Lockwood Creek Book Two - This can be read as a stand-a-lone.
A Why Choose Story.
Maddy Lockwood was the Perfect Daughter and to save the Lockwood family she agreed to a marriage she did not want, but now she will learn the hard way that no matter...
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~ ~ Maddy ~ ~
"Hey, you okay—you've gone radio silent on me?" asked Riley Jo. She was driving me back to Jackson and Logan's ranch after another failed attempt to visit our Nana Em.
I sighed. "Yea, just thinking." My mind kept going over what had happened that morning with daddy. I'd told Riley Jo, and she'd flipped out, cursing so much the air turned blue and only calmed down when I told her it wasn't good for the baby for her to be upset. I made a note to myself not to say anything else that might upset her.
Riley Jo turned off the road heading onto the Reilly's land. "I told you neither of them are worth your time or tears."
That might be true but it still hurt a lot that my mama and now my daddy thought so little of me. I'd spent my entire life trying to make them happy and live up to their expectations. And what had it gotten me? Nothing. The first time I turned to them for help and they'd shut the door in my face.
Riley Jo carried on. "I reckon we might as well consider ourselves orphans from now on."
I laughed. "Orphans? Isn't that just for children?"
"Don't matter." She shrugged. "I ain't never treating this baby the way our parents treated either of us." She placed one hand on her bump. "I would die before I let anything bad happen to them."
She was right. Parents were supposed to put their children above all else. No matter the age.
Pulling up out front of the twin's house, Riley Jo cut the engine to the car, twisting in her seat toward me. "So quit worrying. You have me, Nana and Connor.'' She flicked her head toward the house. "Not forgetting, two hot guys who would pretty much do anything you asked." Rubbing her tummy again "And soon a little nephew or niece to run around after."
She leaned over the centre console as best she could and pulled me into a hug. "And I'll always be here."
I still didn't feel like I deserved her love. Not after how I'd treated her. But I wouldn't make that mistake again.
"Now go on—get." She shifted around in her chair, smiling. "And don't forget. Six-thirty." I'd agreed to dinner at Riley Jo's tonight. Connor and Max were coming too. "And you better not be calling me later to change your mind." She threw me a mean stare before cracking another smile.
I held my hands up. "I wouldn't dare change my mind." I then remembered I had no car. "I'm gonna have to ask if I can borrow Logan's truck."
"No need." She was quick to reply.
"What? You can't drive all the way back out here to come get me."
"No. Logan will drive his own truck."
"What? No, I can't ask him or Jackson to keep doing stuff for me." They'd already done more than enough.
