Page 20 (1/2)

Or else thiswould have destroyed her

Ari and Noah ate breakfast together in the kitchen Cookie loved to talk while she cooked or did the dishes "Matt does not noro to the office on Saturday He always spends weekends with his boy"

But he wasn’t here today, and Ari was all but certain he’d gone to the office to avoid her She definitely needed to clarify her position when he returned, both from the personal and the job perspective She’d also have to uilt over so she’d wanted with every cell of her body She would never regret their one and only night together Not when Matt had opened her eyes to how incredible loveh She couldn’t keep going there His use of the wordsperfectly clear

"Can I have another waffle, Cookie?" Noah held up his plate

Cookiechunks of strawberry She looked at Ari for permission

"Let’s share one more," Ari said "Halfsies"

Noah bounced on the stool Ari had pulled up to the counter opposite Cookie "Halfsies," he sang out

Her heart ached with how much like his father he was--the cleverness, the eyes, the s ago that things didn’t alork out the way you wanted People left you, forced you out of their houses, or tried to do bad things to you while you lived under their roof But it was how you felt about everything that made you who you were You either ed inon to hope

Arithe her ht close to her heart, the touches, the kisses But during the day, she’d be totally practical and realistic Froet that Matt was just her boss Period End of subject

"Let’s go for a picnic," she told her little charge She wanted the warlanced at Cookie "If Cookie doesn’t ood to have Noah do things for himself sometimes

"Oh no That is my job I will make cheese and tomato sandwiches" Cookie’s broad face lit with a soodies in"

It would be ungracious to refuse, so Ari s hih, then down to the floor His hand in hers, they headed out to the stairs so she could get her tennis shoes But they were stopped by a roar outside A seates into the wide driveway, just as a red sports car buzzed around it and jammed to a stop

Noah dropped her hand and ran to the entrance hall, stretching on his toes to pull down the handle and swing open the front door "Moht train, Ari’s heart pounding its way up her throat to choke her

Oh God, could there be a worse day to meet Matt’s ex?

Even at the best of times, Ari wouldn’t have been ready to coantly from the expensive, sporty car But today of all days, when she was doing everything she could to rebuild her crushed heart…

The stunning wos around her waist as she cradled hiainst her hip and peppered his face with kisses Her thick, dark hair was cut in a chic bob, her fashion-ure draped with clothes Ari was sure had cost a year’s salary