And Lacey’s heart was struggling to keep up a happy beat. She rubbed her arms up and down, even though there wasn’t a chill in the air. She’d lost count of how many times she’d wanted to call him, to tell him she was wrong, and she wanted him in her life no matter what his past was.
But was that true?
She cared for him. And she adored the way he was with Bridger. He’d done nothing but show her that he was a good man. And yet she couldn’t shake the fear that gripped her throat. It closed off her airways to the point of leaving her breathless.
Just thinking about being caught spending time with him sent her back to a time when she’d been a teenager—when she’d sat in front of her parents and told them about the biggest mistake of her life.
Tears prickled behind her eyes. At the time, she’d been distraught. One mistake. One night with her boyfriend had turned her life upside down. Lacey pressed her lashes together and turned away from Bridger so he wouldn’t notice her mood.
How could she say that night was the biggest mistake of her life when it had given her Bridger? He was the light in the darkness and the person that made her want to keep moving forward. Every choice she’d made after having him had been to ensure he would have everything he needed.
Up until a few weeks ago, she’d been perfectly content to live her life in such a way that prioritized him above all else.
Mack’s face flashed in her mind, and her heart lurched.
Up until a few weeks ago, she hadn’t wanted to be selfish.
His smile sent her stomach reeling and her pulse racing.
Up until a few weeks ago, she hadn’t realized that she was ready to find love.
The first hot tear slid down her cheek, dragging against her skin and making it itch. Walking away from Mack had been more devastating than she could have ever prepared herself for. How on earth had she allowed him to get past her defenses so quickly?
“Mom?”
She stiffened and brushed at the tear on her cheek. “Yes, sweetie?”
“Is Mack coming over today?”
Lacey turned and faced her son, not surprised in the least that he was staring up at her with his bright, curious eyes. She didn’t miss the hope that shined there, and it made her whole body ache. Already, she knew he would be disappointed when she told him the answer.
There would be no avoiding this question. She had to tell him the truth, otherwise he’d keep asking.
Slowly, she moved toward him, tugged only by the desire to protect him. Rip off the Band-Aid. That was what she needed to do. She needed to make sure Bridger knew he was loved and that sometimes things didn’t work out the way he wanted them to.
Lacey swallowed back the emotion that threatened to overflow yet again.
“Honey, Mack… well, he’s not going to be coming around anymore.”
Bridger’s brows creased, and he frowned. “Why?”
That was the question she’d dreaded answering. Simply telling him that she’d told Mack to stay away would only bring on more questions. And yet she couldn’t think of any other way to phrase it that wouldn’t be an outright lie.
The words tasted bitter on her tongue. “Mack isn’t coming around anymore because…” She swallowed hard. Maybe she could try a different route. She feathered her fingers through his hair then pulled him close. “Do you remember when you got in a fight with Jonny at school?”
Bridger’s frown deepened.
“And Jonny wanted to play with Calvin instead?” It wasn’t a perfect analogy, but it would have to do. Even though Mack thought he wasn’t going to move on, he would eventually. The thought broke her heart more than she cared to admit, and she tugged Bridger onto her lap so she didn’t have to look him in the eye. “It’s sorta like that.”
Her son squirmed in her lap. “Mack doesn’t like us anymore?”
Lacey grimaced. “Of course he does. He just… he’s going to spend time with other people.”
“That doesn’t make sense. I didn’t hear you guys fight.”
She flinched.
He shifted in her lap and turned so he could look her in the eye. “If you guys got in a fight, then you just need to say sorry and fix it.”
