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“I know, Father Joe. I think the sooner we tell her, the better, but every time I bring it up, I get reminded that...” He formed air quotes with his fingers. “... I’m not a parent.”
“Ouch,” Logan said. “That’s why you asked me if I was arealdad?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I keep getting tripped up by all the parenting talk. I end up saying the wrong thing, which reinforces Zoey’s doubts.” Finn splashed more whiskey into Mike’s glass as he walked by, and Mike drained it in one swallow. “I try to tell Zoey I think she’s a great mom, and I swear it comes out sounding like I’m saying kids are a pain in the ass. She keeps asking me to be patient...”
Joe lifted one eyebrow. “And you don’t love her enough to do that for her?”
“Of course I do!” He realized what he’d just admitted. “Idolove her, Joe. I want to be part of her life, and not just as a friend. Her whole life—including Hazel. I want us to betogether.”
He’d never in his wildest imagination expected to love another woman after Becca. Despite their disagreements about when to start a family, she’d held his whole heart. A heart that hadnotfelt whole since her death. But now...he could feel a part of him, long dormant, coming to life again. And somehow, inexplicably, he knew that Becca would approve. She wouldn’t want him to be alone forever.
Father Joe sat back, his forehead deeply furrowed.
“That’s all well and good to say whatyouwant. But what if she needs you to be her friend awhile longer?”
Mike no longer felt that restlessness he’d been battling for months. His life had a purpose. And that purpose was to love Zoey Hartford. Which meant doing whatever it took to make her happy, regardless of what that may do to him.
“If that’s what she needs, Joe, that’s what she’ll get. For as long as it takes.” He looked between the two men and smiled. “If it’s at all possible, considering where we live, I’d appreciate keeping this conversation between us. I haven’t told Zoey those three little words yet.”
Logan extended his hand. “You got it, man. The road may get bumpy, but I’m living proof that you can love your way through it. I’ll be rooting for you.”
Mike accepted the handshake, then shook Joe’s hand as well. He felt light as air now that he’d admitted his love out loud. They were going to figure this out. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—give up. He refused to think about losing Zoey.
He’d never let that happen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ZOEY’SPHONEPINGEDwith yet another picture from her daughter. Hazel was the maid of honor at Zoey’s ex-husband’s wedding that sunny Saturday afternoon. Her daughter seemed to be having a great time, sending a new photo every few minutes now that the reception had begun. The cake. The happy couple. The rest of the bridal party. The venue at a lakeside vineyard in Geneva. She was happy for Hazel. And she supposed she was happy for Chris, too.
That feeling was a little tougher to hang on to. Not being happy for him felt petty. That didn’t make it any easier to see all the photos of his blissful wedding day.
But she answered every single text from Hazel with heart-eyes emojis and once in a while anOMG!All that mattered was that Hazel was happy.
“You don’thaveto read every text as it comes in, you know.” Mary put her hand over Zoey’s phone on the table. “I feel like I’m watching you die a little death with each one.”
Tani was on the opposite side of the booth at The Spot, nodding in agreement. “What I don’t get is why you care so much. It’s not like you’d ever want Chris back, right? So let the bastard go get married to his cute young thing. You’ve got your own—” she caught herself “—uh...life, now.”
Zoey sighed. “Mary knows about Mike and I.”
Tani’s eyebrows rose. “And does Mary approve of her brother’s nighttime activities with his bestie?”
Mary took a sip of her soda. “Mary very much approves. Mary thinks they waited too long in the first place, and Mary would like to see them come out of the shadows and make it official.”
Zoey couldn’t help laughing. “Mary seems to have a lot of opinions.”
This was why she’d asked her friends to have lunch with her today—to distract her from the wedding updates.
“I love you both,” Mary answered, now serious. “I don’t want to see either of you hurt, and I have a feeling that all this slinking around is going to lead to just that—someone getting hurt. The deeper you get into making it feel like you’re doing something wrong, the worse it will be if it blows up.”
She was right. Things had moved way beyondcasual. They’d admitted they were “falling” for each other, but—at least in Zoey’s case—it was more than that. She was in love with Mike McKinnon. She wassupposedto be focusing on making sure Hazel had some stability in her life, but love had other plans.
“It feels like I’m being...” she started, “I don’t know—selfish?—to fall in lo...” She tried to stop, but it was too late. Mary moved her hand from the phone to Zoey’s arm.
“You’re in love with Mike?” Her voice was tender and hopeful.
All Zoey could do was nod in response.
“Girl—” Tani gave a soft laugh “—I knew it. I see it in your eyes every time you say his name. Good for you.” She paused. “As far as thinking it’s selfish to fall in love? I saybullshitto that nonsense. You deserveto be happy. Grab on to that man and hang on to him.”
