Page 39 of Right the Wrongs (Broken Vows #5)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Griffin - Present

“Parker has softball practice. The schedule is on the fridge. Hattie already has all the instructions about the baby. Not that she needed any. She pretty much told me that if she can’t take care of a baby as a nurse and mom, then I definitely can’t.

You don’t have to worry about the twins, because they are having a sleepover with Jack at Bess and Donovan’s house, but you know how they can be,” I start to instruct Charlie.

He puts his hand on my arm and squeezes. “Breathe. You don’t have to do this. Really, this is a pretty bat shit crazy idea.”

“Don’t start,” I warn him.

I know I score high on the stubbornness scale, but that’s because I’m a man of conviction. Once I get an idea that what I’m doing is right, it is nearly impossible to dissuade me.

Charlie shrugs. “You Hale men sure do some dumbass shit. But I have to go on record to say that tracking down your ex-wife of almost thirty-five years is likely the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.”

I narrow my eyes. “I recall you once told me that pursuing Wren was the dumbest thing I could do.”

“Just because one really stupid thing ended up working out doesn’t mean I’m wrong about this. Not to mention that Wren is going to flip her shit when she finds out about this,” he says.

Wren chooses this moment to step into the kitchen. “Don’t worry, Charlie, Griffin is learning from his mistakes.”

Charlie scratches his head. “What mistake is this one, because to my knowledge, this is the first time he’s ever tried to track down Melinda. Except for when they got divorced, of course.”

I make a face that probably says everything my mouth will inevitably spill. “She’s talking about my ill-advised efforts to keep her from finding out Liam was cheating.”

“I’m the one who knew he was stepping out. You shouldn’t be mad at Griff for being idiot enough to believe his son instead of nearly every adult in Harriston,” Charlie supplies.

“Right, I forgot about that.” She turns to me, and I can see there’s a wicked glint in her eyes. “You know, Griff, I think Charlie should take care of the twins.”

“You think I couldn’t?” he asks.

“Relax, she’s not mad anymore. That’s because, as she said, I learn from my mistakes. I already told her my Melinda plan,” I tell Charlie.

“What do you think of this plan?” he asks Wren.

“I think that he might be right. I have been wondering what was wrong with me. I get scared that Griffin might feel the same way one day. I’m not sure I agree that I need Liam to answer that question for me, but I do think that he has questions only his mom can answer.

If that helps him find some peace so he can stop drinking and using opiates, then even better. ”

I hold my hand out to Wren. “C’mon, Baby Bird, we should hit the road.”

Without hesitation, she takes my hand. “Yes, Daddy.”

I look over my shoulder to say one last thing to Charlie. “Remember, Parker’s schedule is on the fridge.”

“It’s on mine too, considering I’m the coach,” he shouts after me.

Wren chuckles. “How did you forget that?”

“Charlie and responsibility still doesn’t compute, I guess.”

I help her into the cab of my truck and put our bags in the bed. When I join her inside, I don’t have to ask her to slide over to sit next to me. She moves over to snuggle against my side.

I drop my arm around her shoulders. “You seem so much lighter. If I’d known tracking down my ex would fix things, I’d have done it a long time ago.”

“Ouch,” I shout, surprised when Wren pinches my side.

“I’m happy because you talked to me first, besides just acting.

You didn’t make me wonder if you missed Melinda, or why you might be seeking her out.

Plus, I know that you’d rather eat glass than see her again, but you’re doing it.

This time it isn’t even about Liam. Yeah, you are trying to help him, but mostly so that he will be able to help me,” she says.

I’m truly a dumb bastard, just like Charlie said.

“You thought I wouldn’t choose you. All this time, you’ve been asking yourself why Liam picked everyone except you, but really, you needed to know why I keep picking him.

I’m sorry I’ve let you down so many times.

I didn’t see that I could be both a good father and a good husband. ”

Wren drops her eyes from mine, I know that this is it.

Liam was never the one who needed to answer this question.

I drop my hand before even sticking my key in the ignition.

“You know, we don’t even need to go anymore.

There aren’t any answers that she is going to be able to give Liam.

None that won’t cause more harm. He never did anything that caused his mom to leave.

She is a vain and selfish person who, in the end, wanted a different life.

I wish she’d have figured that out before we got married, but he had me, and that is going to have to be enough for him.

