Page 138 of Your Second Chance
Behind me, Luna barreled in. “Thank fuck the weird shit’s over with.”
“Luna.” Nova chastised her, but Luna only shrugged, tossing her white coat onto the counter in the kitchen without a care.
She held up the bottle of wine. “Hart. Is this cool?”
He nodded, then turned his attention to Scarlette and me. His expression shifted slightly, softer as he looked down at her. “Can I grab your coat?” he asked, his voice steady but polite.
I nodded, shrugging out of it and handing it to him. Scarlette was already eagerly chattering about all the gifts Santa had brought her for Christmas, her excitement infectious and uncontainable.
“I, uh, Charlie and I got you a few things under the tree. We can open them later if you want.”
Scarlette’s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically before skipping off toward the other room to examine their tree.
“Thank you—for being Santa,” he said, his tone quieter now, almost hesitant.
I shrugged, keeping my voice casual. “It was all Nova this year.”
His lips pressed into a thin line, and he looked at the floor for a moment, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, but... for all the years before.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions, but before I could form a response, Scarlette’s voice called out from the other room.
“Dad! Ollie! Come look.”
Both of us turned toward her voice, and I gestured for Austin to lead the way.
“Hey Scarlette, do you like watching your Ollie play rugby?”
“Play?” Scarlette scoffed and threw her hands on her hips. “He doesn’t play. He’s a coach, and now he’s going to be the first coach, and he told me I can tell all the boys what they’re doing wrong on the pitch.”
I couldn’t help but recognize that Austin used “your Ollie” when talking about me. It was nice and appreciated.
Austin laughed and turned to me. “I’ve never been to a rugby game before, maybe we can go see him coach in a few months.”
“And I haven’t been to a hockey game,” I admitted.
Austin laughed. “I’m sure we’ll remedy that soon, too.”
“I’m such a bad mom.” I heard Nova’s voice, so I turned, and she was rushing over to us with Charlie in tow. “I never introduced you to Scarlette.”
She leaned down and turned to Scarlette. “Scar, this is Charlie?—”
“I know, Mom,” Scarlette interrupted. “ She’s the one from the play. She’s Dad’s wife.
My heart ached as Scarlette said it again, so casually, so naturally.
Dad.
Austin seemed like a decent guy—attentive to Scarlette, trying to connect. I couldn’t fault him for that, even if it felt like a knot tightening in my chest.
Scarlette’s laughter filled the room as she tugged Austin toward the tree, her joy momentarily easing the tension. She deserved this—a chance to know where she came from, to have a connection to her biological father if it was healthy. And for all the frustration and ache I felt, I could see that Austin was trying.
I nodded to Nova and squeezed her hand briefly.We’ve got this,I told myself, even as jealousy and pride warred within me.
Charlie crouched down to Scarlette’s level, wrapping her in a warm hug. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
Scarlette beamed, soaking in the attention like she always did.
When she stood, Charlie turned to me, extending her hand with a warm smile. “I know we met on the porch, but I wanted to personally introduce myself. I’m Charlie.”
