.”
“Well, I hope it won’t be needed, but I appreciate the offer.”
“Hey,” she said before they could get out of his vehicle. “I appreciate you doing this. I want you to know that. It’s not going to be easy.”
“We just have to stay through dinner.”
She nodded, and they exited the safety of his SUV and held hands as they walked toward the house. She felt a bit like she was getting ready to face a gauntlet, but if she were walking into open combat, she couldn’t think of a better ally than the man at her side.
Her sister opened the door for them. The way her face was drawn was not a good sign. She’d arrived first in an attempt to help diffuse any anger her parents had at this forced attempt at a friendly dinner.
Meg tightened her hold on Aiden’s hand. “This was such a bad idea.”
“We’ll be okay,” he said.
“They are not happy,” Aya said quietly. “Dad says he’s not hungry and to eat without him.”
A cloud of disappointment washed over Meg. She wasn’t surprised, just saddened by her father’s rejection. Taking a breath, she braced herself. “I’ll go talk to him.” Pulling Aiden deeper into the house, she headed for the kitchen. Her mother might not have been happy, but she wouldn’t be rude to Aiden. Maybe a little frosty and judgmental, but she would be kind. At least that’s what Meg was counting on.
“Mom,” she said, trying her best to sound casual. “You remember Aiden Howard.”
Her mother turned and very nearly shot daggers from her eyes before smiling just enough to be considered a greeting. “I remember.”
Aiden held his hand out to her. “Nice to see you again, Mrs. Tanaka.”
She stared for a moment but finally accepted his hand. However, instead of asking how he was doing or offering him a drink, she turned to Meg. “Your father won’t be joining us. He’s not feeling well.”
“I’ll go check on him.”
“Leave him alone, Megumi,” her mother warned.
Meg didn’t listen. She gave Aiden a supportive pat on his upper arm and left him to fend for himself as she faced down the real challenge. Her father. She found him in his office, stone faced as he stared at his computer screen. “Mom says you aren’t feeling well.”
He barely glanced at her.
Closing the door behind her, she sat in the chair across from him and waited. They could sit in cold silence all night if that’s what it took. She twisted the ring on her finger, the one Aiden gave her to reassure them both that they could get over whatever hurdles they faced. She drew on that to find the courage to speak. “I dropped out of school because I never wanted to be a doctor, Dad. Aiden breaking up with me just gave me an excuse to start my life over. When I did, I chose to quit something I never wanted in the first place.”
“To be a retailer.”
“A real estate agent,” she clarified.
“If you’re going to be a real estate agent,” he said with blatant contempt, “you could at least sell high-dollar properties, Megumi. You’ll never be successful on the path you’ve taken.”
“You know nothing about the path I’ve taken because you don’t want to know,” she said. She’d never been so honest with him before, and it shocked both of them. Meg tended to bow out of any confrontation with her father. She respected him. She loved him. She hated that she had disappointed him, but Aiden was right. The life they wanted was the life they were choosing. Her job was part of that. “I’ve made mistakes. The biggest one was going into medical school. I should have spoken up a long time ago, but I just wanted you to be proud of me. I’m not like Aya, Dad. I don’t want the life that she does. I’m happy with my life. I’m happy with my job and the people around me.”
“Including that boy who broke your heart.”
She nodded. “We were both kids back then. We were too young to know what we wanted with our lives. We’ve learned some things since then. Both of us. All the best parts of Aiden are still there, the parts that loved me and supported me. The parts that pushed me to be a better person. Those are still there. The scared little boy who ran out, the one you still see, is gone. He’s proven that to me time and time again in the last few months. He’s proven himself to Aya. If you give him a chance, he’ll prove himself to you and Mom too. But you have to give him a chance, Dad.”
He shook his head. “You’d be a doctor now if it weren’t for him.”
Meg swallowed hard. She had avoided this conversation for a long time, but it was time to come clean. “I have depression, Dad. I was already spiraling out of control when Aiden left. That was just the final straw. I never could have finished school back then. I couldn’t handle the stress. Not because of Aiden or because I’m weak, but because I just couldn’t handle it. Maybe I could now because I’m stronger and I got help, but I couldn’t handle it back then.”
He stared at her, not responding to what she’d told him.
She sighed. “I know you want to blame Aiden because that’s easier. I blamed him for a long time too, but the truth is if he hadn’t been there helping me, I would have had hit the bottom a lot sooner. I was never going to finish. I couldn’t. If you want to hang on to blame, direct it at me. The only thing Aiden did was get scared of a relationship that was getting too serious. He wasn’t ready for how deeply we had grown to care for each other, and he ran. But I’ve forgiven him, and so should you.”
He still didn’t respond.
Standing, she ran her sweaty palms over her jeans. “The man I love and want to build a future with has come to dinner to try to make things right with my parents. He’s uncomfortable and nervous because he knows you don’t want him here. But he came anyway because he loves me, and he knows my family is important to me. He’s setting aside his pride and coming here to face you, and he’s doing that for me. I hope you will do the same.” She turned toward the door but stopped and met his gaze as she tapped into the one thing Aiden had said that had stuck with her over the last few days. “If you make me choose between you and the future I want, I’ll choose Aiden. Every time, Dad. I will choose Aiden.”
She returned to the kitchen in time to carry out a pitcher of ice water. She filled the glasses and sat next to Aiden, taking his hand under the table and smiling. He was worried about her. She could see the concern in his eyes, so she did her best to swallow her hurt feelings and focus on enjoying dinner. Her mother sat quietly while Aya talked about her day, but this time instead of sounding like she was gloating, she was talking excitedly about a new development her team had made.
