Page 55 of Second Chance at Love (Chance At Love Duet 1)

He gave a small smile. “Can’t complain. Are you enjoying Rick’s wife’s birthday party?”

“Yes, thank you,” I answered, then added, “I didn’t realize you knew Betty?”

“I don’t,” he stated. “I work with her husband.” At that moment, Kristoff’s ex-wife walked up with a teenage boy of about sixteen.What the hell is she doing here?

“Well, well… look who we have here.” Kristoff’s ex-wife’s tone was full of venom. Thankfully, she wasn’t drunk like she was last time. As I learned during the charity ball, she was a mean drunk.

“Gemma, I believe you’ve met my wife,” Jonathan said coldly, looking at his wife.

Wait, what? That is his wife?

Kristoff pulled me closer to him, and I was grateful for it. I felt like it gave me an extra layer of security. I chose to take Kristoff’s cue and ignored the woman. Instead, I turned to the boy next to her.

He looked Sienna’s age, although a bit shy. I extended my arm to the boy, and introduced myself. “Hi, I’m Gemma,” I said with a smile. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Jack, ma’am.”

“You must be about sixteen?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “I’m sixteen. I turn seventeen in two months, ma’am.”

“Gemma, this is my son, Jack,” said Jonathan. I could see the resemblance between father and son. I remembered Jonathan’s comment from the ball that his ex-wife ended up having someone else’s baby. I guess she ended up having a baby with his best friend… well, ex-best friend.

No wonder he is closed off,I thought to myself. My heart hurt for him and I wanted to hug him right there and then. I knew how badly Jack’s infidelities hurt, but those women were strangers to me and I still had Rick’s and Betty’s support through all of it. He lost a wife and a best friend all in the same shot. I couldn’t imagine how badly that hurt, and Kristoff was such a proud and strong man.

I heard a cry and I immediately turned my attention to it. Saoirse was running to me, crying, and her sisters were trailing behind her.

“Mommy,” Saoirse was saying through her tears. “Sienna is being mean to me.”

I kneeled down, knowing Saoirse’s tendency to overreact. “What happened, Saoirse?”

She was sniffling, holding back her tears. “She won’t let me wear her necklace.”

“Saoirse, you have yours. That is hers.”

“But I want it,” she said.

Sierra jumped in. “I want too.” But I could tell she did not care.

“Ok, Saoirse. Just because you want it, doesn’t mean you can get it,” I used my stern voice. “You have yours, and she has hers. Do you want to give yours to Sienna?”

“No,” she grumbled grumpy. “That’s mine.”

“That’s right. And Sienna’s necklace is hers.”

“Okay,” she answered. I gave her a hug, and I stood up. Kristoff had a small smile on his lips looking at me. I rolled my eyes.

“Are these your kids?” Jonathan asked, surprise evident in his voice.

“Yes,” I answered with a smile. “These are my girls.” I pointed to my baby. “This is my youngest, Sierra. Saoirse is my five-year old. And my oldest Sienna,” I said motioning towards Sienna.

“Hello,” all three said in unison to Jonathan, Jack, and Jacqueline, Kristoff’s ex-wife.

“I didn’t know you had children,” Jacqueline snickered although there was surprise in her voice too.

“Yep, I do,” I replied, keeping it short. I mean, really! How did she think she was going to know I had children? It is not like it is tattooed on my forehead.

Sienna reached out her hand to Jack. “Hi there. Want to play volleyball? We need one more to play the game.”

---