“Darcy tells me that you were in your third year of college before you came back to Brooklyn.” Her wide smile and British accent have my daughter enraptured.
At the mention of college, thoughts of Clara pop into my head. It’s been weeks since we last spoke, and while I’ve always considered her to be my closest friend, it’s clear that our wildly different lives are pulling us apart. It feels like every friendship I’ve ever made doesn’t last, and I’m tired of making temporary connections.
I gaze around the room and pray that the women in here will end that disheartening cycle.
“I was,” I reply quietly, separate conversations going on around us. “Until I dropped out of college when Blake’s dad decided he couldn’t cope with the responsibility of being a father.”
There’s nothing but understanding in Felicity’s emerald eyes. “I had Darcy and Jack when I was still in college. My dream was to be a lawyer at the time.”
Joining the conversation, Kate reaches around me, squeezing her friend’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “And here we both are—in our forties and about to start up our own law practice.”
My head darts between them both. “Seriously? That’s incredible.”
Felicity smiles warmly at her new business partner. “I never thought that I’d make it as a lawyer, never mind own a practice with my best friend. One more week, and we’ll be opening our doors to clients.”
Kate couldn’t look any prouder. “We’re about to show our husbands what running a business really looks like.” Leaning forward, she snags a breadstick from a pot in the center of the table. “Give it a few years, and we’ll be opening offices all over the country.”
When Blake starts mouthing, I quickly reach into her diaper bag set by my feet, pulling out a bottle and popping the cap.
She immediately begins feeding, and all I can think about is Emmett—half naked in my kitchen with my milk-drunk daughter in his arms.
“Which area of law were you hoping to specialize in, Billie?” Kate asks, loving eyes dropping to my daughter.
My sadness remerges, but it’s quickly strangled by a growing sense of mom guilt for feeling anything other than grateful to have Blake. “Being a defense attorney was the dream.”
“Isthe dream.” Felicity nudges my shoulder with hers. “Dreams never disappear, not unless you decide that you want something else.” She picks up a bottle of Pinot and offers to fill my glass.
“Sure,” I reply, more memories of Emmett and my twenty-first birthday resurfacing, along with lavender bath salts and fluffy socks.
“Maybe, one day, the dream will happen,” I ruminate, taking a small sip and setting the glass back down on the table. “Right now, my priorities lie in getting back on my feet financially and raising Blake.”
Kate dips her head down, lowered voice to go with her secretive persona. “What’s the latest with the boy?”
It’s like whenever anyone mentions him, an automatic grinspreads across my face, no matter what mood I’m in. “He’s … doing well,” I reply, wondering how Kate knows about Emmett.
She lifts a single brow. “If you thought I hadn’t noticed the way he was looking at you after the Scorpions game, then you can’t think that I’m a very good lawyer. Boy has itbad.”
Like we’re a trio of witches, Felicity ducks her head too. “And who is this boy you speak of?”
Kate’s eyes flick to Felicity, and I give her a small nod to go ahead and tell her who he is. Half of the people around this table know what’s going on anyway, and I don’t think there’s a woman sitting here who wouldn’t take it to her grave.
It feels like that kind of friendship group.
Kate’s expression is full of excitement. “Billie and Emmett Richards have a little something between them.”
Felicity’s jaw hangs open. “He just got a divorce from Maria, right?”
Switching Blake from one arm to the next, I speak through my teeth. “And Maria is also my mom’s best friend.” I look between them both. “And my dad is Emmett’s.”
Kate sits back in her seat, and Felicity gasps.
“That’s … quite the secret to keep,” she declares, offering me a reassuring smile that it’s exactly what she’ll do. “Is it serious?”
After last week and the best night of my life, I’d definitely be more inclined to say yes. But we’ve hardly had a chance to speak or see each other between my busy life with Blake and the hockey season reaching a crescendo. The playoffs are now only days away.
“I’m not sure how to answer that,” I tell her quietly. “To say that it’s complicated doesn’t really do the whole thing justice.” I drop my eyes to a feeding Blake.
“Oh, trust me”—Kate bites off another piece of breadstick—“Emmett is serious about Billie.” She smiles victoriously. “Reallyserious.”
