Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
She cut into a meatball. “What did you do last weekend?”
“I actually wound up going to Seneca Falls. The missing permits that had stopped work on the Ryan’s House project came through, so things started back up again.”
“Oh, wow. Did you see Brayden?”
“Yes, he was there.” I tried to keep my face impassive, but I guess I failed.
Caitlin sighed and set down her fork. “I don’t understand why you’re torturing yourself. I told you I’m okay with it. And I am. What happened between Brayden and me was a long time ago. We were just kids, really.”
“I know, but…” My eyes welled with tears. “It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s moved on. Brayden’s dating someone.”
She frowned. “Oh no.”
“It’s fine. Really, it is.”
“Is it serious?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”
Caitlin wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin. “Maybe he just told you he’s seeing someone to make you jealous? A last-ditch effort to get you to change your mind?”
I shook my head. “I saw her name come up on his phone when she called. The only reason he told me about her was because I asked when I saw it.”
It was my stepdaughter’s turn to sigh now. “Alright, well, I’m sure he’s only moved on because you cut things off with him. It might not be too late. Tell him how you feel. I want you to. I told you, I reacted the way I did because I was shocked. It was immature and brought back old feelings of the silly competition I used to have in my head with you. But I know we’re not competitors.” She rested her hand on my arm. “You’re my biggest cheerleader, Mom. You could never be a competitor.”
I smiled sadly. “Thank you for saying that. But I’m moving on. I think it was just seeing him for the first time after a few months and finding out he’s with someone that made it hard. It will get easier.”
Caitlin gave me the side-eye. “I don’t know about that. I hope you know I’m being sincere when I say I want you to go after this.”
“I do, sweetheart. And I appreciate that.”
She swirled pasta around her fork. “But…if you’re really moving on, that means you have to put yourself back out there. Have you joined any dating apps or anything?”
“Not yet.”
She frowned. I didn’t want her to worry, so I shared something I thought might make her feel better. “But I did get asked out recently.”
Her eyes lit up. “You did?”
“Wells’s boyfriend has a brother. His name is Everett. The four of us had dinner one night, and at the end of the evening, he asked me on a date.”
“Excellent. When are you guys going out?”
“Soon,” I fibbed.
“Maybe we can double date with my new guy!”
I smiled. “That would be weird. But fun.”
We managed to not talk about Brayden for the rest of dinner, but thoughts of him were never far from my mind. After Caitlin left, I curled up on the couch with a blanket and flicked on the TV, but after a while, I picked up my phone and started scrolling through social media. I’d been staring at the screen, yet somehow not really paying attention to the photos until one hit me like a freight train.
Brayden. Holding a baby.
My heart pounded. He hadn’t been dating this new woman long enough to have a child, yet I couldn’t help but think how I’d feel if he did.
Brayden. A dad.
He’d make a great father, that much I knew. I’d witnessed his tenderness and parental skills with the kids he visited at the hospital. I imagined he’d be a hands-on dad, too—the kind who wore a baby carrier on his chest and went to Mommy and Me classes. He’d make up silly songs and let the kid eat a whole cake with his hands. Picturing it made me smile, until I remembered Brayden’s baby would have to belong to another woman. Then it became hard to breathe.
I scrolled down and read the caption. He’d been tagged by Owen. Uncle Brayden does his first diaper duty. Next time, he might not even put it on backwards!
It made me sad to think I’d never have any of those firsts. When Richard and I had married years ago, he’d already had a vasectomy. I’d never felt like I missed out because I had Caitlin. And she and Richard were always enough. But seeing the photo of Brayden holding a baby made me yearn for a child.
I stared down at the phone for a long time before finally forcing myself to swipe away. I was just lonely. I didn’t really want a child. The picture was a stark reminder of how different my and Brayden’s lives were. We were in such different places. He’d get married, have three, maybe four kids, and probably a dog and a pet goldfish. Whereas I had…my work.