“The leaves are starting to change. We should come back in about a week when they pop.”
“You seem to be the park expert, so lead the way.”
“There are so many places to see. I think we need to take it slow, but we can start with one of the most iconic places—the Mall. We’re really close.”
“I didn’t know there was a mall in the park.”
“Not that kind of mall. You’ll recognize it when we get there. I think it’s in every New York-centered movie.”
She was right that it wasn’t far and when we got there, I did instantly know it: the extra-wide, straight path with a canopy of green leaves that were turning yellow. Benches lined the pathway, and I wanted to kick myself for not seeing it sooner.
I’d visited the park many times over the years, but it seemed I’d missed many parts of it. When we reached the end of the mall, I took her hand in mine and lifted it to my lips. Her fingers were cold, and I rubbed them between my hands to warm them up.
It was possibly the first time I hated the stroller because I was unable to hold her hand while we walked.
“The Loeb Boathouse has an express cafe we can get lunch at. They’ve got good sandwiches,” she said after my stomach rumbled.
I laughed and nodded. “After you.”
The lake was filled with people in boats, and I couldn’t help but think maybe when Kinsey was older we could do that.
We enjoyed a nice lunch while discussing where to go next, and Kinsey enjoyed munching on the fry she stole from Roe. Obviously she was not content with her cheese stick and berries, and wanted to experience what we were eating.
When we stood to leave, my feet let out a twinge of pain. I should have worn better shoes.
“You’re going to wear me out before we get home.”
She giggled. “Oh, come on, you’re just soft.”
“Maybe right now, but give me a minute and I’ll be hard as a rock if you want.”
She rolled her eyes, and I smiled down at her.
We were just on our way when I heard my name. Turning toward the sound, I was struck by a familiar blonde walking toward me.
“Thane!” Liv cried out before she swung her arms around my shoulders.
I was taken aback. The shock of seeing her for the first time in years. Since…
She pulled me close, and I placed my hands on her hips before pushing her back.
“Liv, how are you?” I asked in surprise.
“Better now that I’ve seen you, stranger. How long has it been?”
“Years.”
“Too long, if I do say so. You’re looking dashing. What have you been up to these days?”
“I’m the President of Acquisitions at Donovan Trading and Investment.”
Her lips drew up into a huge smile. “Really? Well, my, my, you have certainly gotten better with age.”
My lips formed a thin line. The last thing I wanted was her trying to get her gold-digging claws into me. I wasn’t good enough for her then, and she wasn’t good enough for me now. By the fake nails, overly done makeup and hair, and what I knew to be expensive tastes, she hadn’t changed any.
What did I see in her in the first place?
“Do you need something?” Liv said. My brow furrowed when I realized she was talking to Roe.
Roe’s gaze narrowed, and I realized my mistake too late. I’d taken too long to introduce her. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close before placing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Liv, this is my girlfriend, Roe.”
Liv’s eyes widened. “Girlfriend? Really?”
I noticed the way Roe’s hand tightened on the stroller handle. Liv was proving to be just as vapid as I remembered.
I gave Liv a huge smile, so proud to call Roe mine. “Yes.”
“Is the baby yours, too?” she asked, glancing down at Kinsey.
“No, she’s Roe’s.” The words didn’t feel right at all, like acid on my tongue, but they were already out.
“Oh,” Liv said, her lips pulling up into a devilish grin. “Thank God.”
My grip on Roe tightened. “Yes, thank God for sending her my way.”
She gave Roe another condescending lift of her eyebrow, then focused back on me.
“Is your number still the same?”
“Yes,” I reluctantly confirmed.
Her face lit up. “Good! I’ll give you a call.”
I hope not.
As I watched her walk away, I imagined how my life would be different if she hadn’t lost the baby. Hopefully I would have given up trying to be noble, unable to take her uppity personality, and broken it off.
I’d probably spend the weekends with my son. I smiled at that, wondering how he would take to Kinsey. Roe would have opened up to me sooner instead of being afraid I’d bail at the first showing of Kinsey.
I was lost in thought when a precursor to a tear-filled explosion caught my attention, and I moved around to the front of the stroller.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Diaper?” I asked. Glancing up to Roe, it felt like a knife hit my chest. Her eyes seemed unfocused and lost, sad almost.
Did I fuck up? Cleary the atmosphere had shifted, and I couldn’t help but worry.
I knew he didn’t mean it the way it came out, but it was still a slap in the face. While not wrong, he’d also spent so much time trying to convince me that we meant more than his flippant response.
“No, she’s Roe’s.”
Again, not wrong, but I hated the sour taste it left in my mouth. It was a bitter reminder that no matter what, that would always be the answer.
Still, I couldn’t get mad. I knew it was irrational, though I, for some reason, felt angry inside. Kinsey was mine, but she also wasn’t. So me saying, “No, she’s my sister Ryn’s,” wasn’t exactly something I would say, but it was something I had said many times before, in the beginning.
I hated the way it made me look at him differently, when it shouldn’t. Maybe it was her. Liv. She was that perfect, rich Manhattan socialite, a good complement to Thane. The perfect arm candy for an executive of his standing.
Why couldn’t he just claim us as his? What stopped him?
Then she was gone, and Thane stood there, appearing lost in thought.
“You okay?” I managed to ask, curiosity winning out.
He nodded and gave a wistful sigh. “I was just thinking about how things could have been.”
It felt like his words were a knife, spearing my chest and twisting in my heart. How things could have been with her. Not having to degrade himself with someone with a lower social standing.
Was I just a placeholder, like with Pete? Someone to play house with until he found the right one?
She had his number. She was going to call him. He wished things hadn’t ended.
I didn’t mean enough to him.
“Everything all right?”
I smiled at him, but it was a forced smile. “Yep.”
Inside, my heart was breaking. While I tried not to get too hopeful, too attached, it was obvious I had. I always knew I couldn’t rank high in Thane’s social or financial hierarchy. I made decent money, but nowhere near the level of his salary. Add in that he was a sexy single man, and me being a single mom, we didn’t mix.