Page 84 of Fierce-Michael

“Still to this day?” he asked.

“No. Things were said that were hurtful in the end. Things they did too. I know they were grieving. So was I. It was a bad situation and we’ve all moved on.”

He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that, but he wasn’t there and in his eyes, there wasn’t anything Kelly would have done or did that he’d been told for Brian’s parents to be upset with her.

It just had to be grief as she’d said.

They got out of his SUV and went to the front door, Kelly opening it and walking in.

The living room was to the side and her parents both stood up and walked toward him.

“Mom, Dad,” she said. “This is Michael Marshall. Michael, my father, Ken, and my mother, Lydia.”

“It’s nice to meet you both,” he said.

“We’ve heard a lot about you,” Lydia said. “For years but didn’t put it all together.”

“Mom,” she said. “You shouldn’t tell him that. It might go to his head.”

“I’m kind of slow,” he said. “I admit it. I’m very thankful your daughter isn’t and made the first move.”

“She bet you,” Ken said. “We heard. Typical Kelly to get someone’s attention.”

“You’re making me sound needy now,” Kelly said. “Don’t do that to me.”

He saw her grin and knew she was busting on her parents. “Kelly is the least needy person I know. She’s wonderful. I mean it. I sound like a wuss and it’s not like me to say these things, but I’m lucky to have her in my life. Not many would put up with me.”

Ken’s smile dropped. “Why is that?”

“Stop, Dad,” Kelly said. “You know he’s a single father. I’ve told you all of this. Now that I’ve met Ty, I’m sure we’ll be doing some more things together when it’s right. I understand everything going on in Michael’s life. We’re in a good place.”

“Kelly has always been super understanding and it’s burned her more than once,” Lydia said.

There was a forced smile in place, but he heard the warning loud and clear.

“Kelly is a wonderful woman. The last thing I want to do is hurt her. She’s pretty outspoken. I hope if she feels neglected or hurt, she’ll voice that to me so that I can correct it.”

“See, Mom and Dad. What other guy would say that? And yes, I will tell you, Michael, and you know that. Nothing to tell you now. Maybe I like having time to myself. No one seems to think about that.”

He hadn’t either and wondered why that might be.

It’s not that he didn’t trust her, but did she not want to spend time with him?

And when did he feel this uncertain of anything in his life other than parenthood?

“Why don’t you have a seat,” Lydia said. “Can I get you a beer? You might need it, but I promise we might have gotten all the uncomfortable things out of the way. We love our daughter just as your parents love you. You know what it’s like being a parent. You only want your children happy.”

“I do know,” he said. “But I want my significant other to be happy too.”

“I think that is all we wanted to hear,” Ken said. “Are you a baseball fan?”

Michael felt as if that was the cue to end the relationship talks and things relaxed from that point on.

“I’m sorry my parents were rougher than yours were to me,” she said. “Maybe if you brought chocolate and beer that would have softened them.”

He laughed. “I should have done that. I didn’t think of it.”

“I’m only kidding,” she said. “They liked you. I know they did. I think they had to give you a hard time on principle, but they weren’t nearly as hard as I thought they might have been.”