AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My resistance melts and I return the hug. “It’s good to see you.”
She pulls away, searching my face. “You too. It’s been a while.”
“It has.”
Moving away from me, she rakes her gaze over my husband. “Z, you made an honest woman out of my girl after all.”
He gives her a tight smile. “How’ve you been, Sophie?”
“Good. Better.” She shrugs and squats down to say hello to Chance.
He eyes her warily.
“I’m your Aunt Sophie.” She holds out her hand for him.
My son screws his face into a scowl and peers up at me.
I’m with you, kiddo. Aunt Sophie seems a bit presumptuous.
If we were still friends, I probably wouldn’t think twice about it. Hell, if she marries Alex, I won’t have a choice. I smile and nod at him.
He lets her shake his hand, then pulls away and waves his pumpkin bucket at Alex. “Candy?”
The adults burst into laughter, which eases the tension that crept over us.
“Yeah, I got you, champ.” Alex sweeps his hand toward the kitchen. “Follow me.”
Sophie’s gaze ping-pongs between Z and me. “Can we talk for a second?” she asks me.
Z lifts his chin. “Go ahead, I’m gonna see if Alex has some extra candy for me.” He leans in and kisses my cheek.
Sophie tilts her head toward the sliding glass door leading to the stone patio Alex built a few summers ago. She flips the tricky latch on the door with ease.
Someone’s been spending a lot of time here.
Outside, she tilts her head back and closes her eyes, inhaling the cool, crisp fall air. The scent of wet leaves hangs heavy around us. Alex’s yard is usually pristine, but it looks like he’s fallen behind on yard maintenance this year.
I wait, quietly, curious to hear what she has to say.
“I hope you’re not mad about us.” She gestures toward the house.
“Not at all,” I answer, honestly. Off-balance and confused, yes. Mad, no. “Just a little surprised.”
“Alex was really there for me,” she says, hesitating on every other word. “I’m completely sober now. Almost a year.”
“That’s great.” I’m genuinely happy for her but still unsure of what she expects from me. An apology forms on my tongue but I bite it back. Sorry for what? Not holding her hand through who knows how many trips to rehab? When she couldn’t even say one supportive thing when I—
No.
I keep my mouth shut and wait.
She gestures toward the diamond on my left hand. “Congratulations.” A hesitant smile flickers over her lips. “Chance is adorable. He looks exactly like Z. Alex showed me pictures but it’s even more obvious seeing them together in person.”
Unsure if that’s some backhanded way of asking if I ever questioned Chance’s paternity, I only hum a noise of agreement.
“How’s Hope?” she asks. “You said she has a daughter?”
“She’s good.”
