AllFreeNovel
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Then I got pregnant, and he left me.
My ex-husband takes a deep breath. “I haven’t heard back from you after your last email. I wanted to follow up and tell you that I went ahead and scheduled time away from work. I’ve booked a room in Heart’s Cove for Thanksgiving weekend and the week following.”
He—wait,what?
Panic jolts through me. “Um. I…uh. Thanksgiving isn’t ideal.”
“Are you visiting your parents? I could go to Eureka. I haven’t seen Earl and Irene since the divorce.”
No shit. Why would he see my parents after we divorced?
“No, my parents live in an RV now. They’re touring around the States.”
“Oh, good for them!” He laughs. “Earl finally got his dream. How’s Irene handling it? She was worried about the bathroom situation, wasn’t she?”
The past knocks against my bones again. Colin knew my parents,likedmy parents. And they loved him. The room tilts and expands around me, like I’m viewing the world through a carnival mirror.
I clear my throat. “Look, Colin, I have plans over Thanksgiving weekend.”Lie. “I’m going to be out of town.”Double lie.“We’ll have to do this some other time.”
There’s a pause, then: “Are you seeing someone?”
My spine straightens. The world around me sharpens into focus again. I turn to frown at my new stone countertop. “That’s none of your business, Colin.” Why do I have to keep reminding the men in my life that they have no claim over me?
My ex-husband sighs. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just… Please, Mia. I really want to meet Bailey. When I didn’t hear from you after your other email, I figured I should clear my schedule. Prove to you that I was serious.”
I close my eyes. It was never in doubt that Colin was serious. He’s always,alwaysfollowed through on what he says. When he told me he didn’t want kids, he was serious enough to leave when I got pregnant.
The phone buzzes while I’m trying to think of a way to answer. It’s Desmond, and his message says, “I can change things around if you don’t like what I did. You can paint the walls any color you like. I know white is boring, but I figured Bailey might like to choose.”
He did this for us. My gaze travels around the new layout, the renovations.
Frazzled, I put the phone back to my ear. “Look, Colin, let’s aim for the week after Thanksgiving, okay?” That gives me three weeks or so to get myself together and tell my daughter her father wants to meet her. “We can meet up when I’m back in town.”
He lets out a breath. “Okay. Great. Thanks, Mia. I mean it. And—if you have pictures of Bailey, my parents have been asking… And I’m asking too. I’d love to know what she looks like.”
“Yeah. Okay. Bye.” I hang up and collapse on the couch. I grip my phone in a tight fist, trembling as tears prickle my eyelids.
Colin is coming here. To my sanctuary, my home. Will he judge how I’ve been living and find me lacking? Will he try to take her away from me?
And where the heck am I going to go over Thanksgiving weekend? I can’t stay with my parents. I can’t afford a plane ticket out to see my sister. I can’t afford a hotel or an impromptu trip during one of the more expensive weekends of the year.
Heart’s Cove is small enough that if he’s here during Thanksgiving, we could conceivably run into each other even if I’m trying to keep a low profile. Plus, the main hotel in town is practically right across the street from my barbershop. I can’t exactly take Bailey to Georgia’s house and hide out there. I’d never live it down.
No, I need to leave. I need a little bit more time. I need the holiday with my daughter; I’m not ready to give that to Colin. Selfish, maybe, but it’s the truth. I don’t appreciate him elbowing his way into my town on a holiday weekend, bullying me into meeting my daughter on his terms.
“Mom, look!” Bailey comes tearing down the hallway, waving something in her hands—socks. They’re white, with the Golden State Warriors logo on the front.
Oh, my word. Des bought her a present. I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.
“Mom? Are you okay?” Bailey skids to a stop in the middle of the room, then creeps over to the couch, blond brows drawn together. She’s wearing her favorite slippers, the ones shaped like green dinosaurs with floppy tails that trail behind her. The socks dangle from her fingertips.
I blink my tears away and smile. “Of course, honey. I’m a little overwhelmed at how cool our house looks now.”
“I know.” Bailey smiles wide. “There’s a new window in my room. It doesn’t stick when it slides now, and the screen doesn’t have any wrinkles like it did when you fixed it. And look!” She brandishes the socks in front of me, then drops them in my lap. “They’re so cool.”
My lip wobbles. “Wow,” I whisper.
Bailey hops up onto the couch and snuggles into my side. She hugs me around the belly, burying her head in my chest.
