Cam, who was wearing a baseball jersey. In a very familiar shade of green.
“Hadley,” my voice croaked out. “What does your fiancé do?”
“Oh! Victoria never told you?” She rolled her eyes. “Sounds like her. It’s hard because we just think of him as Cam, you know? So I forget people know him from playing baseball.” Hadley beamed at me, taking my silence for awe instead of nauseating anxiety. “He’s the shortstop for the Erie City Hawks. Are you a fan?”
Well, shit.
SEVENTEEN
“Did you know?” Chelsea’s voice was barely a whisper, low enough that no one else could pick up on her pointed question.
The rest of the girls sat around the large sectional, the baseball game playing in the background. Almost everyone else wore a Hawks jersey, their backs decorated with the names and numbers of people they loved. And here I stood, hoping the one person I knew wouldn’t make an on-screen appearance tonight.
“No,” I answered, chewing on the edge of my thumbnail. When everyone jumped up and started screaming at the game, my heart leaped into my throat. God, I needed to get out of here, needed to find a new day care. “Victoria said Hadley was dating a guy named Cam, but nothing more than that.”
Add another point to the long list of things I learned about my new friends, Victoria and Hadley, this afternoon. It also turned out that Victoria’s sweet and goofy husband, Adam, was AdamRice, a bona fide movie star. Chelsea almost passed out when she found out, asking Victoria dozens of questions about his latest project. On any other day, I would have been right there with her. But today, all I could pray was that no one noticed the color draining from my face.
I should have left, should have rushed out the minute I made the connection between Hadley and the Hawks. But every time I made an excuse to leave, something in my gut stopped me. Victoria was as warm and welcoming as always. Hadley asked me tons of questions about Anna, sitting by my side as I swiped through my phone’s photo album. Even the other girls, Brianna and Ollie, were so open and kind, I didn’t want to go just yet. This was supposed to be my night, damn it, and Jace would not ruin anything else for me.
Ollie came over into the kitchen, tilting her head at Chelsea. “This is driving me mad. How do I know you? Your face is so familiar, and I hate that I can’t place you.”
My best friend gave her best smile. “Have you ever come to The Skyline? My husband and I own it.”
“Yes!” Ollie snapped her fingers. “God, you own that place? Shit, you’re making me feel like such a slacker. I haven’t been there in forever, but you have the best summer patio in the entire city.”
Chelsea’s face beamed with pride. “Thanks. That was all my husband, but I’ll happily take credit for it.”
“Okay, so new plan. The next time the guys are out of town, we’re hitting up your bar. Do a real girls night with much better drinks.”
“Hey!” Hadley snapped from the living room.
“You know I say it with love,” Ollie called over her shoulder. “But seriously, please tell me we can come. I need these girls to go out to an actual bar, or they might force us to start needle-pointing soon.” Her dark, wide eyes pleaded with mine. “Sister in singlehood, please agree with me.”
I held my hands up. “Not sure the mom is your best ally. I’m usually in bed snoring by nine.”
Ollie shook her head, but her warm smile never left her face. “Just wait, I’m going to get you all out on the dance floor with me. Never doubt my powers of persuasion.”
As she headed back into the living room with a cold bottle of beer, my eyes lifted just long enough to glimpse the Erie City dugout. Fuck. The little lift to his nose, the way his hair curled around the tips of his ears.Jace.He hadn’t changed much in the past two years, but now, every feature reminded me of Anna. But where my daughter made it all adorable, Jace was something else entirely—delicious, desirable. And completely off-limits.
I cleared my throat and ducked my head, but Chelsea caught me staring. She muttered a curse under her breath before swallowing the last of her beer. Even without a word, her wariness was as clear as day, from the downturn of her lips to the way her eyes narrowed at the screen. Hating Jace just because he’d hurt me.
No one knew about Anna’s father, not really, but Chelsea was the only person who knew about my night with Jace. And even though I never admitted it, she had to know he was Anna’s father. There was no other option. I should have told her, should have gotten this weight off my chest. But what good was it to tell people when he had no interest in being a part of her life? I was Anna’s parent, the only one she’d ever need. Her paternity was a secret I’d take to my grave.
Chelsea and I wandered back into the living room, not saying another word to each other. The inevitable questions would come on the way home. As I settled on the couch, Victoria nudged me with her elbow. “Are you okay, Kins? You’ve been quiet since we got here.”
“I’m always quiet,” I muttered.
“I wouldn’t say that,” she sighed. “You’re reserved, but you’ve said about three words to me today, and your eyes keep darting to the door.” Victoria paused, searching my expression. Her eyeswere caring and worried, like she wanted me to be comfortable here in her world. Her concern loosened the knot in my chest, and I let myself relax.
“Yeah,” I lied. “All good here.”
Hours later,after the game finished, the wine continued to flow, and the conversation had shifted from baseball to almost everything else. The more I sat with these women, the more I relaxed, letting my past fade away to a distant memory. As much as I hated leaving Anna, I needed a night like tonight. Needed to just be Kinsley for a few hours. Not the working mom, but just me.
As the clock chimed in the background, Chelsea yawned at my side. I clapped my hands on my knees. “Sorry, guys. We should get going. Her husband has been on babysitting duty all night.”
“Fine,” Ollie groaned from the couch. “Leave us and go be a responsible parent.”
Brianna tossed a pillow at her friend’s face. “Ignore her. The minute I get her in the car, she’ll be snoring in the passenger seat.”
