“Great to see you both,” Victoria says with a final smile, and then she’s walking past us toward the door, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor in a rhythm that sounds almost triumphant.
The door closes behind her, and Theo and I look at each other. I can see him processing. I can see him trying to figure out what I’m thinking, what I need from him in this moment.
“That was a surprise,” I say finally, breaking the silence because someone has to.
“I know.” He leans back against the bar like he needs the support, running a hand through his hair. “She just showed up. Didn’t tell me she was coming, didn’t text or call. Just walked in while I was doing paperwork and said she wanted to talk.”
“What were you talking about?” I ask, keeping my voice casual even though my heart is beating faster than it should be. Even though I can still see the image of them sitting close together at that bar, Victoria’s hand on his arm, their faces serious and intent. “When I walked in, it looked intense.”
Theo sighs, and I watch him gather his thoughts, organize them into something he can explain. “A lot of things,” he says after a moment. “She apologized for being mean to you at pickup, which you just heard.” He pauses. “She also talked about wanting to change and be a better mom to Chloe. And like she said, she’s seriously considering moving back to the area.”
“That’s huge,” I say, and the words feel hollow in my mouth.
“She even apologized for the affair,” Theo adds, and there’s something in his voice I can’t quite identify. “The first time she’s ever acknowledged that what she did was wrong. She said she regrets that she walked away from me and Chloe. That the grass wasn’t greener I guess. She’s thinking of leaving Derek, so I think she’s just feeling remorseful after maybe getting out of his influence.”
I nod, processing this information slowly, turning it over in my mind. Victoria apologizing for the affair and admitting she was wrong, wanting to move back and be a real mother to Chloe. Victoria maybe—definitely—still has feelings for Theo.
That last thought lodges in my chest like a splinter, sharp and impossible to ignore. The way she looked at him tonight. The way her hand lingered on his arm. If she talked about what she threw away, she wasn’t just talking about Chloe. She was talking about him too, and the life they could have had if she hadn’t left.
And now she wants it back.Andshe’s about to be single.
I swallow hard, trying to push the thought away, trying to be rational about this. Victoria made her choice. She left Theo for another man, broke his heart, and abandoned their daughter. You don’t get to undo that kind of damage with one tearful apology in an empty restaurant. You don’t get to waltz back in and reclaim what you threw away just because you’ve realized the grass wasn’t greener.
“What do you think about it?” I ask, needing to know where his head is. “Do you believe her?”
Theo is quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed in that way he gets when he’s really thinking something through, not just giving a surface answer. “Honestly? I don’t know,” he says finally. “Part of me wants to believe her. If she’s serious, if she actually follows through, it would be great for Chloe. Having her mom around more. Feeling like Victoria actually wants to be part of her life instead of just going through the motions of visitation.” He shakes his head slowly. “But I’ll believe it when I see it. When she actually shows up consistently for more than a few weeks.”
“But she seemed genuine tonight,” I say, and I hate that I’m the one pointing this out. Hate that I’m making the case for Victoria’s sincerity when every instinct in my body wants to dismiss her as a flake who’ll never change. “I think she might mean it.”
“Maybe,” Theo admits. “She did seem more genuine than I’ve seen her in years.” He looks at me, and there’s something searching in his expression, like he’s trying to figure out how I’m handling all of this. “But that doesn’t mean I trust it. It just means I’m willing to wait and see.”
I nod, trying to look supportive even though internally I’m unsettled in ways I can’t quite articulate, even to myself. This is good news, I tell myself. If Victoria becomes a better mother, that’s good for Chloe. If she moves back and is actually present, that’s good for Chloe. I should be happy about this. Should berooting for Victoria to change, because Chloe deserves a mother who shows up.
But I can’t shake the image of them at that bar. The way they looked like a unit even though they’ve been divorced for years. I can’t shake Victoria’s hand on Theo’s arm.
Theo’s eyes drop to the skates in my hand and the thermos I’m still clutching, and his expression shifts to curious, some of the heaviness lifting from his features. “What’s all this?” he asks, and there’s a hint of a smile forming.
I feel myself relax slightly, grateful for the change in subject, for something that has nothing to do with Victoria and everything to do with us. “This feels a little silly now, but I had a surprise planned. I ran into Calvin at the grocery store a few days ago, and he mentioned that you used to be really into hockey when you were younger. That you wanted to be a professional player.”
Theo’s eyebrows rise with surprise. “He told you about that?”
“He did,” I confirm. “He said you used to live on the ice. So I found this little outdoor rink about twenty minutes from here that stays open until midnight.” I hold up the thermos. “I made mulled wine from that Solstice House Zinfandel. Figured after the week you’ve had, you deserved something fun.”
Theo stares at me for a moment, and then his face breaks into a wide, genuine smile, the kind that crinkles the corners of his eyes. He reaches out and pulls me closer by the waist, looking down at me with an expression so full of warmth and wonder that it almost makes me forget the unease still churning in my stomach.
Almost.
“That sounds like the best thing I’ve heard all day,” he says, his voice soft. “When do we leave?”
“Right now, if you’re done here,” I tell him, managing a smile.
“Paperwork can wait until tomorrow.” He’s already movingtoward the kitchen, energy restored. “Let me tell Alex I’m heading out and grab my coat.”
Then he’s gone, and I’m standing alone in the quiet restaurant, holding my skates and my thermos and trying to feel as happy as I should feel. We’re about to have a romantic adventure under the stars, exactly what I planned, exactly what I wanted.
So why can’t I shake the unease that’s settled into my bones?
The ice rink is perfect, even more magical than the photos suggested. It’s small and intimate, nestled into a clearing surrounded by towering trees, the ice gleaming under strings of white lights that crisscross overhead like a canopy of fallen stars.
