Page 30 of Forgotten Romance

“I’m with my family. You’re right, we do need to do this more.”

Something about the look on my face makes him laugh.

He squeezes my hand again, tighter this time. “But we can definitely go home in the morning.”

“Oh, thank god,” I groan, covering my eyes. As happy as I am to not have to keep this going, it doesn’t help that the only reason for that is I failed.

I’m an idiot.

If anything, I’ve probably pushed Davey further away from us than ever.

9

Davey

Mack’s idea was a good one, but the execution? Fucking hell. When he gets excited about things, he jumps into them headfirst, which means we have a fifty-fifty shot at either a fun time or sheer fuckery.

The camping trip wasn’t anywhere near as bad as he made it out, but that doesn’t stop him from moping about it the whole way home.

In fact … I wasn’t lying when I said I loved it. I’d left my phone in the car and just focused on being with them, picturing what it would be like if we were still married. That means embracing the good and the bad because if I hadn’t been there for Van’s tantrums, I also would have missed the way he clung to me all night. If I hadn’t helped Kiera through the pain from her burns—which was totally on us—I wouldn’t have gotten sunrise cuddles with her telling me about her friends at school while Mack and Van slept in.

I only wish he’d go easier on himself.

It’s not until we pull into the driveway and I’m climbing out of the car that I hear him mutter, “Can’t even manage the perfect stupid weekend.”

Perfect weekend?

I close my door and take a second before reaching for Van.

Mack wanted the perfect weekend? But … why?

Is it because our time together is so limited? Because he wants our family together as much as I do? Or, more likely, does he know that with him dating, everything is going to change?

I’m not an idiot. Mack is a fucking catch; my parents don’t have to keep reminding me. I’m shocked he’s managed to stay single this long, but once he finds someone, he’ll hold on to them. That’s who he is.

And if there’s another man in the picture, we won’t have this anymore.

Weekends away with the kids? Snuggling in a tent? That all stops, and rightfully so. No matter how I feel about Mack, I’d never jeopardize another relationship for him.

Are these three months the last we’ll have like this? I haven’t seen Luke again since the morning he showed up, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t visiting Mack at work. If I know my husband—ex—like I do, he would have asked him not to stop by while I’m home. He’s respectful like that, but it also means I can’t keep an eye on the guy.

We bring the kids inside, leaving the rest of our things in the car, and I look around our living room, feeling a pang of love and regret.

None of the decorations are up yet because we normally do it the week or two before Christmas when I’m home to do it with them.

But I’m home now.

And this might be our last chance, just the four of us, to make it special.

It’s too late to manage a perfect weekend, but I can at least try to give Mack a perfect night.

I start a new chat and add Art, Keller, Orson, Payne, and Griff to it.

So, I hear Griff came up with the fantastic idea for Mack to take us camping.

Griff:

Summer. I thought he’d wait for summer. Or at least spring.

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