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He still said nothing.
She stirred the pot some more. “Sometimes, I pick Ayla up for school activities and take her and Bron to practices. Her dad, Oliver, is the baseball coach. Maybe you can be his assistant.”
She pressed her lips together, counting the seconds of silence.
“His assistant?”
“Yeah,” she managed without laughing. “Help him pick up the kids, making sure the helmets are all shiny and taking the smaller kids to the bathroom.” She snorted in the end.
“You arereallyevil, Adrianna.”
“So you keep telling me. I’m about to go inside the campus. Bron will call you when she gets home or maybe on the way back. I’m trying to get home before I-95 becomes more of a nightmare. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Evil Queen. The weekend cannot get here fast enough.”
The smile stretched all the muscles in her face. She sat there for a few seconds, savoring the happiness. Things were not perfect, but she and Cam were together and he was coming home in a couple of days. She’d make arrangements to spend some time alone with him while Bron was in school and before she opened the bistro.
Adrianna jumped out of the vehicle and closed the door. Bron’s math teacher waved at her and pointed in the direction of the benches near the building entrance. She spotted Bron, Ayla, and Winter. Adri thanked him and headed their way.
“Mom. Guess what?” Bron wrapped her arms around her waist. “Miss Winter is going to have a booth atArtscapeagain and she wants to put one of mine and one of Ayla’s paintings in her tent. And she wants to work with us on a project.”
Adrianna’s chest tightened a little. Her baby’s art would be at the biggest art festival in Maryland. Cam was going to be so proud and happy. Her eyes welled.
“Bron, you should have let me talk to your mom first,” Winter’s gaze was on Adrianna.
She fanned her face with her hand. “I’m more than okay. I’m so proud of you Bron.” She hugged her daughter and pressed a kiss to her head. Then turned to Ayla and pulled her into her arms and kissed her cheek. “So proud of you too, Ayla.”
Ayla’s shoulder curved in and she gave Adrianna a sheepish smile. “Thanks.”
Adrianna touched her cheek and so many emotions flooded through her, she had to turn away. Damn Ayla’s mother for leaving her. No way in hell would Adrianna ever be separated from Bron. Ayla’s mom had just left one day, saying she was going on a business trip. Next time they’d heard from her, she was living in California with a new man.
She looked to Winter and she saw her emotions reflected on her face. The teacher nodded at her and Adrianna sighed.
The girls moved to the side whispering to each other.
“Congratulations,” she said to Winter, who much like Ayla, shrank under the compliment. “Stop that. You’re now a Maryland gem. Third time atArtscape. And thank you for doing that for the girls. We are so going to campaign for this. I’ll have a poster made for the bistro. You’re going to be sold out.”
“I hope so. I’m happy to share this with them. They’re always so encouraging.”
“We have to celebrate this. I’m thinking of inviting Ayla for a sleepover soon. You, Lauren, and I can have some wine after the bistro closes. Then the two of you can hit the bars.”
“You didn’t learn from the last time?”
Adrianna laughed. Her hand smacked over her mouth at the images of Winter and Lauren serenading her from the sidewalk outside the bistro at four in the morning. The drunks in the square had joined in. The neighbors were not happy.
She turned away to try to control her laughter. She couldn’t do that while looking at Winter. Her gaze almost passed over the man on the other side of the fence.Almost. Her heart slammed against her ribs, rattling every bone in her body. It made the blood slush through her veins. Ten years of fear materialized in a face, though far away, clear as day. Walter Blake nodded to her, watching her like she did him.
“Oh God.”
“What is it?” Adrianna whipped about to find Winter close. “Who is that man?”
Breathe, just breathe. Don’t let him see how scared you are.
She concentrated on willing the air into her body. “Cam’s father. Have you seen him before?”
“What? He was around this morning. I assumed he was waiting for someone. Should I call security?”
He’d been there that morning. He was watching Bron. Adrianna’s stomach lurched but she grabbed Winter’s hand to steady herself. “I need to get home but please promise me if you see him again, you’ll call me and never let him near Bron. Please.”
