Not until Dean Dawson steps out of the bakery behind him, carrying a newborn in his arms.
“Dean and Archer,” I say, looking from one to the other. I should have known I would run into a Dawson sooner or later. Part of my hesitation over going out was in fear of seeing a particular Dawson brother…one who broke my heart into a million pieces years ago. My stomach gets all fluttery, and my throat tightens.
What if Owen is with them and he walks through those doors next?
“Charlie,” Dean exclaims, shifting the sleeping baby against his chest. “Is that you?”
“In the flesh.” I smile down at the little girl. Dean is several years older than Owen, and Archer became an honorary Dawson family member during their time in college. I’m not surprised to see them still together. “How are you?”
“Good,” Dean answers and gently rocks the baby, who’s starting to stir. “We’re good. Arch, you remember Charlie Williams?”
“Yeah, I do.” Archer holds the toddler against his hip with one arm. “It’s been a while.”
I nod. “It has. You guys look good, though, and have a cute family.”
Dean turns to Archer, brows furrowing. “We’re not…wait, what?” Dean mumbles.
“These aren’t your children?”
Archer’s eyes go wide and then he laughs. “We do make a handsome couple.”
“Oh my God.” My hand flies to my mouth, trying to remove the metaphorical foot. Though, really, it wouldn’t have surprised me. Logan and Owen used to tease the hell out of Dean and Archer about being best buds with benefits all the time.
Dean shakes his head, narrowing his eyes. “This jackass married Quinn. These are their kids.”
Now it’s time for my eyes to go wide. “Really?” Quinn was still in college when I left. The last Dawson news I saw over social media was a picture of her graduation from MIT. All four of her brothers were in that picture with her, and after that, I did everything I could to avoid seeing that annoyingly perfect family again.
I couldn’t risk seeing Owen, not knowing what that would do to me. My heart was so fragile I didn’t think I could handle it.
But then I met Todd…and we all know how that turned out.
“Yeah,” Archer says with a smile. “Our anniversary is coming up next week, actually.”
“Congrats. Oh, this is my sister, Carly. I think you met her many years ago. Carly, this is Dean and Archer.”
“I know who they are, sis.”
“Right. Small town. I almost forgot.”
“That and Dean’s our contractor for our new house.” Carly brings her arms in close to her body, getting excited just thinking about building. “We’re putting our house on the market tomorrow,” she tells him. “I can’t wait!” She turns to me. “I’m going to go in and grab some cookies for the kids.” Without another word, she goes inside, leaving me to catch up with Dean and Archer.
“So you’re back for a visit?” Dean asks.
“Kind of.” Fuck. This is the part I was dreading. “You’re working with your dad now?” I ask, hoping to deflect all conversation about myself.
Dean nods. “Yep. Things have really expanded over the years. Are you still doing the lawyer thing?”
That’s another kind of answer I don’t want to give, dammit. “Yep. How’s Quinn? What’s she been up to other than having the cutest kids?”
“She does something with computers I don’t understand,” Archer laughs. “She started her own company with some friends a few years ago.”
I look into the store, wanting Carly to get her ass back out here now. This conversation is going to go from small talk to awkward in three seconds flat.
“Oh wow, that’s awesome. You were in med school the last time I saw you.”
Archer nods. “It took a lifetime, but I’m finally done. I’m a surgeon now.”
Dean rolls his eyes. “He loves telling people that.”
“Don’t be jealous,” Archer shoots back. “But I do like it when you call me Dr. Jones.”
“You two could really pass for a couple,” I laugh and look into the store again. “Well, I don’t want to keep you guys. Looks like you have a cupcake to eat,” I say to Emma. Her eyes light up and she nods.
“I eat cupcake!” she jabbers.
“That does look good. Maybe I should get one.”
“You should,” Dean urges. “Everything in there is good. Logan’s wife runs it.”
Part of being a good lawyer is keeping my own expression neutral, not wanting to upset, give away info, or lead anyone on. But there’s no stopping my eyebrows from hiking up and the slight rush of blood to my head.
If Logan settled down and got married, does that mean…Nope. I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
Because Owen broke my heart years ago, and I swore back then that I’d never make that mistake again.Chapter 4CharlieI swallow hard, pushing my heart back down into my chest. I’m still getting over a betrayal so deep it cut right down to my heart. Owen needs to be the farthest thing from my mind.