Page 26 of Sweet Escape
A small smile tugs at her lips, and her sweet voice floats across the gap between us when she lets out a tentative, “Hi.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Emmy.”
“Where’s Gigi?” he asks, tugging gently on one of her pigtails.
The storm door swings open, making way for a stunning middle-aged woman I recognize from the diner: Evelyn Hayes. We’ve never been formally introduced, but I see her around often enough, and she’s well acquainted with my grandma.
Her short blonde bob is immaculately styled in loose waves, and her stunning green eyes are worry-lined as she huffs out an exasperated breath. “I’m here. I’m here. I’m so sorry. I don’t know how she got away. One minute I was cleaning upher Cheerios, and when I turned around, she was gone—” Her speech halts when she spots me. “Oh, hello.”
I lift my hand in a wave, offering her a smile I hope comes off less nervous than I feel. This is Wilder’s mother. My baby’s grandmother.
“Happens to the best of us. Have you met Olivia Sullivan?” He gestures to me once again, and it feels like I’m being put on display for his whole family to gawk at. It’s unsettling, and the solid weight of my secret threatens to suffocate me the longer I have to keep it in.
“Rosie’s grandbaby? The one who makes those incredible desserts?”
“That’s the one,” he says.
An overwhelming sense of pride fills me, and the fact that Wilder didn’t correct her only adds to the feeling.
I stand from the porch steps, reaching out a hand in greeting.
She ignores the gesture and pulls me in for a hug instead. “Sorry, we’re huggers.”
“Let her go, Mama,” Wilder chides. “She’s here to help with Emmy’s birthday.”
When she releases me, her narrowed eyes dart back and forth between us. “Can I get you two anything? Something to eat or drink? I have sweet tea, and I just made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies.”
That catches my attention. “You bake?”
“I do. But I’m not quite as good as you, I’m afraid.” Her kind smile eases my nerves; maybe wecanfind a way to make this co-parenting thing work.
“Don’t be so modest,” Wilder says. “Mama makes the best chocolate chip cookies.”
At that, Emmy’s face lights up, and she rushes up the stairs and wraps herself around Mrs. Hayes. “Cookies!” she squeals.
“You can have one cookie, Emmy Lou. Any more thanthat and you’ll be bouncin’ off the walls.” There’s a warning in his gaze as he mouths the word ‘one’ and holds up a finger at his mom.
She rolls her eyes and picks up Emmy.“It was nice meeting you, Olivia. Come on in if you want a snack later.”
Once they’re out of sight, Wilder motions for me to sit back down and scoots across the steps, settling close enough for our knees to brush. “Sorry. My family can be a lot.”
“They’re lovely, Wilder. Emmy is adorable.”
“She’s the light of my life.” There’s a flash of sadness in his expression, but it’s there and gone in a blink; so fleeting, I might’ve missed it if I hadn’t been paying attention. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
My palms begin to sweat, and I take a moment to gather myself as the nausea swirls in my gut.Deep breath.It’snow or never, Liv.
I pluck the ultrasound photo out of my back pocket and place it between us on the stairs.
Wilder tracks the motion, his eyes widening in recognition. “You’re pregnant?” His voice is barely audible beneath the rapid thudding of my heart.
I nod, unable to speak.
“How? I thought?—”
“I’m sorry.” The words rush out of me as I choke back tears. “I thought… but I didn’t… and… I fucked up.”
“Hey. Hey. It’s okay.” He reaches for my hands, his touch grounding me, and I finally look up from where I had my eyes locked on the ultrasound. It’s the tender touch I’ve been craving since my tires kicked up dust in the drive, maybe since the day I first saw him sitting at Grammy’s diner.
