Why did a small part of me like that Lisa wasn’t a member of the group? That there was something involving this family that I could claim as my own, that she hadn’t done first? Did that make me a bad person? It was childish of me to feel that way, but I did. There was no denying it.
“I enjoyed myself. They’re a very sweet group of women.”
Aiden stared at me; his blue eyes locked on mine.
“What?” I asked, looking down to make sure I didn’t have anything on me.
“Nothing. It’s just that you’re a breath of fresh air, Emma.”
My chest panged with an unfamiliar feeling.
“Emma! Are you going with us? Please say you are!”
Diverting my eyes from Aiden to Hadley, I asked, “Where are you going?”
“Daddy and I are going for a hike before the snow comes and we can’t go no more. Please come!Please! He said you wanted to come.”
Before I had a chance to respond, Aiden said, “You mentioned you wanted to last night. Come with us. Let us show you our favorite trail.”
Chewing on my lip, I asked, “Are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt your time together.”
“Positive. Go change into some jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. Bring a jacket also,” Aiden said.
Excitement filled every part of my body. I’d been longing to go for a hike since moving here but didn’t feel comfortable going alone. “I’ll be right back,” I said in a voice that was probably a little too excited.
Hadley jumped and yelled, “Yay!”
“We’ll pack up and meet you at my truck.”
“Okay, it won’t take me long,” I called out as I raced up to my place, more excited than I’d been in a long time.
Part of me wasn’t sure if it was because of the hike, or the company. Another part of me knew the answer though.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
AIDEN
OUR PARK
Hadley and Emma giggled like two little girls as they explored. I was as conflicted as ever with my feelings as I watched the two of them. I knew Hadley loved having Emma in her life, and I knew it was important to have a female figure for her. She had my mother, of course, and Tammy. But the connection she was making with Emma was very different. Emma showered Hadley with the type of attention she needed.
Lisa had been an amazing mother until near the end, when she took out her fear and anger over the cancer on me and, sadly, sometimes Hadley. Still, even before the separation and her cancer, though she indulged our daughter, she wasn’t the adventurous type. She never went hiking or camping with us. The only outdoor activity she ever agreed to attend was a zoo or carnival.
Hadley was like me, she loved being outdoors. Loved going on wild adventures and could sit for hours waiting to see a moose walk out from the tree line to the water.
“You’ve seen a moose?” Emma asked, almost as if she’d read my mind.
“Yep! Daddy and I saw one together. You have to really look hard. They were indoduced back to the park.”
“Indoduced?” Emma asked, peeking over to me.
“Introduced.”
“Ahh,” she said, walking along next to Hadley. Their hands were interlocked, and Emma swung them just the slightest bit.
“We’re almost there! We’re almost there!” Hadley cried out.
“Well, we won’t see anything with how loud you’re being, young lady,” I warned.
