Chapter Twenty-Three
“So, how does it feel?”
Amy lifted the mug up to her lips and took a long sip of her scalding hot black coffee. Although it burned the tip of her tongue, she lingered over it and tilted her head back to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her face.
Overhead, white clouds rolled by, and a flock of birds called out to each other. When she lowered her head and looked over at Lily, she gave her stepdaughter a bright smile.
It felt strange to be sitting across from Lily, knowing the two of them were no longer bound by Amy’s marriage to Eric. As of a few hours ago, having mailed the paperwork to her lawyer to go over, Amy was no longer a married woman. As she sat in the outdoor section of Decadent Treats, Amy’s mind spun with all of the endless possibilities and everything she had to look forward to now that she was free.
The thought sent a quiet thrill to her as she continued to sit there, mulling over her words.
Finally, she sat up straighter and looked over Lily’s shoulders at the steady line of customers and the throngs of people filling up the booths inside Emily’s bakery. When she glanced back ather stepdaughter, Lily was peering at Amy intently, a furrow between her brows.
“I’m not sure if I can put it into words,” Amy admitted with a slight shake of her head. “It’s like I’m taking my breath for the first time in a long time.”
Some of the shadows cleared away, and Lily smiled, the first genuine smile she’d given Amy since showing up at Ashley’s doorstep an hour ago. “I’m glad you don’t have any regrets. You’ve been so quiet… I was worried.”
Amy reached across the table and took both of Lily’s hands in hers. “No matter what happens next, you will always be my daughter. I don’t need to be married to your father for us to remain family.”
Lily’s smile grew wider, and her cheeks turned red. “Oh, I know that already. You don’t need to tell me that.”
“When you stopped calling me Mom, I know it’s out of respect for Kelly, but I just wanted you to know that nothing has changed for me,” Amy added with a smile. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me.”
Lily’s flush deepened. “I’m happy I was able to help, but we’re not done yet.”
Amy released Lily’s hands and smiled. “After breakfast, I was thinking we could walk around and look at some properties that are for sale.”
“In Falmouth?”
“Or in Provincetown,” Amy added hastily. “I want to be as close to you as possible. I don’t mind living in either of them.”
Lily laughed and picked up her own drink. “I don’t mind either. As long as you’re happy and healthy, that’s all that matters to me. Do you have addresses for the places you want to look at?”
“Yes, a few of them are nearby.” Amy tucked a lock of hair behind her ears and leaned back in her seat. “How would youfeel about coming with me to look at them? There’s one in particular I really like.”
Lily nodded a little too eagerly.
The two women lingered over coffee and croissants. When they were finished, Lily insisted on picking up the check, waving Amy’s protests away. Then, arm in arm, the two of them walked off, with Amy feeling lighter than she had in years. She had a spring in her step as they wandered through the busy streets of Falmouth, past groups of people in suits and ties. A few blocks away from the bakery, Amy steered them right onto a less crowded and residential street.
Their surroundings blurred together as the two of them chatted about anything and everything they could think of. Slowly, Amy came to a stop outside of a cottage nestled in between rows of Victorian-style houses. It was two floors with a small garden and a gabled roof with a chimney in the center. After peeking at the for-sale sign, Amy unlocked the wrought iron gate and stepped through and onto the cobblestoned path leading through the center of the garden.
On the front porch, she paused and glanced over at Lily.
The doorbell rang, and Amy heard the shuffle of feet. Then the door opened, revealing a woman in flats and a pressed suit with silver in her blond hair. She welcomed them both with a smile and a wave, her hands gesturing wildly the entire time. The bottom floor had two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, an open-floor kitchen overlooking a small but cozy living room, and a sliding glass door that led into a lush-looking backyard.
Upstairs, there were two more rooms, connected by a single bathroom, each with its own balcony. The real estate agent kept up a steady stream of conversation the entire time, pausing when she led them downstairs to indicate the reading nook hidden in the back of the cottage near the back door.
Amy was in disbelief the entire time, like she was watching the entire thing happen to someone else. By the time the real estate agent led them back to the living room, Amy was buzzing with excitement. She offered the agent a small smile and waited till she was far enough away to turn to Lily, who was still studying the area intently. Together, the two of them stepped out into the backyard, and Amy tilted her head back to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her face.
“It’s a beautiful place,” Lily said, a smile in her voice. “I think it suits you. It’s big but not too big.”
And thanks to Eric’s eagerness to silence her, she now had a generous amount of money.
Enough to buy the cottage and leave some aside for a rainy day.
It was more money than Amy knew what to do with, and she already had several good uses for it. Not only had her lawyer redrafted the NDA to include a clause that allowed Amy to discuss her personal life with her family and friends, but Kate had also made sure to indicate there was no interest in outing Eric to the press.
Law enforcement, on the other hand, was another matter, and Amy refused to be complicit.
