Page 78 of Taking Chances

“Want some lemonade or something?” Connor yells after me.

“Sure.”

In the backyard, Rina is sprawled on a lounge chair, scrolling her phone.

“Hi, Rins.” I embrace her while she’s laying down. “How are you?”

“Huge, as you can see.” She gestures to her pregnant belly.

“Hey, don’t talk about the mother of my children that way,” Connor quips, bringing two glasses of lemonade.

I chuckle, adding, “You look beautiful.”

“Yeah, yeah. But I don’t have the strength for anything other than this.”

“Good thing you have me so there’s nothing else you need to be doing, anyway.” Connor places his hands on Rina’s shoulders, massaging them gently.

“Dad, come on! I need your help!” Eric yells from the tree house Connor and he are building. “Oh, hi, Anne. Didn’t see you there.”

“Hi, Eric. Your tree house is looking better and better.”

He shoots me a smile. I miss him running into my hands every time he saw me, but it’s been amazing to see him grow. He was just a toddler when I first met him, and now he’s building a tree house.

“Thanks. I hope my sister is going to like it.”

My eyes widen and I turn to Rina.

“Oops,” she responds. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag.” Tears pool in my eyes as I squeeze her into another hug.

“I’m so happy for you guys.”

Connor is wearing a proud smile, and I know that girl will have the best dad ever.

“Don’t make me cry again. I’ve been a hormonal wreck for months now.” Rina huffs, making me chuckle. “What have you been up to?”

“Oh, nothing,” I stutter, my heart beating faster. “Just hung out at home last night.” She shoots me a wary look. My ears start burning with the lie. A need to tell her the truth about Lennox and me floods me, but I suppress it. “And volunteered at the shelter this morning,” I add instead.

I don’t fully understand why I’m keeping the arrangement we have to myself. But the thought of sharing it makes me jittery. One thing I know is that she would think it’s a bad idea. She would think I’ll get hurt in the process. And I don’t need that. I need tofeedmy delusion, not deconstruct it.

Especially after yesterday. My heart had been broken a bunch of times before, and the orgasms weren’t nearly as good. So the danger of getting hurt at least sounds appealing this time.

“How’s it going at the shelter?” Rina’s question snaps me out of my thoughts.

“Same old. Sam does her best, but they’re struggling to get funding.”

“That’s rough. BYC should try to partner up with them.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. I’m having mommy brain.” She sighs. “Maybe Natalie can think of something.”

I nod, dying to change the subject so I don’t blab the fact I wasn’t alone there today. “What have you guys been up to? Other than this?” I gesture to their backyard.

“Absolutely nothing. The work week exhausts me lately, so the weekend is for recuperating.”

“Understandable.” I clink my lemonade glass to hers and take a large sip. We chat some more until I decide it’s time for me to get home.

I getcozy on the couch, Luna’s soft purrs lulling me to sleep, when my phone pings with a text.

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