Page 16 of One Last Time
“Should we let her off the hook?” I askAubrey.
“Yup!”
Danielle laughs and pulls her into her arms, kissing her cheeks while she giggles. Danielle is Aubrey’s godmother, and the two of them are troubletogether.
Finn walks out with his backpack on and the phone, which I now think has actually attached itself to his hand, in his view. “S’up,Mom?”
“S’up?” I repeat. “S’up with you,dude?”
That gets his attention. “You’re so notcool.”
“Oh, I’m the coolest mom ever. I’m so cool that you wish you could be myfriend.”
Finn shakes his head and smiles. I can’t help but light up a little. He’s been so depressed that it’s good to see a glimmer of the boy Iknow.
“Aunt Heather is cool . . . you’re not,” he saysplayfully.
I can’t deny that Heather being with a television star gains her cool points with the kids, but I miss the days when they thought I was thebest.
“Well, get your butt in my car before this non-cool mom starts singing and dancing with Aunt Danni.” I raise my brow, challenging him. Finn knows we’ll do it. I have no problem embarrassinghim.
He practically sprints toward the door, and a piece of my heart stitches back together. The kids will have their challenges with all of this, but I could use moresmiles.
I get Aubrey buckled in and then meet Danielle at the front of the car. “You doingokay?”
“I’msurviving.”
She grips my arm and gives a sad smile. “I want you to know I love you and that I’m proud of you—we allare.”
People have no idea how lucky I am to have my girls. There is no way I could survive without them. I know we all share the same feelings, which makes it that much more special. I would do pretty much anything for the three ofthem.
“Proud?” Iask.
“Yeah, honey. You left him when Lord knows you should’ve left years ago. I’m proud of you for doing what you have to. It’s been weird because he calls Peter all the time, and . . . I just felt very in themiddle.”
Peter is really Scott’s only friend. I haven’t even considered that Danielle would be hearing the other side of it. No wonder she’s been kind ofweird.
“I’msorry.”
She shakes her head quickly. “No. You have nothing to be sorry for. It was stupid, and Peter knows everything now. You don’t have anything to worryabout.”
“I wish that were the case.” I smile and then glance back at the car, keeping my voice low. “You know who gave me a hard time about this weekend, and I’mwaiting. . .”
Danielle grips her neck and sighs heavily. “He’s going to do it because he thinks he can. He’s pushed you around for so long that he doesn’t know how to handle this new, badass and pissed off woman. Don’t be a doormat ever again—not with him or anyoneelse.”
“I’m not.” There’s no mistaking the conviction in my tone. He can try, but I’ve had it. This was my first test, and instead of caving to him, I stood my ground. Our time in that house, while we waited for the kids to finish school, was very . . . eye-opening. I saw him for who he is, and the rose-colored glasses shattered. He’s a giant dick and not the goodkind.
“Good. I’ll see you Monday?” sheasks.
“Bright and early.” I give her a hug and promise to call if I needanything.
Off to my date with theDevil.
The kids fill me in on their day, and Aubrey is going a mile a minute. The ride to my house—old house—is a few blocks, but I drive extremely slowly. I want to delay this as much as possible. Knowing that I’m going to see the home I once loved has my stomach doingsomersaults.
We pull into the driveway, and I fight back my discomfort. The kids need to see me as a pillar ofstrength.
Scott opens the red door and heads down the walkway. He’s wearing his black suit pants I had pressed last month, the blue shirt I bought, and his smile is effortless. I could almost believe he’s happy to seeme.
