Page 111 of Sweet Thing

Once the song finished, everyone headed to the other room to light the birthday candles. Songs and dancing before cake and ice cream ensured less likelihood of the party turning into a pukefest.

“Amazing, Addy, so much fun!” Zara gushed. “I’ve Venmoed your payment. Don’t forget to grab a slice of cake!” Off she went to manage the Happy Birthday chorus and a crowd of dessert-ravenous ankle biters.

I placed my guitar in its case and tried to hold onto the good vibes of happy children and the joy I’d just created. My heart had never felt emptier.

“Hey, Adeline.”

Lars stood before me, his arms full of his daughter, who looked delightful in a green jumpsuit with a tartan belt.

“Hi, there.”

“Mabel insisted on congratulating you herself. She loved the set.”

I smiled and rubbed her tummy. God, I missed her like she was my own. “I saw you dancing out there, Mabel. You have amazing moves.”

“She does, but then she’s been to the club.” He smiled at me. “Lars thought you were great as well.”

“Lars has started talking about himself in third person, huh?”

His brows drew together. “He finds it helps him achieve distance, so he doesn’t have to examine himself too closely.”

Amusing but not enough to make me feel better. So he knew he was a dick. Good for him.

“This is a good move for you,” he said after the silence had gone on too long. “You’re where you’re meant to be.”

He made it sound like I wouldn’t have made it this far if I had stuck around in his life.

“You think you did me this big favor?”

“Not what I meant.”

“You’re probably right.”

He got that wrinkle between his brows, coupled with a note of suspicion in those navy-blue eyes. “I am?”

“I was getting kind of settled as Mabel’s nanny. I needed a push to get me thinking about what came next.”

As long as we talked about this in terms of my career plans, then we could avoid the rest. The hole in my chest where my heart should be. I had offered him that heart and he turned it down.

His brow furrowed. “I was too abrupt. I could have been … kinder.”

“Lars, it’s okay.”

It wasn’t, but I could hardly argue the point at a children’s birthday party. Lars had his chance to claim me. I’d made my own mistakes, for sure, but once it was out there, I had hoped he might choose me.

That he didn’t broke me in half.

A small hand clasped mine. I looked down at my little sister. “Hey, Tilly-Billy, where did you spring from?”

“A tadpole pond. I’m going to be a frog when I grow up.”

“Cool! I have a song about tadpoles.”

Tilly grinned. Her mouth was rimmed with pink and white icing. “Sing it!”

“How about when we get home?”

She tugged on my hand, my cue to leave.Thanks, sis.I smiled at Lars and Mabel. “See you guys.”

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