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“Erm… Aria?” Savannah says, her eyes widening.
“Yeah. If you want,” Aria says with a shrug.
“Great. Jack and I have plans in the morning, so the afternoon works perfectly for me too.” Aria’s eyes flick to mine, and I swear they flash with hurt before she looks away. Zara asked me earlier to take her into town to pick up some groceries, although now she’s making it out to be much more than that.
“It’s just grocery shopping, Zara.”
“Yeah, but I was thinking we could do something afterwards with Jacob. Maybe the park?”
“I’m not sure I’ll have the time. We can talk about it later.” I’m pissed she’s putting me on the spot in front of everyone. I don’t want to spend time with her like that. I’m happy for her to see Jacob, but we’re not a family. I’m only taking her grocery shopping because she has no transport while she’s here. I might suggest she rents a car if she’s going to be staying a while. I’m not going to be her taxi service.
An uneasy silence descends, and Aria shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Zara doesn’t seem to notice and continues to drink from her large glass of wine.
“Hope, why don’t you take Jacob on the swing set?” Savannah suggests, breaking the silence.
“Okay, Mommy.”
“Do you mind if I help myself?” Zara asks Savannah, holding her almost empty wine glass in the air.
“Not at all,” Savannah replies, a fake smile on her face. Drinking down the last of the red liquid, she stands and goes inside.
“Anyone else want to punch her in the face?” Savannah asks when Zara is out of earshot.
“Me!” Libby exclaims. “I just don’t want to pop a stitch!”
“I can’t believe we have to take her riding tomorrow. Why would she even want to come with us? Surely she knows we don’t like her.”
“She’s so self-involved, I don’t think she even realizes,” Libby scoffs.
“Come on, guys. Stop with the bitching. I don’t like her any more than you do, but she is Jacob’s mum.”
“And what a great job she’s done of that!” Libby says sarcastically. “In case you’d forgotten, Jack, she walked out on him, and you.”
“I haven’t forgotten, but how can I deny him a relationship with her?”
I can’t help but feel a little annoyed. I know Lib hates Zara, and I know why. But everyone seems to have an opinion. Really, what choice do I have? I have to let her try.
“He doesn’t need her. He has you, and me, and Aria.”
“And you all live on the other side of the world. When we go home, it’s just me and Jacob again.”
“I’m just going to use the restroom,” Aria says quietly. It’s not lost on me that she hasn’t uttered a word since agreeing to take Zara riding. She’s walked away before I can stop her, and I groan, dropping my head into my hands.
“Can you really go home and never see Aria again?” Mason asks, and my head flies up to look at him.
“What?”
“You remember Lib and I had a week apart just after we got together? She flew home without telling me and wouldn’t answer my calls when my crazy ex faked a pregnancy?” Libby’s cheeks flush pink and she presses herself against Mason, his arm curling around her as he pulls her close.
“I remember. You flew to England to bring her back. This is nothing like that, Mason.”
“Maybe not, but I think your feelings for Aria are as strong as mine were for Libby.”
“Were?” Libby exclaims, pushing away from him.
“Yes, baby. Were,” he says, pulling her back into his arms. “Of course I loved you then, but it’s nothing compared to how I feel about you now. You and Annie are my whole world.” Libby lifts her head and stares at him before bursting into tears, sobbing against his chest. “Hormones,” he mouths to me, and I chuckle. “The point I’m trying to make is that I could barely breathe knowing she was so far away from me. It was the longest week of my life, Jack.”
“I can’t stay, Mason. No matter how much I want to.” I turn and catch sight of Aria coming out of the house. “I do love her, more than I ever thought possible, but Jacob’s whole world is back in England. I can’t take him away from that.”
