Finding Olivia

Chapter 21

I hugged Warren tightly. I had never met my grandparents and I found something in Warren that I connected with.

"Come back and see us," he whispered in my ear. "Don't worry about being with Trace. Come anytime, ya hear?"

I pulled away and nodded. "I will."

He smiled and his eyes crinkled at the corners.

My eyes lit upon a picture behind Warren. "Is that-"

He turned and smiled sadly. "Trace's dad?" He supplied.

I nodded.

"It is. The resemblance is uncanny. Trey marked both of those boys. There is no doubting they're members of the Wentworth family. Trace looks the most like him though," Warren explained. "That boy loved his daddy something fierce. He did some bad things after Trey died in the accident. He was like a different person. Somehow, he found his way back to the light, and I'm so thankful for it," Warren breathed. "For a while there, it was like we lost two people. Did Trace tell you that he was with his dad when he died?"

"No," I gasped, tears automatically welling in my eyes.

"He doesn't like to talk about it but they were out goofing around on those bikes and a semi-truck slammed into Trey. Bastard didn't even stop. Trey was in front of Trace, so poor Trace saw everything. There were body parts scattered everywhere."

Sobs raked my body. "Th-that's h-h-hor-ible," I stuttered.

I couldn't imagine the kind of pain that one would experience from an event like that. No wonder Trace had gone off the deep end. Anyone would.

"Don't cry, sweetie," Warren hugged me to his robust chest. His hand rubbed up and down my back soothingly. "I didn't tell ya to make ya cry. I just wanted to help you understand my grandson better. He pushed everyone away after his dad died and I don't want to see him do the same thing to you, because Olivia, you're the best thing that's happened to him in a long time," he swallowed thickly. "If he grows distant, you're going to have to push him, don't let him retreat into that dark hole he disappears to inside himself."

"I won't," I vowed, remembering the first time Trace kissed me, and how he walked away from me. I understood now why he did. When you lose someone you care about that much, it's hard to connect with someone, for the fear of getting hurt again.

Warren continued to hold me until all my tears had been shed.

"Better?" He asked, as I swiped underneath my eyes.

"Yeah," I nodded, my voice a little shaky, "I'm glad you told me. It was just a lot to take in."

"Of course," he replied as the others joined us in the foyer.

"Why are you crying?" Concerned, Trace ran to my side, and began looking me over.

"I'm fine," I squirmed under his gaze.

"No, you're not. You're crying, and in my book, crying never means someone's fine or okay. Tell me what's wrong so I can fix it," he pleaded.

I looked at Warren pleadingly, for him to come up with an excuse.

"I was just telling Olivia," Warren started, "that I may not know her well but I consider her as much my granddaughter as you are my grandson and that she's welcome here anytime. She just got emotional, that's all. Women cry for no reason sometimes, boy, get used to it," he clapped Trace on the shoulder before disappearing behind a door I had been told led to his home office.

"You see, I never had grandparents," I shrugged, trying to explain away my tears further. I didn't think Trace would take too kindly to the fact that his grandpa had told me how his dad died.