Oscar tugged on Liam’s hand. “Can we buy Trixie this cookie?”
He smiled at the bone-shaped treat that was the size of Oscar’s hand. “Trixie will love it. Why don’t you choose another one and I’ll put it away for a special occasion.”
Oscar grinned and raced back to the cookies, carefully selecting another one.
Chloe sighed. “Oscar’s had a great day, thanks to you. I’m sorry my mind was elsewhere for most of the day.”
“That’s all right. I’ve enjoyed today as well,” he replied sincerely. “If you need anything?—”
She gave him a small, appreciative smile. “I know. Thank you.”
Oscar arrived back and handed Liam a heart-shaped cookie. “Trixie will like this one, too.”
“I’m sure she will.” As Liam watched them leave, he hoped that whatever was troubling Chloe wasn’t too serious. He cared about her more than he’d expected, and that created other complications that he wasn’t ready to think about.
CHAPTER 6
Chloe stoodon her veranda as Oscar walked back to Owen and Harper’s house with them. Oscar was clutching his favorite dinosaur toy, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside Chloe. When he turned and waved at her, she forced a smile and waved back. Once her neighbor’s front door closed, her smile faded, replaced by a mask of worry she couldn’t shake off.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself. The text from her ex-husband had thrown her off balance.
“We should talk. I need to see Oscar. It’s been too long.”
The words looped in her mind, each repetition tightening the knot in her stomach. She knew this day might come, but she’d hoped it wouldn’t be so soon—or ever.
Pulling her jacket tighter around herself, Chloe headed down the street to The Lakeview Café. She needed to talk to someone who knew about her past. Someone who’d rebuilt her own life after her world had collapsed.
Kathleen would understand how she was feeling and know what she should do next. She’d been married for more than thirty years to a man she adored. When he’d passed away unexpectedly, Kathleen had rebuilt her life and found a new kind of normal—a lot like Chloe and Oscar had done.
The cool air nipped at her cheeks, and the vibrant leaves crunching underfoot reminded Chloe of the changes in her life—some welcome, others not.
By the time she arrived at the café, she’d almost talked herself out of going inside. Even though it was nearly closing time, Kathleen had a lot of things to do. It wasn’t fair taking up her time and expecting her to have the answers to Chloe’s problems.
The bell above the café door jingled as Kathleen opened the door. “I thought I saw you on the sidewalk, Chloe. Is everything okay?”
“Not really, but I’ll be all right.”
Kathleen frowned. “You wouldn’t be standing here if everything was all right. Come in.”
Chloe let go of the breath she was holding and followed her friend inside. The familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee tickled her nose and reminded her of her mom’s kitchen.
Kathleen took some menus off an empty table and sent Chloe a searching look. “Is Oscar okay?”
“He’s fine.” She attempted a smile, but it faltered. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
“Of course, I do. Our last customers aren’t in a hurry to leave. While I’m grabbing us some coffee, find a seat and I’ll be there soon.”
Chloe wove through the tables to a corner booth, away from the other people in the café.
When Kathleen joined her, she sat opposite Chloe. “What’s going on?” she asked gently.
Chloe’s fingers nervously traced the rim of the coffee mug Kathleen had placed in front of her. “Paul sent me a text today.”
Kathleen’s eyes widened. “What did it say?”
“He wants to see Oscar,” Chloe replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “He says it’s been too long and that we need to talk.”
Kathleen reached across the table and placed a reassuring hand over Chloe’s. “How do you feel about that?”
