Page 62 of Skylar

She didn’t think it was too likely.

“I just wish you hadn’t thought you had to keep it a secret from us all these years,” Janessa said.

“I thought it was for the best at the time.”

“Do you still think that?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I think you all have handled it quite well,” Misha told her. “Shiloh seems to be doing fine with it, from what Charli says.”

“She does seem to be taking it all in stride quite well,” Janessa agreed.

“It probably helps that they told her she was adopted early on, but then didn’t tell her who her birth parents were until later. It gave her time to get used to the concept.”

Skylar didn’t bother to tell them that had Aiden not agreed to show up for the blood test, Shiloh probably still wouldn’t know. She glanced over at Aiden and found him watching her.

The fluttering in her stomach was reminiscent of the past, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be reminded of that time. But the reality was that he was the last man who’d brought those butterflies to life in her in that way.

After what happened with Aiden, she hadn’t let herself feel that anticipation or excitement over a man. She viewed the relationships she’d had as friendship with a side of intimacy. Which was probably why all of them had ended.

Apparently, Aiden didn’t have a serious relationship going on either. That didn’t mean he hadn’t had one in the time since they’d been together, however. It was ironic that he’d dumped her to find someone better, and yet he still hadn’t found that perfect woman.

If she hadn’t been perfect for Aiden before, she was definitely not perfect for him now. The thought sent a pang of hurt through her, but she ignored it. She wasn’t in the market for a relationship, let alone one with her ex.

At some point, the kids came to ask their parents if they could have ice cream. The two couples got up to help them, leaving Skylar with Aiden, Wilder, and Lexi.

“I want ice cream too,” Wilder said, swinging around on the bench. “How about you, love?”

“I shouldn’t…”

Wilder held out his hand to her. “C’mon. Help me choose what flavor I want, and I’ll let you share it with me.”

Lexi let Wilder help her up from the picnic table, then they wandered hand in hand to where Lee and Rori had ice cream and all the fixings for cones or sundaes.

Skylar watched them go, then turned back to Aiden. He was looking at her expectantly, a small smile playing on his lips. She felt a pang of nostalgia wash over her as memories of their past flooded her mind. She quickly pushed them away, focusing on the present moment.

“Are you getting ice cream, too?” Skylar asked, trying to sound casual.

Aiden nodded. “Yeah, I think I'll indulge a little.” He stood up, then picked up his empty plate. Motioning to hers, he said, “Want me to toss that out for you?”

“Sure. Thank you.”

She watched him as he walked to where they were dishing up the ice cream, pausing to toss their used plates into the garbage can that was set up for the trash from the meal.

Dragging her gaze away from him, Skylar looked down at her phone, checking to see what was new on her social media. She didn’t have large numbers of people on her accounts, but she had a few co-workers who posted a lot.

One co-worker in particular had posted tons of pictures from a recent work trip to Rome. As she looked at the photos, Skylar found herself missing the trips she’d taken. She hadn’t been to Rome, and that flight might have been hers if she’d still been working.

She’d been resigned to the fact that she wasn’t going to be taking any flights for at least a couple more weeks. Maybe more if she gained weight while she was basically unable to exercise and wasn’t watching what she was eating very closely. If she didn’t fit into her uniform, she might end up sidelined for longer.

She’d never had it happen to her, but others in the company had. Some might say such a rule was sexist, but it actually applied to all flight attendants, regardless of gender. If they didn’t fit their assigned uniform, they needed to do what they could to rectify that.

Movement on the other side of the table had Skylar looking up. Aiden was now seated opposite her with two dishes of ice cream. He slid one across the table to her.

Skylar stared down at it, taking in the choices Aiden had made for her. Vanilla ice cream. Walnuts. Bananas. Mini marshmallows. Chocolate syrup. Everything she would have chosen for herself. Everything she’d chosen back when they’d been dating, which is how he’d known what to get her now.

“I assumed your tastes hadn’t changed too much over the years,” Aiden said as he dipped his spoon into the chocolate ice cream in his bowl, which he’d covered in peanuts, caramel, and marshmallows. He never mixed fruit with his ice cream.

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