Page 123 of Someone You Deserve

“Believe me, Astrid. That’s the last fucking thing that I want to do. Brandon will always be their father, but I want to love them enough for the both of us.”

She rests her head on the back of her seat as she stares at me. “You already do, and I love you that much more for it.”

“And I love hearing you say that you love me.”

When we pull up to her house, Lilly comes barreling out of the front door. “Mommy! Uncle Penn!” She slams into Astrid’s legs before she can get fully out of the truck.

“Hi, baby.”

“How was your party?” Lilly asks, peering up at her mom.

“It was amazing.”

“And did everyone like your cupcakes?”

“They did!”

“That’s ‘cause they’re delicious.” She releases her and then rounds the front of the truck to hug me. “Hi, Uncle Penn.”

“Hey, Lilly Bear.” I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head. “How was your night?”

“It was so much fun! Grandma and I painted our nails and watched movies and ate popcorn. Bentley even let me put toenail polish on his big toe.”

“He did?” Astrid asks.

“Yeah, but then I had to take it right back off. I told him he should leave it. That way his feet wouldn’t look so gross, but he said heck no.”

Astrid and I share a chuckle as we follow Lilly back into the house.

“Mom?” Astrid calls out when we enter.

Melissa comes into the living room from the hallway. “You’re back! How was it?”

“Let’s just say that the next six months are going to be extremely busy, but I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. The guests wentwild for the cupcakes. People asked me about custom cake orders, and Penn bragged about my muffins to anyone who could listen. I think he used the phrase, ‘best on the East Coast.’”

I shrug. “It’s easy to brag when it’s the truth.”

“Well, it sounds like a success then.” Melissa grabs her purse and slings it over her shoulder. “I hate to run when you just got here, but I’m meeting the girls at the movie theater.”

“Is your phone on vibrate?” Astrid asks her.

She rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mom. I learned my lesson, okay?” With a parting kiss on her cheek and a wave to me, Melissa leaves and then Astrid looks in my direction.

“No time like the present, right?”

“Bentley?” I call out, nodding at her.

“What’s up?” he yells back at me from his room.

“Can you come out here really quick, please? Your mom and I want to talk to you about something.”

Lilly bounces into the room. “Oh! Is Bentley in trouble?”

“No, Lilly,” Astrid admonishes. “You need to be a part of this conversation as well.”

Bentley strides into the living room, brushing his hair back from his face. The kid looks more and more like Brandon every day. “What’s going on?”

Astrid and I take a seat on the couch next to each other, and Lilly and Bentley sit on the loveseat beside us. I turn to her and prompt her to start, like we discussed.

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