Page 85 of Forbidden Desire

“Good for you, Beth. Sounds like business is good,” I say proudly.

I know how hard Beth has worked to get her flower shop up off the ground. It’s such a quaint little place. Like a little cottage in the middle of the city. It grew popular for its whimsical feel, and she landed a big wedding that has only led to more and more.She always says she can’t wait to do mine or Sadie’s wedding, as if we have any prospects for husbands.

“And you?” she asks me. “What did you and miss Josie do on your day off?”

“Oh, uh. We went to the zoo,” I say nonchalantly.

“How fun! Josie girl, did you go to the zoo with Mama?” asks Beth in her baby voice.

“Ma-coooo,” says Josie excitedly.

Beth jerks her head back in surprise. “Did she just say…”

“Ma-coooo,” repeats Josie.

I laugh nervously. My own daughter sold me out. I was planning on telling my friends after another glass of wine. Or two.

“Uh, yeah. Marco came with us,” I say, taking a sip of prosecco, focusing on the bubbles running down my throat and not at the looks my friends are giving me.

“Back up. Marco? He’s met Josie?” asks Sadie, her eyes narrowed in on me.

“Yesterday I ran into him, after I’ve carefully avoided him since everything happened. He seemed different. Maybe he is really sorry, like the card from the flowers…”

They wait for me to continue.

“So, he asked if he could meet her and I agreed. I met him at the daycare after work and you guys wouldn’t even believe it. Josie acted like she’s known him all her life. It was the strangest thing.”

“She’s just a friendly baby,” says Sadie.

“It was different. Even at dinner, she just kept smiling at him.”

“Dinner?”

“We went after work.”

“And the zoo this morning…”

I grimace slightly at the way Sadie looks at me from across the counter.

“This is exciting, Erica,” says Beth, trying to run interference in her usual positive way.

“What about the lawyer? And the custody thing? Did you change your mind?” asks Sadie.

I feel like I’m being interrogated by that lawyer right now. I put my hands up in defense. “I-I don’t know. I’m figuring it all out.”

“Why is he Mr. Nice Guy all of a sudden?”

“Maybe he’s had a change of heart,” offers Beth.

Sadie rolls her eyes. For once, I want Beth to be right and for Sadie to ease up.

“Or maybe he’s trying to butter you up, while he plans to take the one thing that means the most to you.”

“He wouldn’t do that,” I say defensively, even though I’m not so sure myself.

“Wouldn’t he?” asks Sadie, raising a judgmental eyebrow.

She kind of has a point. This is what he does in business. He says everything people want to hear, convincing them to sell their business, and then hollows it out from the inside. What if he’s doing the same thing to me?

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