Page 92 of Make It Without You

I look down and see her face alive. “I was nervous, at first. But your parents are great.”

“They’ve gotten better. I just don’t think they knew how to be parents back then. Like what do two sought-after lawyers do with a kid? Once James died, I think having me put it into perspective. That could have been me who they were grieving after.”

We find an empty bench to sit at and watch some guys play touch football.

“I’m glad you three are finding your way together,” I admit and pull her into my side.

“Me too,” she tells me and places a kiss on my jawline.

The rest of our time is spent playing tourist. Since Emily was so young when she lived here, she never got to explore the city the way others do. We went to the Morgan Library & Museum, walked around the West Village, and did a self-guided Sex & the City tour. We indulged in food from the food trucks, sweets until our stomachs cramped, and a wine tour to end off the weekend.

During one of the hardest periods of Emily’s life, I fell more in love with her. With her joy for life and the world around her. I fell in love with Emily Bailey.

I’m finally setto meet her friends this weekend. With us in New York for those few days, it set us back. But now that Emily is getting back to her happy self, our relationship has only gotten stronger.

My truck turns into the driveway and I pause when I see an unknown car. Thinking it’s a rental for Jenny, I turn my truck off and get out. Only when I do, the driver exits too and my heart stops.

“Chelsea.” Her name comes out like sand as I speak it for the first time in five years.

“Hi, Adam.”

We silently stare at each other in my driveway. The cicadas singing in the background as the only noise to break the silence.

“What are you doing here?” I ask when the silence feels like it’s close to suffocating me. All I wanted when I got home was to see Dylan and call Emily.

She takes a step forward but stops when I hold my hand up. “I miss you. And I miss Dylan.”

“So? We’ve done just fine without you for the last six years.”

“Adam, I made a mistake,” Chelsea tries to plead with me.

My eyebrows hit my hairline. “You call serving me with divorce papers and signing your parental rights away a mistake?”

She looks away and I know what I said hits. But when she looks back at me it’s as if ice is running through my veins. “I want a chance to be what Dylan deserves.”

“Well, I can give you the number for my lawyer and you can set up a meeting time. But you can’t stay here.”

“I want you back Adam. I never stopped loving you.”

I cross my arms over my chest in an attempt to cover my clenched fists. “You’re too late. Goodbye, Chelsea.”

Turning my back on her, I rush into my house and lock the door.

Jenny peeks around. “Who was that?”

“Chelsea.”

“I had no idea who she was. She just parked her car there and nothing.”

I blow a breath out of my nose. “You didn’t know. But she’s not allowed in here. Under any circumstance.”

“Of course.”

I leave Jenny to get settled in the guest room while I head up and check in on Dylan. He’s sprawled out in his bed with not a clue that a ghost from both of our past just tried to enter his world.

Softly closing his door, I walk down the carpeted hallway to my bedroom. When I shut the door, I lean back and let out an aggravated breath. I’ll have to call my lawyer and see what she says. I may have nothing to worry about, but better safe than sorry.

Pulling out my phone, I see a text Emily sent over an hour ago. I debate responding or calling, but I’m learning that in the summer she’s got a much different sleep schedule. So I call her instead.

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