I can’t be his therapist. I already did the best I knew how to protect him from her actions. ”

“You are a great father. I would never have had four kids with you if you weren’t,” she says.

I kiss the top of her head. “Thank you, Baby Bird. That’s always great to hear, but I’m going to work on being a better husband.”

“You’re a good husband, too,” she reassures me.

I nod. “I could be better, and I will be. Now, we have a few days free with no kids. That’s rare for us. What do you say we work on that dirtier sex you mentioned in therapy?”

She laughs, and it is the most carefree sound I’ve heard from her in a while. “Start the truck, Daddy.”

I start the engine and then pause without putting it into gear.

“What’s the problem?” Wren asks.

“Where are we going? All my plans were for going to Playa Pacifica, but I’d understand if you don’t want to go there anymore. But, we could still go and just avoid the reunion from hell,” I babble.

Wren turns in her seat, and her face is serious. “A weekend with no kids, uninterrupted sex, the beach, and no ex? Let’s go, Daddy.”

“We never did get to have a honeymoon,” I say and put the truck in reverse.

The sun is setting over the mountains when we pull into Playa Pacifica.

The sky is vibrant with reds and oranges blending to become dark purple, until it blends into the deep navy of the nighttime sky.

This close to the city the stars aren’t visible.

I have this thing about making love to Wren under the light of thousands of stars, but I’ll have to settle for sex on the beach.

And in the hotel, probably in the ocean, and then find a spot under the stars.

In fact, that’s the entire itinerary for this trip now that I don’t have to see my ex-wife.

I think somehow in the back of my mind, I’d always thought of this like our chance at a honeymoon. I’ve even got a present for Wren, something I’ve been promising for a long time.

The next morning, we hit the beach. Wren is a little annoyed with me because she thinks that after four children, she needs to wear a one-piece suit and a cover-up but, I replaced her suit with a green bikini that matches her eyes. My eyes heat when I see her in the scraps of fabric.

“You really want me to wear this in public? People will be looking at me,” she says as if that will deter me.

It’s contradictory that I’m a possessive asshole who likes being watched.

I get off knowing that other men want my wife, but can’t have her.

Wren isn’t an exhibitionist like I am, though, so I’ve had to replay one beautiful night we had at a club when we first got together.

I took her in a dark overlook while we watched the crowd dance below us.

I’ve jerked off to that memory many times.

I would never push her to do something she was uncomfortable with, but I will push her limits to keep things interesting for us. So this trip, I’ll seek to find a middle ground to give us both a satisfying vacation.

I slap her ass when she bends down to grab a cover-up. “I’m not worried about anyone seeing you in this. With my handprint on your ass, no man is going to be confused that you’re taken.”

She holds up her hand and flashes the ring I got her after our third anniversary. “I already have this beast you put on my finger.”

When I got her to agree to marry me, after everything we’d been through, I put a large rock on her finger. It was part to celebrate that she’d be mine forever, and part to warn every man within looking distance that she’d be mine forever. Worth every penny.

I grab a couple of the hotel towels and urge her out the door. She manages to snag her coverup on the way out the door and pull it over her head. I guess I can be okay with it on the walk down to the beach from the hotel.

We set our towels out on a couple of lounge chairs under an umbrella provided by the hotel. I pre-packed our bag with the essentials, like water and sunscreen. “Roll over. I’ve got to make sure all this creamy skin is protected,” I instruct her.

Wren does as she’s told, but she left off a really important part of our little game. I smooth the creamy white lotion into her skin, and when it’s absorbed, I smack the opposite cheek. “There, now you have a matching set.”

She turns to glare at me over her shoulder. “What was that for?”

“I told you to roll over, and what did you do?” I prompt her.

“I rolled over,” she says.

I slap the other cheek to freshen up the mark. “And what did you forget to say?”

“Yes, Daddy,” she answers.

I stroke the reddened skin. “That’s my good girl. Now, let’s go for a swim.”

“I don’t really want to get in the water yet. What if it’s cold?” she asks.

“I’ll keep you warm,” I say as I toss her over my shoulder and run to the water.

The water is cool, but not too cold. Still, she shrieks a little as I lower her into the water. Not that I put her down. I wrap her legs around my waist.

Her eyes pop open wide. “Here?” she whisper-yells and looks around.