Holly appeared beside me, smiling. “Hey.”
“Hey, you,” I replied and wrapped my arm around her waist for a hug. “How are you?”
“Good,” she replied.
“I hear more than good,” I said with a wink.
She laughed. “Family secrets being spilled, are they?”
“Yep.”
“We were going to tell you this weekend. Angela knows because Evan gets excited about babies.”
“Can’t say I blame him.”
She hip checked me. “Think you’ll have one of those in your future?”
“I think I’ll have a lot of things I didn’t expect.”
“Good,” she replied. “You deserve it.”
The doors opened, and Mia came out, looking for me. I bent and caught her as she raced toward me, filled with news of her day. Holly and I listened, Angela arriving as well, happy and excited to see us.
I glanced up and met Amy’s eyes across the sidewalk. She was with the few children left to be picked up, cheery and talking to them. She smiled in my direction, then returned her attention to her small group. I watched her, the tug in my chest growing stronger the longer I stood there.
It hit me that she didn’t expect me to cross the cement and acknowledge her. She expected me to keep our relationship hidden still. Except, there was no need to. She wasn’t Mia’s teacher. We were free to date.
I recalled the way her ex had shunned her. Was embarrassed by her. Wanted to tamp down her free spirit and beautiful, open soul. Make her a carbon copy of some of the women standing around waiting to pick up their kids, with their perfectly coiffed hair, bored expressions, and discontentment written in their eyes.
The last child Amy was waiting with ran over to his father, laughing as he was swooped into a big hug. The dad waved at Amy, who smiled and waved back. She paused as if unsure what to do next, lifting a hand to her hair and smoothing it into place. For a moment, I caught a flash of her vulnerability. She looked so alone and unsure. Then her face became pleasant and smooth.
I turned to Holly. “Excuse me.”
She grinned. “Go claim her, tiger.”
I took Mia’s hand, and we headed in Amy’s direction. She saw us coming, and her eyes grew wider as we approached. I swung Mia into my arms as I stood in front of Amy. I bent and kissed her cheek.
“Hey, Chippy,” I said loudly. “How was your first day back, love?”
She blinked.
I kissed her again, this time pressing my mouth to hers.
“I missed you. You and Mia.”
“Oh,” she breathed out. “Simon, what—”
I interrupted her.
“Mia and I want to hear all about it. And she can hardly wait to tell you about hers. I thought I’d take my girls out to supper. You up for that?”
“Supper?”
“Yeah. Out. Unless you want to get takeout and head home? I could rub your feet.”
“Home?” she repeated quietly.
“With us. Where you belong,” I said just as quietly.
“I’d love some pizza.”
“Out it is, then.”
“But after…” She let the words trail off, her meaning clear.
“Home,” I stated.
She nodded. “I need to get my purse.”
“I’ll wait.”
She leaned closer. “People are looking.”
I shrugged. “Let them look. I have nothing to hide. I’m here to pick up my daughter and my girlfriend.”
Her eyes were like saucers. “Okay, then. I’ll, ah, I’ll go get my purse and be right back.”
I winked.
“I’ll be waiting.”
“We’ll be waiting, Daddy,” Mia corrected me.
“That’s right. We’ll be waiting.”
Amy’s smile was brighter than the sun on an August afternoon. Its warmth hit my chest and made me smile with her.
“Okay,” she breathed out and hurried away.
I glanced at Holly, who gave me a subtle thumbs-up. I met a few curious gazes with a calm smile and then ignored the rest.
I made Amy happy with a simple gesture. I made Mia happy.
And they, in turn, made me happy.
Meeting Amy had brought me an unexpected gift. A second chance at love. I hadn’t said the words yet, but I felt them. And I planned to tell her how I was feeling later when we were alone.
I loved her, and she brought me joy. I wanted that feeling forever.
I was grabbing it with both hands.
And I planned to never let it go.
* * *