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Rush chuckled "I know the feeling Cos"

I clie Rover, and we headed into the house The srowl I hadn’t eaten all day, and I hadn’t been sure I’d be able to stoh the delicious shts

"Aunt Nan!" Nate called out with pure joy in his voice as he ran toward rown three inches since I’d seen him last That made me sad He wasn’t a baby anymore He didn’t smell like a baby but like a sweaty little boy I bent down and wrapped hiot t crabs today!" he toldto turn into a crab farorously, like that was the best idea he’d ever heard "Yeah!" he agreed

Giggling, I kissed his forehead "I rin so much like his father’s "I missed you, too"

"I missed you more," I told him

"I missed you to the , I squeezed hiot fish to eat," he informed me "And mac and cheese"

"Momma caved andamused

"Yeah I like it better than that spinch stuff" He replied with a wrinkle in his s some of that ‘spinch’ stuff," Blaire said as she walked into the roo at her son Then she aze, and her slad you’ve co about you You’ve been missed"

Not one word she said sounded forced or fake Blaire was genuine She had a huge heart, and she forgave without fault I understood why lad he’d fallen in love with a woonna make you eat the spinch stuff, too," Nate warned ood I hadn’t felt like laughing today, and I’d been sure it would be a while before I laughed again Being near Nate tonight was exactly what I needed I could forget my failures and inadequacies I wished I could say I could forget Gannon, but I kneouldn’t be able to do that anyti time

"How about you and I both eat the ‘spinch,’ and then I’ll take you for ice cream if Mom and Dad say it’s OK"

Nate’s eyes lit up, and he beamed at htly

I glanced up at Blaire to see if I was in trouble, but her set it, and a part ofI’d never be She had a life I’d never know My nephew and niece would be the only kids to show me unconditional love My chest ached, but I pushed those thoughts away Feeling sorry for myself was pointless I knew that already

Major

The dozen red roses in my hand had cost more than one hundred dollars I hadn’t counted them as an expense, because I didn’t want this to feel like part of y was real Even if she didn’t know the difference between enuine, I did That mattered

Her car pulled into the driveway, and I stood on the front step I’d been sitting on I knew the lasses on, I could feel the heat frolare She didn’t want me here Even after Cope had hurt her, she wasn’t ready to coive me But I would fix that

She sat for a an to wonder if she would back out and leave without a word I hoped the massive bouquet in my hands would persuade her to step out and at least talk toshe could see h, and she slipped off her sunglasses and opened her car door Success Now for the next part of my plan

She sashayed up to the steps with an annoyed look in her eyes, and I alhty look I’d missed a lot about Nan She entertained me, and even when she was at her bitchiest, she had this soft spot underneath that not limpse of I was lucky She’d let lancing at the roses in my hand

I held thenored them completely and rolled her eyes at"I don’t want daies I don’t want you sitting on ain Ever"

Ouch I hadn’t been prepared for angry Nan "You said we could be friends What happened to that? Doesn’t thatme?"

She held up a hand to stop h "Stop it, please You don’t want to be friends You’ve made that clear But I don’t want to hear your pathetic bullshit You want me because you think you can’t have me When I was yours to take, you treated me as an option I was there when you were bored I was there when you wanted co that I wanted you That I waited for your calls That I was there when you crooked your finger my way You loved that I was enthralled by your pretty face and your charm It was easy for you, and I was easy for you But I’ nothing by not having it I’m free of the pull you had on h I do not want you, Major Colt This flower shit isn’t what friends do Call me next time, don’t just stop by"