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“You can’t possibly be okay with her staying on the ranch?” Emma says to Jack as we drive to the hospital.
“Of course I’m not, but what choice do I have? She said leaving was a mistake, that she messed up and wants to try again.” An uneasy feeling settles in the pit of my stomach, and I’m desperate to ask if the second chance he’s talking about includes him, but I don’t, not with his parents in the truck.
“It’s too little too late if you ask me,” Emma huffs from beside me in the back seat.
“You don’t think I know that, Mum?” He looks in the rearview mirror and catches my eye. “I don’t want her in our lives any more than you do, but I owe it to Jacob.” I drop my eyes and clasp my hands together in my lap, my heart breaking at his words. Despite initially wanting to keep things casual between us, I can’t deny how I feel about him. I can’t stand in his way if he wants to give things another shot with Zara. Another shot at being a family. I know too well what it’s like to only have one parent. It will just about kill me to let him go though.
I walk with Emma into the hospital, not trusting myself not to burst into tears if I’m too close to Jack, who walks a little behind us with his dad and Jacob. Emma takes my arm and squeezes gently, smiling sympathetically when I look at her.
“She won’t stick around, Aria. She’s too selfish.” I give her a sad smile, wishing I could believe her.
“Even if she doesn’t, I’m not sure what future Jack and I have when we live so far apart.” Tears burn my eyes and I blink rapidly, praying they don’t fall.
“I see how you two look at each other. Talk to him. Promise me you will?” I nod as we come to a stop outside of Libby and Annie’s room.
“Let’s go and see your granddaughter,” I say, taking a deep breath and planting a smile on my face. She smiles back, and I follow her into the room, watching as she rushes to the bed, leaning down to kiss Libby on the cheek.
“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” she asks, and I hang back as Jack, Jacob, and Phil say hello. “Where’s Mason?”
“I’m good, Mum. Tired, but good. Mason’s just gone to get a coffee. He won’t be long.” Looking across at me, she waves me over.
“Congratulations, Lib,” I say, crossing the room and pulling her into a hug. I look into the plastic crib that sits at the side of the bed and holds the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen. She’s wrapped in a pink blanket and is fast asleep.
“Pick her up,” she encourages. “You won’t wake her.”
“Are you sure?” She nods and I reach into the crib, scooping her into my arms and holding her against my chest. I gaze at her tiny face, her long dark eyelashes resting on her pink cheeks.
“She’s perfect, Lib.” My voice breaks, and I swallow down the lump that’s formed in my throat.
“Baby?” Jacob asks, and I turn to see him looking at me. Jack picks him up and brings him next to me so he can see Annie. Jack slips his arm around my waist and I watch Jacob stare at Annie before reaching his hand out and poking her cheek.
“Gentle,” Jack says, and Jacob pulls his hand away.
“Baby play?” he asks, and I chuckle.
“She’s a little small at the moment, but I bet she can’t wait to play with you when she’s bigger,” I tell him, my hand reaching out to brush his cheek. My eye catches Jack’s and my heart stutters as he smiles at me. Tearing my eyes off him, I look back at Annie as she stirs in my arms. I’d never thought much about the future. I never really saw beyond the here and now. Despite seeing things clearly for the first time ever, it seems fate has other plans for me, and I won’t be getting the future I suddenly realize I so desperately want.
Jack
Ican’t help but frown a little as I watch Aria holding Annie. She’s smiling, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and I wonder if Zara turning up is making her question things. I need to talk to her. She needs to know how I feel. While Jacob has to come first, I love her, and not having her in my life isn’t an option. Zara might want a second chance with Jacob, but she isn’t getting one with me.
“So, Jack has some news,” my mum says, and I feel Aria stiffen next to me. My arm is still around her, and I squeeze her waist reassuringly.
“Sounds intriguing,” Lib says, a huge smile on her face. Her eyes flick between me and Aria, and from the excited look on her face, I’m guessing she thinks it’s something to do with us.
“I don’t think you’ll be smiling quite like that when he tells you,” my mum mutters, and I roll my eyes as Libby pulls her eyebrows together in a frown.
“What’s going on?” Libby asks.
I take a deep breath, my arm still around Aria. “I wasn’t going to tell you today, but it seems Mum thinks I should.” I shoot a look at my mum, who looks anywhere but at me.
“Just tell me!”
“Zara’s here.”
Her eyes widen. “What? Where?”
“At the ranch. She turned up this morning.”
