Page 56 of The Grump I Loathe

“Dad!” Grace heaved, yanking with all her might. “You’re not that old yet!”

I laughed as she slid against the floor in her socks. “All right. I’m up.”

“Though I’m excited for when you get one of those electric scooter chairs,” she said. “I’m gonna ride it.”

I barked a laugh, leading her up the stairs. “Ouch, kid. We’ve got a while before that.”

She shot me a sassy grin that reminded me far too much of her uncle Finn. While Grace brushed her teeth and put on her pajamas, I turned down her bed. “You think Mom will have one of those fancy chocolate fondue stations at the wedding?” she asked, coming into the room.

“I’m not sure,” I said. “Did you ask?”

“Well, yeah.” She scrambled under her covers. “She said she was still deciding. But, like, what is there to decide? It’s a waterfall of chocolate.”

I smirked, shaking my head as I tucked her in. “You’re gonna go easy on the sugar, right?”

She looked at me like I had three heads. “Dad, be serious.”

The doorbell rang before I could respond.

“Who’s that?” Grace asked, sitting up.

I pushed gently on her shoulders. “Not sure. But it’s my job to check it out, and your job to go to sleep. Lie down.”

Grace flopped onto her side, and I pulled up the covers to tuck them under her chin, the way she liked.

“Goodnight. Love you.”

“Love you more,” she said, yawning.

“Love you moreandthe most.” I kissed her forehead, then left the room, closing the door behind me as I made my way downstairs.Knock. Knock. Knock. I frowned. Who the hell was here uninvited at this time in the evening? I pulled the door open to find?—

“Eddie?” She stood there on the porch, arms crossed against her chest, shivering and soaking wet as she stared at me. Beatrice—the ridiculous name she’d given her work car—was parked at the bottom of the drive.

“Hey,” she said. “I thought maybe no one was home.”

“What are you, er, how did you…” I trailed off. What did it matter what she was doing here or how she knew where I lived? All that mattered was her glassy eyes and the uneasy set to her jaw and the way she was clinging to herself. Something was wrong.

I pulled the door open wider and reached for her, my hand catching her elbow as I tugged her into the house. She came to me without resistance, stumbling into my arms. I cradled her face, forcing her to look at me as my heart hammered. “What happened?” She wasn’t holding herself like she was injured, but I was hardly an expert. Should I call 911?

She blinked at me, those rapid little flicks holding back the moisture in her eyes. “Alannah’s parents are getting divorced,” she said, voice raspy. “I just found out.”

My chest clenched at the hurt in her voice. “Eddie, I’m?—”

“Valentina is moving into a rental until the divorce is settled. Then she’s taking Alannah to Florida.”

“She can’t just take her out of the state,” I said, frowning.

“She can if my dad doesn’t do anything to stop her,” Eddie said, her words chilled.

I tried to imagine what I would have done if Ali had tried to leave with Grace. I would have moved heaven and earth to stay with her.

“If Valentina takes her,” Eddie said, jaw trembling. “I’ll hardly see her again.” She let out a humorless laugh, running her hands through her damp hair. “God, I hate divorce! No offense.”

“None taken,” I said. I wasn’t a fan either. It took a toll on everyone, even when it was the right decision in the end. No one escaped without battle scars.

She dropped her hands, groaning. “You’d think my dad would have learned his lesson. Like what am I supposed to do, start prepping for wife number three? Little sibling number two? Is this just how it’s going to be for the rest of our lives? Him moving on and starting over with a new family until he screws that one up, too, because taking responsibility and being a father is too much effort?”

I hauled her close again. She shivered in my arms. “It’s going to be okay.”