Page 129 of No Place Like Home

“Maybe it wasn’t meant to be,” I told him.

This time he smiled. “Maybe.”

Rosie honked.

“Come on, I need to meet my niece!” she yelled. “Uncle Blake, you coming?”

Blake sighed and walked out, closing the door behind him.

“Let’s go meet your little spawn.”

* * *

Quincy’s documentarywas coming to an end. He said that they still had to film the last part but that would be done after his first coaching game. Which was coming soon. Which meant he had to leave.

Summer was going to come to an end soon, and school would be starting again. Which meant I needed to get my affairs in order too.

Quinn was with Freya at the diner. She had kidnapped her earlier in the morning. I was with Quincy and watched as he parked his car in front of Mrs. Riordan’s shop.

Before I could open the door, he was there opening it for me. It was safe to say people knew we were kind of together. They for sure knew we had a daughter.

“Wait here,” he said as we got out of the car.

I was waiting on the sidewalk when two people were passing by.

“Miss Jess?” a child’s voice called.

I looked up, but saw nothing, and then I looked down. It took me a second to recognize him. He was no longer a little kid.

“Charlie?” I beamed.

“How have you been Miss Jess? I didn’t see you at school anymore.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I had some other work to do.”

“My little brother is starting school soon, and I wanted him to have you as a teacher. You were the best.”

I couldn’t promise that. “How’s your big brother treating you? Good?”

“Yeah. I’m not a baby anymore. Mom said he was a liar.”

Before I could say more, we got interrupted.

“Come on, Charlie. Let’s go.”

Avery stood in front of me.

“This is my Aunt Avery,” Charlie told me.

I smiled at her, even though she didn’t return it.

“Let’s go, Charlie.” Her snobbish voice didn’t grate me like before.

She took a step to walk past me when the door to Mrs. Riordan’s shop opened and Q walked out with a bouquet of flowers.

“A little birdie told me these where your favorite,” he said to me.

I blushed as I reached for them.

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