“Thanks for having me,” I said to Colt, my voice softer than I expected. “It was sweet of you guys to invite everyone.”
“Nah, it’s nothing. I’m not used to being home for Thanksgiving. Coach worked something out, but I’m flying back to Arizona tonight. Abigail’s due soon. I just… wanna be close.”
“That’s so sweet of you,” I replied, meaning it more than I wanted to admit.
“Yeah, she brings the good parts out of me.” The way he lookedat Abigail made my chest squeeze. That kind of love- unapologetic and open—felt like fiction in my world.
“Hey girl!” Abigail’s voice broke the trance. She appeared in a curve-hugging sweater dress, glowing like the goddess of effortless maternity. Her baby bump looked more like a designer accessory.
“Hey,” I said as we hugged.
“Look at you,” I touched her belly lightly. “Making pregnancy look like a piece of cake. That baby’s growing fast.”
“She’s gonna be athletic like her daddy. I can feel her kicking now.”
My spine curled inward slightly, jealousy curling tight in my gut.
“You can?” I asked.
“Yeah, feel.” She grabbed my hand before I could protest and pressed it against her belly. Her head bowed like she was praying, and then I felt it. A tiny thump under my palm. A life. Real and raw.
“Whoa,” I breathed. “That’s amazing.”
“Is that the baby or your stomach rumbling?” Colt teased, wrapping his arms around Abigail and kissing her temple.
I turned away, pretending not to notice how tender they were with each other, but it burned—a slow, invisible fire in my chest.
“Let’s eat, I’m starving,” Colt said.
Nick reached for my hand again, squeezing it—just enough to say I’ve got you without speaking a word. And I needed it. I was crumbling inside. But with his hand in mine, I could pretend I wasn’t.
Then it happened.
The little blonde girl—the one from the lake house—spotted us. Her stare pinned me like a bug under glass.
“Nick, why are you holding her hand?” she asked, clutching her stuffed bear like a weapon.
Silence. Heavy. Crushing.
Bianca stepped out of the kitchen with the turkey, her smile faltering as she saw the frozen room.
“Niccolò?”
“Hey, Mom.”
“Nick is cheating on me,” the girl said matter-of-factly.
Nick let go of my hand. The ring. Fully exposed now.
I wanted to disappear.
He stepped forward and knelt by the girl, whispering something in her ear. I couldn’t hear it, but Abigail gasped.
“Is that a ring on your finger?” she asked, her voice muffled behind her hand.
My heart pounded so loudly it drowned out everything else. I lifted my hand slowly, dread pooling in my gut. “Surprise,” I said, smiling like I wasn’t dying inside.
“You two got married in Vegas?” someone asked.
