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“I am happy. I have Hunter and my business. The partnership with Gia has been amazing.” It was the first time I’d truly been excited for the future. If I was honest with myself, I’d have to acknowledge I’d felt something in that hotel room. I’d seen a glimpse of what life could really be like, but I didn’t trust it.
“I know. I just want more for you.”
I covered her hand with mine. “Just because you found Ben doesn’t mean we’re destined to experience the same thing.”
Brooke and Ben got off to a rocky start. They’d been childhood rivals and enemies. When he moved back to town, he opened a coffee shop to compete with hers. At some point, the angst turned into passion.
Her shoulders drooped. “Is it so wrong I want that for you?”
“It’s not.” I ate quietly for a few seconds, taking in what Brooke was saying. She wanted me to be happy. I’d just have to do a better job of showing her I already was content with my life. That I didn’t need or want anything else.
Feet bounded up the steps.
Brooke rolled her eyes. “You watch—they’re going to want more food even though I just fed them.”
Hunter burst through the doorway, the door bouncing off the wall. “What’s to eat? I’m starving.”
“Easy on the door,” I reminded him.
“You want me to re-heat dinner?” Brooke asked Hunter.
At Hunter’s nod, Brooke moved to get the food out of the fridge again. I should probably help her, but I was still eating, and my feet hurt from running around in heels all day.
Ben and his daughter emerged more slowly. Cammie climbed into the chair next to me, and Ben rested a hip against the counter. “How was the wedding?”
I smiled easily at him. “Went off without a hitch. That’s all we can ask for.”
Cammie pulled a Halloween search-a-word book and a pencil from a basket in the middle of the table.
“That’s good,” Ben said, sitting next to Cammie to look at the word list.
“Thanks for watching Hunter,” I said. I hadn’t minded leaving Hunter with my sister, but now, she lived in this beautiful new house with Ben and his daughter, Cammie, and it felt more like an intrusion.
Ben frowned. “Hunter’s always welcome here. He’s family.”
“Hunter’s the best.” Cammie frowned. “I just wish I could play on his team.”
Ben reached over to ruffle her hair. “We talked about this. It’s boys only. There’s a girls’ travel team you can try out for this summer.”
“But that’s softball. I play baseball,” Cammie said stubbornly.
“I don’t know of any girls’ travel baseball teams,” Ben said.
Cammie’s tongue perched between her lips as she focused on the search-a-word. “Help me find cauldron.”
“Look for the O. That makes it easier to find,” Ben said.
“Were you good?” I asked Hunter as he sat next to me with a heaping plate of chicken and mashed potatoes.
Hunter grunted. “I’m always good.”
He loved coming there because he didn’t have a sibling. He complained our house was boring and too quiet. It made me feel guiltier that not only didn’t he have an involved father, but he also didn’t have a sibling.
Our reality was different than most of his friends’ families, and I hated that for him.
Ben looked from Hunter to me. “He’s talking nonstop about his baseball coach. Nick, is it?”
“He seems to look up to him because he knows so much about baseball. He wants the kids to learn the fundamentals and have fun.”
