THIRTY-ONE
1959 Chevy Bel Air
One year later
It’s a surprise
“Okay,” Sam said, smiling as soon as Ethan sat down in the booth at Texas Roadhouse. “Everybody’s here.”
“Yeah, sorry. My girlfriend wanted to FaceTime.”
“You’re leaving for school tomorrow,” Will said from his position right next to Ethan, across the booth from Samantha. “You’re going to see her then. Maybe prioritize spending a little bit of time with your family.”
“Dad…”
“What? You’re going to see her tomorrow.”
“He’s in love,” Chloe said pragmatically.
Sam and Will exchanged a look, and then she looked at Logan, who was sitting next to her.
“I didn’t know you were a romantic, Chloe,” said Will.
“When it suits me,” she said, smiling at Ethan.
They didn’t do this all the time. Though it was becoming less weird.
The kids had taken the news… Well, it was a mixed bag. Aiden had made jokes. (“Who’s getting custody?”) Jude had been moody and then later had called Sam and been angry. Then called again and apologized that he was the reason they’d had to get married in the first place. Her poor oldest.
Ethan had been surprisingly okay.
All the kids had been home off and on throughout the summer, and she and Will had done their absolute best to make it so they both got as much time with the kids as possible. And sometimes it was just easier for everyone to get together. And with Chloe and Ethan and Aiden headed back to school tomorrow, it seemed like a fair enough idea for them to all get together over steak and rolls.
Right where it had started a year and a summer ago.
Will picked his phone up off the table and looked at a message, and smiled.
Maybe it was a girlfriend. She sort of hoped it was.
But he was on his own journey, and he had to figure out what happiness looked like for him. She couldn’t do it for him.
Though there hadn’t been anyone serious in his life since the divorce. Maybe he would get there. But he didn’t seem in a huge hurry to jump into a relationship.
Sam rubbed her thumb over her engagement ring.
She and Logan had decided to wait for a while before they actually made it legal. Create some space between her and Will’s divorce. Give the kids time.
They’d both been certain but this wasn’t only about them. It was about everyone they loved.
Even Will.
He was Logan’s friend. He was the father of her children.
She’d loved him for a long time, and healing the rift between them had mattered to her.
Chloe had been weirded out for about five seconds, and then had been ecstatic. But for her, it wasn’t a loss. It was just solidifying a relationship they already had.
The boys had struggled with it a little bit. Jude had been philosophical (life happens). Ethan had more questions about the timeline between her and Logan than she liked, but she’d answered them. Aiden hadn’t struggled with anythingshe’ddone. He’d been angry at his father. He still was sometimes.
