Page 110 of Possession

And to top it all off, Hunter wants to add another distraction: a wedding.

First world problems, I tell myself wryly.

A year ago, I was scraping by in a shitty apartment, dodging advances from my creep of a landlord, and doing everything I could to avoid my toxic family. Now, I’m engaged to the most incredible man I’ve ever met and raising our perfect son. Most women would kill to be in my position.

And yet… I feel like I’m losing pieces of myself in the whirlwind.

The restaurant is all sleek wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, the kind of place where artists and collectors sit across from each other discussing the next big thing in the contemporary art world.

The moment I step inside, I spot Linda John immediately.

She’s the epitome of effortless cool—her chunky silver sweater glimmers in the light, her dark-wash jeans hugging her long legs, her black leather high-heeled boots screaming money and power. She radiates that unbothered confidence that only people who have never had to worry about money seem to possess.

I, on the other hand, am wearing a tan cotton mini dress that suddenly feels too casual, too wrinkled. I smooth my palms down the fabric, silently regretting my choice.

The only impressive thing about my outfit today? My engagement ring.

She stands, offering me a warm smile.

“Hi, Megan.”

“Hi, Miss John.”

She waves a dismissive hand. “Linda, please.”

I nod, correcting myself. “Hi, Linda.”

“I took the liberty of ordering us some iced teas with lemon. I hope that’s okay—I wasn’t sure if you were still breastfeeding.”

“Oh, that’s perfectly fine,” I assure her. Deuce is at home with Ruby, probably drinking the milk I pumped two days ago.

Linda studies me for a beat, then leans forward slightly. “So, how’s motherhood?”

I hesitate. How do you summarize something so monumental in a few words?

“It’s… really good.”

She nods. “I imagine you’ve been tremendously busy. I was raised by a young mother too, so I get it.”

Something about the way she says young mother makes me stiffen.

I arch a brow. “I’m busy like any mother would be, but I have an amazing support system, so…”

Linda picks up on my defensive tone immediately. “I meant no offense,” she says quickly. “I just wanted to check in—see if you’ve had time to create. You have such a special gift.”

I glance down at my glass, watching the condensation bead down the side, pooling on the table.

“Thank you,” I say, my voice careful. “But the truth is, I haven’t been able to make art a priority. Not just because of the baby, but… everything else, too.”

She nods, taking a sip of her tea. “Are you still attending State Arts?”

I shake my head. “I took some time off.”

“Do you plan on finishing your degree?”

“Absolutely.” I straighten slightly. “I never had formal art training before college, so those classes are really important to me. I feel like there’s still so much to learn.”

Linda’s eyes soften. “That’s good to hear, Megan, because I strongly advocated for your piece to be included in the Shade and Shadows exhibit, even though we haven’t seen the final submission yet.”

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