Page 33 of Call it Fate

“I’ve got to come up with some jokes for him, right? What else does he like? Does he like to color? Build things? Play sports? God, there’s so much I need to learn.”

“Whoa, slow down,” Em said, her laughter relaxing the stress lines that had crinkled around her eyes all evening. “He loves all those things. And, I promise, you’ll get to know him.”

“So much time has been lost. I have so much to make up for. All the birthdays, holidays…”

Em’s smile faded.

I felt like shit. “I mean—”

She shook her head. “No, I get it. Give it time. You can’t figure everything out all at once. You’ll get there. But I don’t want him to think you’re the next best thing to Santa Claus, either.”

Footsteps slapped on the wood floor, and Iain practically slid to a halt beside his mom. He’d put on pj’s, and his hair was damp.

“G’night, Mama.” She bent down to give him a hug, one which I suspected was longer than usual since Iain started to squirm out of her arms.

He bounced over to me and held up his hand for a fist bump. “Good night, Mr. Zach. Hope you feel happier now.” If only he knew how full my heart suddenly felt.

I bumped his fist, wishing I could pull him in for a hug. Hopefully soon. I hoped my smile let him know just how happy I was.

“I need to tuck him in,” Em said quietly as we watched Iain skip from the room.

The message was subtle, but I understood I wasn’t included. I forced myself to remember that from Iain’s point of view I was still mostly a stranger.Baby steps, I reminded myself. “Maybe we can talk more tomorrow?”

She nodded, and whether out of instinct or an old habit that resurfaced, I started to reach for her, only to have her take a step backward and cross her arms as she stared at the floor.Baby steps here, too.

It took everything in me to say goodnight and walk away from her little home—from Iainandfrom her. Now that I knew she hadn’t intentionally abandoned me, I felt freer to admit, at least to myself, that I was still just as attracted to her as the first time I saw her.

CHAPTER17

Emalee

“Can I go outside?”

“No. I’ve told you, not until you get your work finished.”

After a long sigh, Iain settled back at the breakfast table where I’d set him up while I got some of my work done—or, at least, tried to.

“Can I have a snack?”

“No.”

“A drink?”

I dropped the options for gazebos that Cam had sent over for the gardens I wanted to plant in the back. She and Chase had been combining their talents of design and plant life to make a plan for me. I was excited about my vision that was slowly coming to life, but right now, my frustration was starting to overshadow it.

Mama had a doctor appointment followed by a hair appointment this morning, and Iain was still out of school, so I’d set him up in the dining room to do a few assignments the teachers had emailed for practice while the school was closed for repairs.

Iain saw it as a punishment and resented the time he wasn’t able to go outside and play. But unlike him, I didn’t have the day off.

I normally prided myself on my patience, but my head hurt, and I felt bone-weary. The conversation with Zach last night had drained me both emotionally and mentally, not to mention how I’d tossed and turned last night, replaying our conversation over and over in my head.

I was frustrated and angry at myself for misreading a situation, but I tried to remember I hadn’t exactly been in the right frame of mind since I’d been scared by the phone call I’d received about my mom.

I felt guilty for not trying harder to find Zach, but there was more to that story, a secret I still held from him, knowing it would hurt him more, even thoughIwasn’t to blame for it. I was going to tell him last night before Iain and Mama’s return surprised us. I hadn’t realized how long they’d been gone, but I also wouldn’t have put it past my mom to have come home early to check on me.

Either way, there was no way after the turmoil of emotions over dinner I was going to take the joy away from Zach when he finally got to talk to Iain. Remembering that look, I smiled softly and shook my head. Apparently, Iain wasn’t the only one easily distracted this morning.

“My pencil broke.”

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