Aiden asked questions and seemed genuinely interested, but Meg’s mother barely said a word. Meg didn’t comment on her mother’s obvious discomfort, but she noticed and wished she could do something to make this easier for Aiden. Meg was halfway through the food on her plate when her father appeared and stood at the head of the table. The tension in the room multiplied, but finally, he held his hand out to Aiden.
“I apologize for being late,” Eiji said to his guest. “I wasn’t feeling well.”
Standing, Aiden shook the man’s hand. “I hope you’re feeling better. It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Tanaka.”
The men sat, and Aiden patted Meg’s knee under the table. The mood around the table wasn’t exactly easy, but it was a start. It was a hell of a start, and Meg was happy to take it. When her father looked at her, she smiled her thanks and passed him a glass of water.
The next morning, Aiden opened the front door and instantly felt irritated. Leaning against the door, he frowned. “Mom, I told you that you can’t just drop by anymore. Meg might be here, and it’s best if you’re not around her.”
His words obviously stung her. Tears instantly filled her eyes, and she held up a box from one of the local donut shops.
“I’m here to say I’m sorry. To you and to Meg.”
“She’s not here.”
“I wasn’t…” She blew out her breath. “Are you really going to make me stand on your doorstep?”
He hesitated before stepping aside and gesturing for her to enter. She walked right to the kitchen and stopped as she looked at the two coffee mugs on the counter.
“I thought she wasn’t here.”
“She was earlier. But she’s not now.” He moved around her and grabbed the mugs, putting them in the dishwasher before facing her. “She works most Saturday mornings. Not all her clients can find time during the week to look at houses.”
His mom opened the box and showed him the contents. “Chocolate-covered Long Johns,” she said. “Your favorites.”
He didn’t want one, but he didn’t have the heart to reject her offering, simple as it was. “Thank you.”
She peered inside at the rest of what she’d brought. “I didn’t know what Meg likes, so I got a variety.”
“She’s pretty well rounded in her donut consumption.”
Becca smiled, but it was uneasy. “I wasn’t trying to make Meg feel bad the other day. I don’t share in your father’s views, Aiden, but I can’t change them either. You have to understand that he isn’t going to accept Meg.”
“He doesn’t have to, Mom.”
“But if he doesn’t, you’re not going to see him. Isn’t that what you said?”
He sat at the table, dropping his cream-filled treat on a napkin. “That’s right.”
She sat across from him, in the seat Meg usually occupied, and twisted her hands together. “I understand, but I don’t want that to extend to me. Please, Aiden. Stevie and I… Well, you know how your father is. We tolerate him, the same way we did when you were younger, but we know he’s… He’s closeminded and angry at the world for reasons nobody will ever really understand. I raised you and your brother to be kind and accepting of others. Obviously that stuck. I wouldn’t have raised you that way if I didn’t feel that way. You know that, don’t you?”
“I don’t know anything anymore, Mom. When Meg and I were first dating, you guys always had reasons why we never saw you, but I didn’t really notice. I was too young and distracted by life to notice. But Meg did. She asked me once if you guys were racist.”
Becca gasped at the word. “I’m not—”
“I laughed it off back then, Mom, but I can’t now. Do you have any idea how much you hurt Meg?”
She pressed her lips together and had the sense to look ashamed of herself. “I wasn’t saying that I couldn’t accept her.”
“It sure sounded that way.”
“I just wanted you to know that…if you tell your dad you are choosing Meg over your family, he’s going to take that to heart, Aiden. He’s going to see that as a betrayal to him and all he’s ever done for you. It will drive a wedge so deep between you, I don’t know that he’d ever recover from it.”
She wasn’t being overly dramatic. She was right, and Aiden knew that. His father had always been one of those was old-school, family-above-everything types, but he was taking it to an entirely different level. He’d probably never forgive Aiden and never accept Meg. But Aiden had already made his choice, knowing his father would likely hold that against him for the rest of their days.
“I know, Mom.”
“She’s worth that?”
He didn’t even have to think about it. “Yeah, she is. But this isn’t just about Meg. What if we broke up and I started dating someone else Dad didn’t approve of? Do I let his racism dictate everyone I care about?”
“He’s not racist,” his mother stated firmly.
“What do you call it?”
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“Exactly.”
“He was raised in different times, Aiden. This town was different back then. We didn’t have the diversity we do now. Change is hard for some people to accept. That’s all.”
“No, Mom, that’s not all. It’s hateful and it’s hurtful to me and to Meg. I won’t put her through that. I understand that you didn’t mean to come across that way, but you did, and that’s exactly how she took it. You have no idea the things she had to put up with growing up. The shitty things the other kids said to her because she looked different and had a different name. The hell of it is, Mom, someday I plan to have kids with her, and they’re probably going to look different. Maybe they will have names that are hard to pronounce. Maybe they’ll have to deal with some of the same things Meg had to and get called names like she did. I hope not, but if they do, I hope they’ll be tough enough to deal with it. But sometimes bullying like that tears a kid to pieces and they need their family to love and support them through it. If you can’t do that for your grandchildren, then you have no business being part of their lives.”
Her chin quivered. “I can do that. I would do that.”
“What about Meg? Are you willing to love and support her?”
Becca nodded.
Smiling, Aiden stood and opened his arms. She jumped up and hugged him.
