Page 106 of Somewhere We Belong

I missed home.

Damn, I never thought I would ever miss Sterling Ridge, but I did. I missed my crazy clients with their perms, roller sets and hair so big it required a can of hairspray to keep it high. I missed the gossipers, the sweet people and even the pain-in-the-ass people who couldn’t keep a secret and loved to know yours.

I missed my men, and I missed my daughter.

My men. Never did I dream I would have three men, but now I couldn’t imagine life without them. I didn’t want to imagine life without them. My heart beat faster as I smiled and had the urge to go home to them. Instead of waiting till tomorrow to leave, I think I was going to have to drive back tonight if we didn’t stay too late.

“Nova?”

My stomach dropped like I was on a roller coaster. I was stunned to see Sol’s father standing outside of the building I needed to get into.

“It’s really you,” he said, looking me up and down like he also couldn’t believe I was here. “You look good, really good.”

I didn’t know what to say as my brain caught up to what my eyes were seeing. I didn’t know what was happening, but my feet kept walking past him and I didn’t know if it was self-preservation or avoidance, but I kept walking.

“Nova!” He called out to me.

Just keep walking. Don’t turn around, just keep walking.

It’s not till I felt a hand wrap round my bicep did my brain kick back into gear.

“No,” I growled, yanking my arm away.

I stepped back and that's when I noticed he was holding a little girl's hand. She couldn’t have been more than five years old and when I took a good look at her, she looked a little bit like Sol.

“Can we talk please?” he muttered.

I was so fixated on the little girl, I didn’t even see Lauryn walk up to us.

“Andrés, what are you doing here?” Lauryn snapped, looking at my ex and then at me. “I told you to stay home.”

“Hey, Babe,” he said, darting his eyes between us as the little girl ran up to Lauryn.

“Hey, little one, mommy is working ok? I have to go to work,” Lauryn said, and I finally put two and two together.

This asshole told me to get rid of the baby and he had a baby with my old coworker?

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” I snapped. “Did you bring me here to rub it in my face?”

“Nova, can we talk in private?” Andrés asked.

“Seriously?” Lauryn snarled. “She left you and you want to talk?”

“Left me?” I cackled. “Did you forget how we ended Andrés?

“You're the one who brought her here, Lauryn,” Andrés said, crossing his arms. “You purposely brought her here.”

“Well, I didn’t know she had your fucking child!” Lauryn yelled. “You forgot to mention she was pregnant when she left you.”

“How long did you wait until you pounced on Lauryn? Not long since your daughter is five,” I laughed. “What else did he tell you?”

“Nova, can we please talk, I really?—”

“No, we are way past talking, you should have talked six years ago,” I growled, turning around to leave.

“Her name is Sol and?—”

“You will keep my daughter's name out of your mouth if you know what's good for you, Lauryn,” I snapped.

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