Page 128 of Truck Up

Thank fuck. The relief that washes over me is palpable. I’ve been waiting for days to hear from her, and the timing couldn’t be better. I’m going to need my angel after this day.

Christian

I miss you too. I’ll be there. Always.

I close the message chain with her and pull up Chase’s number. Before I can fix my life with Amelia, I need to deal with the loss of my mother. And that starts by telling Chase.

Chapter 27

I wasn’t prepared for this.

Amelia

Iwake up feeling better than I have in years, a sense of lightness I haven’t experienced in what feels like forever. The weight that has been crushing my spirit and suffocating my joy has finally lifted. Confessing my truth to my family was more liberating than I could have ever imagined.

Forgiving Christian and Linden, forgiving myself for succumbing to fear, feels possible now. If all goes as planned today, if I can navigate this minefield of emotions, I’ll be in Christian’s arms tonight, safe and cherished.

“Did you get enough to eat?” Mom asks.

Rather than going back to Nova’s, I slept in my old bedroom at my parents’ house. There was no way Dad would let me out of his sight last night. Not with the way my brothers ran out to hunt down Badger.

They didn’t get to confront him. At least not for more than a few seconds.

Badger may be an asshole, but he’s not stupid. When he saw my angry brothers barging toward his house, he took off. He made it to his truck and disappeared before my brothers could get back in their car and follow him.

My guess is Badger has been planning his escape for years. He had to know that the day would come when I told my family the truth.

“Lia,” Mom says as she runs her fingers over my hair. “You okay?”

I nod. “Just thinking. Nothing to worry about.”

She lets out a deep sigh. “I’m afraid I’m always going to worry about you. Now more than ever.”

“I’m fine. Really.” I push my plate away, leaving most of my breakfast untouched.

“You’re not hungry?” Mom frowns down at my plate. She made French toast specifically for me, and I only took a few bites.

“Not really.” I wrinkle my nose. “I know I should eat more, but my stomach is uneasy this morning. Too much going on and not enough resolution. If that makes sense.”

Mom nods and brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “You miss him.”

Tears instantly well up in my eyes at Mom’s statement. There’s no judgment or anger behind them either, and that makes me so much more emotional than I already am.

I wrap my arms around her waist and hug her closely. “So much.”

“Then go to him.” She kisses the top of my head and hugs me closer. Hearing her say those words causes my tears to break free and run down my cheeks.

“I’ll see him today. He’s meeting me at the cabin.”

I take a deep breath and break free from my mom’s embrace. She’s smiling down at me in a way I haven’t seen in weeks.

“Good.” She pats my arm before taking my plate to the sink. “Be sure to invite him over for dinner sometime soon. I think it’s time I get to know the father of my grandchild.”

My jaw drops and I stare at her like she’s lost her mind. “Are you serious?”

“Oh, don’t look at me like that.” She waves her hand at me andtsks. “It’s going to take time to accept him, but we’ve got to start somewhere. This isn’t easy, but I refuse to lose my daughter and grandchild.”

Jumping to my feet, I rush to her and hug her tighter than I think I ever have. “Thanks Mom.”