Hey, just wanted to see how you’re doing. Thought maybe we could take Trixie and Oscar for a walk after dinner if you’re free?
A warmth spread through her chest. Typing back, she wrote,Hi Liam, that sounds nice. Let me get back to you in a few minutes?
No rush,he replied. Take your time Just thinking of you.
Chloe smiled at his thoughtfulness. Maybe Kathleen was right—she didn’t have to face this alone.
Liam and Chloestrolled along the path surrounding Flathead Lake. Oscar was ahead of them, throwing a stick for Trixie to fetch. Normally, Chloe would enjoy the excited laughter coming from her son, but today it looked as though her mind was somewhere else.
“It’s a beautiful evening, isn’t it?” Liam asked her.
Chloe sent him a small smile. “Sapphire Bay is gorgeous in the fall.”
He studied her face, hoping he hadn’t put the distant look in her eyes. “You seem a little preoccupied. Is everything okay?”
She hesitated, then sighed. “I guess I haven’t been very good at hiding it, have I?”
“Not really,” he said gently. “Is it about the messages you got earlier?”
Chloe watched Oscar and Trixie play along the shore. “The texts were from Paul—my ex-husband. He wants to see Oscar.”
Liam frowned. “Was that unexpected?”
She nodded. “I haven’t heard from him since our divorce was finalized. Now, out of the blue, he wants to spend time with Oscar.”
“How do you feel about that?” he asked carefully.
Chloe took a deep breath. “Anxious. Worried. There’s a lot about Paul that you don’t know.”
“Would it help if you told me?”
Chloe nodded and bit her bottom lip. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke. “When I first met Paul, he was charming, ambitious, and full of life. We got married and, for a while, things were good. But then he changed. He’d come home late and he became secretive. After a while, I realized money wasdisappearing from our bank accounts. When I asked him where it had gone, he always had a convoluted story that made enough sense for me not to worry.”
Chloe buried her hands in her jacket and looked away from him. When her gaze returned to Liam’s, there was a deep sadness in her eyes that he’d never seen before.
“I discovered Paul had a gambling addiction,” she continued quietly. “He was spending all our savings, accumulating debts. I tried to help him. I found a community support group and a counselor, but he refused to admit he had a problem.” She swallowed hard. “And then I found out he was having affairs. Multiple ones. It felt like my entire world was falling apart.”
Liam’s heart sank. “I’m so sorry. That must have been terrible.”
“It was,” she admitted, her voice tinged with lingering hurt. “Paul and I were constantly arguing. I asked him to get help, but he didn’t want to. In the end, I left and moved to Sapphire Bay. I’ve worked hard to build a stable, happy life for Oscar. But now, with Paul reaching out, I’m scared he’ll try to take Oscar away from me.”
“Have you spoken to a lawyer?” Liam asked.
“Not yet,” she replied. “I spoke to my friend Kathleen, and she asked the same thing.”
He nodded. “Knowing your legal standing might make your next steps easier.”
“I think so, too.” Chloe sighed. “Thanks for listening. My life has become a lot more complicated, and I didn’t want to burden you with any of this.”
“It’s not a burden,” he assured her. “I care about you and Oscar.”
Her eyes softened. “I wasn’t sure if I should tell you, but I’m glad I did.”
He smiled gently. “I’m glad you realized you can trust me.”
Just then, Oscar ran up to them, Trixie trotting happily beside him. “Mom! Liam! Look at this rock I found!”
Chloe kneeled in front of her son, admiring the small, bright blue rock in his hand. “It’s so pretty.”
