Page 98 of Time for Change

“She was younger then. Maybe all the female hormones are catching up with her now.”

“Maybe.” I think back over the last three years, of Mya getting serious with Cort and getting married. The kids both love him, and neither said a cross word about him in the beginning.

I then recall the conversation Mya and I had last Friday. “You know, Mya called and told me she’s pregnant. Plus, they’re buying a new, bigger house. When she told the kids about it, she said Gianna just didn’t seem that excited.”

Caden’s eyebrows pull in confusion. “That’s weird. I thought Gi wanted another sibling.”

“We all thought so too.”

“That’s a lot of changes for one little girl to endure.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, watching him intently.

“Well, think about it, Jack. Her mom tells her she’s having a baby. She has to move from one of the only houses she’s ever known, and her dad informs them he’s in a relationship and introduces her to the new girlfriend. That might not seem like a lot to you or me, but to a child, I can imagine it’s a heavy load of change to deal with.”

All I can do is stare at my best friend. Is that part of it? Too much change in a short amount of time?

“When did you get so intuitive?” I ask, smiling for what feels like the first time since Saturday night.

He shrugs and gives me that cocky grin of his. “Well, my maturity level isn’t much older than a nine-year-old’s, so I can relate a bit.”

Chuckling, I push away from my desk and retrieve my laptop from the locked cabinet. This morning, I have to pay bills and get payroll processed for tomorrow. It’s not part of the job I enjoy, but someone has to do it, and when Caden and I bought this business, we agreed I’d do this part.

“Just give it some time, Jack. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how this all plays out.”

I nod, unable to speak. My emotions have been all over the place since she left the other night, and I don’t want to grab on to hope too hard. If it doesn’t work the way he’s insinuating, I’ll still be left devastated and without the woman I love.

That thought just plain sucks.

“All right, I better get to work. I’m heading to the travel agency. Call me if you need me,” he says, heading toward the shop to gather what he needs for the job.

I take a seat at my desk and close my eyes. Of course, the first thing I see is Stevie. Her smile and laugh. The way she looks when she’s coming on my dick.

Maybe things can be different someday, but for now, I need to keep my focus where it needs to be. On my kids. If Caden is even partially right, they have experienced a lot of change in a very short amount of time. The best thing I can do as their dad is to be there for them as they navigate the changes they’re facing.

I can definitely do that.

They’ve been my number one priority since the day they were born.

That doesn’t change now or anytime soon.

My love life takes a back seat to them.

It’s a painful realization, but it doesn’t make it any less untrue.

Keep my focus on them, and let the cards fall where they may.

Perhaps one of those cards may actually be a future with Stevie.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Stevie

“Hey, what are you doing here?” BJ asks, surprised to see me stop by the studio on Thursday afternoon.

I give her a smile I’m certain doesn’t reach my eyes. “I just got off work. Wanted to see what you were doing,” I state, hanging near the doorway of her room while she works.

“Come on in. I’m almost finished,” she informs me, returning her focus to the arm tattoo she’s shading in. “Hugh, you don’t mind if my sister watches, do you?”

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