Juicy Rebound (IceCats Book 1) Read online

  I don’t know why I’m hit with such a wave of emotion as I gaze up into his eyes. “How can you be so confident? We’ve had failed marriages, and we’ve made mistakes—”

  “Because I love you. That alone is all that matters.”

  Before I can say anything or even sigh, he captures my mouth with his. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close as mine wrap around him. I’m lost in his kiss, and all I can think about is how much differently this would have gone if he were Drew. The moment I raised my voice, he would have walked away…or hit me.

  Chandler didn’t leave. Even when he yelled, he reminded me he loved me.

  I have no clue what the hell I’m doing, but I don’t want to do anything ever again unless it involves him.

  It’s well past one as I tiptoe through the house, hoping not to wake my mom or Chandler. Ryan and Sofia left around eleven after a wonderful dinner and drinks. I was worried my mom would still be upset with me about going home with Chandler for Thanksgiving, but once everyone was seated around the table, she was all smiles. Everyone got along, and it was great. The conversations were smooth, not forced. Mom was excited to hear about the gym and how wonderful things are between Chandler and me. It was as if time apart wasn’t anything to Ryan and Chandler. They are still the best of friends. Sofia and I fell into chatting like old times, and I didn’t feel out of place or judged.

  I’ve never felt more loved in my life.

  The only thing missing was my dad.

  I head through the kitchen to my dad’s office. No one really comes in here much anymore, and it’s become the home of all our family photo albums. Mom likes to sit in his chair, light a cigar, and look through the albums, feeling like she is with my dad. I’ve caught her doing just that plenty of times.

  I kind of want to get something tonight to take home with me. When I push the door open, the musty cigar smell hits me tenfold. I shut the door behind me as I walk inside. The desk is cluttered, just how my dad left it. There is a large box of cigars, a gift from my uncle when we learned my dad was dying for sure. My uncle told my dad he couldn’t die until he finished them.

  He only smoked one.

  Tears burn my eyes as I fall into the chair. I bring my knees up under my chin and open the book that is lying there. To my surprise, it’s the same journal Shelli brought to me when she came to convince me to leave Drew. A smile pulls at my lips as I go through each page, the evidence of my mom and dad’s love. I have the urge to take this and show it to Chandler, but I know I couldn’t do it without tears. He’d be wonderful—hold me and let me know everything is okay—but it isn’t okay. My dad should be here.

  He would love Chandler.

  I jump at the sound of the door opening, and when my gaze meets my mom’s, she smiles. “I thought I heard you up.”

  I bite my lip. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “I wasn’t sleeping yet.”

  I smile. “Chandler passed out about an hour ago.”

  “Well, he and Ryan were throwing back some tequila shots.”

  We share a grin as she comes toward me in her little housedress. Her long, luscious black hair is up in a high bun, and her blazing blue eyes make her look as young as ever. She’s beautiful, so damn beautiful, and I hate the pain in her eyes. She comes around the desk and inhales sharply when she sees the book I’m looking at.

  “Oh wow, you took it way back.”

  I shrug. “It was lying here.”

  “I think Shelli put it there, and I won’t put it away. I like looking at it.”

  I nod as I flip the pages over, revealing a photo of my mom and dad dancing. “I do too.”

  She leans in, placing her hand on the desk as she looks closer. We smile and laugh at each page. When we reach the page with her and my dad sitting in the hospital bed the day Ryan was born, my throat goes tight. “I really didn’t think I’d marry him.”

  I laugh as I glance up at her. The story of my mom and dad is one for the ages. She truly didn’t believe he was her soul mate. She fought it, and even when he knocked her up, she tried to get away. He wouldn’t let her, though. He wouldn’t give up on her because he loved her. She didn’t even tell him she loved him until after my brother was born. But once she told him, she never stopped. There wasn’t a day in my childhood when I don’t remember them telling each other they loved the other, usually more than once. It was constant.

  Just how Chandler tells me.

  “He was ruthless, though. He believed in us.”

  Emotion is strangling me, and all I can do is nod.

  “I remember your uncle Shea telling us how the girl he was with wasn’t his option two. She was his option one, a temporary fling. His option two would be the girl who stunned him in place. Who could bring him to his knees and cause him never to want another for the rest of his life. Daddy always knew I was his, but it took forever for me to feel the same. Or maybe I did, but I just fought it.”

  I smile. “I want what you guys had.”

  “You have it.”

  “You think so?”

  “Amelia, he looks at you the way Daddy looked at me.” I glance back to her as she smiles down at me. “I love Chandler. I loved him before you two got together. But now that you two are together, Amelia, I totally adore him.”

  “He’s wonderful. I just wish Drew hadn’t happened and tainted the way I look at things. Chandler is brilliant, funny, and oh so gorgeous, yet I worry that I’m not good enough for him because I wasn’t for Drew.”

  “Drew is a scumbag,” Mom says quickly. “Chandler sees in you what you don’t, and then he tells you. I can’t even count how many times I heard him tell you how pretty or beautiful you were. He watches you, he makes sure you are happy, and he loves you. I can’t even be mad that you went to his house for Thanksgiving because it’s apparent how hard it is for you to leave him.”

  So hard.

  “It’s all so overwhelming. I love him, but I don’t want to make the same mistakes again. How can he want me when I failed so badly at my first marriage?”

  She gives me a soft smile. “Who said you failed?”

  I bite my lip. “Drew didn’t want me, but he stayed with me because he could control me.”

  “Darling, what does that mean?”

  I close my eyes, my tears leaking out. “I lost a baby,” I whisper. I didn’t mean to.

  I hear her gasp as she clutches my shoulder, “A baby?”

  “I got pregnant right before we got married, and then things went really bad. He started hitting me and hurting me, not only physically but emotionally too.”

  “Amelia—”

  I choke out a small sob before I continue, opening my eyes again. “I got out, I did, and I’m so much better.”

  “Amelia, how? Why didn’t you tell—” Her words fall off as she stares deep into my eyes. “Because I wasn’t there for you, baby, I’m so—”

  Tears are glistening in her eyes that are so like mine as I slowly shake my head. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t know. Only Shelli knew.”

  “I knew Shelli would always be my favorite.” My lips quirk as our eyes meet once more. She reaches out, wiping my tears away. “You confided in her?”

  I nod. “Yeah, and she was mad I asked her to keep quiet, but she promised not to tell. I didn’t want anyone else to get involved, and I never thought she would hit him for it.”

  “She’s got Adler blood in her—she’s feisty.”

  I smile in agreement. “Please don’t tell anyone?”

  Compassion fills my mother’s face as she nods curtly. “Never. You’re right, no good will come from that. Ryan and Shea will have records next.”

  “Exactly,” I whisper, and I feel her anger vibrating off her in waves. “Mom?”

  She looks at me, moving my hair out of my face. “Yes?”

  “I know Chandler would never lay a hand on me…but I used to think that about Drew. So what if I’m wrong again?”

  I can see in my mother’s f