My baby was home, and I didn’t want to ever let her go. I was already dreading the day in two weeks when I’d have to take her back to school. But untilthen, I was going to make the most of every minute with her.
Billie had only been home for three days, and we’d already crammed so much in. Shopping at the mall to buy a new dress, meeting James’ new wife—his sudden nuptials had come as ahugesurprise—baking cookies and cakes, and my favorite, cuddled up on the couch as we binge-watchedDisneyfilms.
Our time together had been madeevenbetter when Alec announced he’d be away for work for a few days. Lingering in the back of my mind was Jackson, though. He’d been suspiciously quiet since the night he’d snuck into my bedroom, and I was certain he was biding his time.
I only hoped he’d wait until Billie had gone back to school before he started playing his twisted games with me again.
“Have you got your toothbrush?”I said, sliding my gaze from the road to Billie, knowing she was going through a phase of not wanting to brush her teeth.
“Yes, Mom,”she drawled, rolling her eyes.
God, I loved the sassy attitude she was developing. There was a time when I thought I’d never see my daughter reach her tenth birthday, let alone see the confident little girl she was turning into.
I may have hated my father’s secret society and everything it stood for, but it was because of LegionthatBillie was still here today, happy and healthy.
I grinned at her.“Good. You don’t want your teeth to fall out.”
“Mom, come on,”she huffed.“You and I both know my teeth won’t fall out if I forget to brush them once.”
Turning off the main road, I pulled the car to a stop outside the Kents’ house, hoping, like I had the entire way here,thatBillie would change her mind and decide shedidn’twant to have a sleepover at her friend's house.
I hadn’t wanted her to stay away overnight, needing to spend as much time with my daughter as possible. But she’d begged me to let her go, and I could never say no to Billie, especially as Lucy was her best friend, and the sleepover was in aid of her birthday.
We’d met Lucy and her mom, Megan, at a parent-toddler group. Megan and I didn’t have much in common, other than we were both teenage moms and were judged by the other moms at the group for having kids so young. As the girls had grown up, we’d been on numerous playdates, andeventhough Megan and I weren’t exactly friends, we stayed in touch for the sake of the girls.
“They might do, you never know,”I replied, twisting to face her once I’d killed the engine.“Are you sure you want to stay for the night?”
I’d lost count the amount of times I’d asked herthatin the last few days. The last time she had a sleepover at Lucy’s, Megan had phoned me in the middle of the night, asking me to collect Billie because she wouldn’t stop crying for me. Granted,thathad been two years ago.
The front door to the Kents’ house opened, and the second Billie’s eyes found her friends, an enormous smile lit up her face. Any chance of getting her to change her mind and drive her home so we could spend the night eating cookie dough while we snuggled under a blanket was long gone.
“Yes, Mom. I’m sure,”Billie said, her tone laced with excitement.“Besides, you’re having an evening with your friends.”
“I know, but I’d rather spend the night with you.”And I would. For once, I didn’t want to be around Donna, Ava, and Michelle. A flash of uncertainty washed over Billie’s face, and a pang of guilt hit me. I was being selfish. Reaching into the back seat, I grabbed her bag.“Okay, fine. We’ll hang with our friends tonight, but tomorrow, cookie dough and movies. Deal?”
She beamed at me.“Deal.”
Kissing her on the forehead, I swallowed the painful knot of emotions clogging my throat.“Go have fun. I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
Getting out of the car, Billie skipped to greet Lucy at the front door, disappearing inside without a backward glance.
“Are you sure you don’t want a glass, Kier?”Donna asked, waving the wine bottle in front of me. “You know you can stay here the night so you don’t have to drive home.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted. I hadn’t had a drop of alcohol since Billie had returned home from school, and I was desperate for the buzzthatalways came with drinking my body weight in wine.
“No, I best not in case Billie wants to come home,”I replied, reminding myselfthatI needed to be available if Billie got upset again.
Ava nudged my hip.“Party pooper.”
I gave her a small smile as we slid onto the stools around Donna’s kitchen island, a spread of snacks in front of us. For the umpteenth time, I checked my phone, my shoulders slumping when there was no message from Megan asking me to collect Billie.
“So, who wants to hear what happened at the last party I went to?”Donna asked, waggling her brows.
“I do, I do,”Michelle squealed, bouncing in her seat.
Before Donna could launch into her latest saga, the phone I carried everywhere with me under Jackson’s orders vibrated in my front pocket. A ten-ton weight landed in my stomach at knowing who hadjustmessaged.
“Uh, actually, Ijustneed to visit the bathroom,”I said, bolting out of the room before they could stop me.
