“I’ll have some lemonade,” Sally said.
The waitress wrote the orders down, offered a curt nod, and wandered to another table.
Emily’s frown was starting to fade, but I thought it important that I prove whose side I’d take when it came to family squabbles, however minor. The last thing I wanted Emily to think was that I was some sort of mama’s boy.
I was close to my mother, but in the end, all men had to move on from their mothers. Maybe we weren’t that far along in our relationship yet, but it was still important to make it clear.
“I agree with Emily,” I said. “Even if I’m pleased with the results.”
The women all looked at me, confused looks on their face.
“The tricks weren’t necessary,” I clarified, staring at my mother and then Sally. “I don’t understand why you didn’t ask us. Did you really think we’d say no?”
My mother smirked and exchanged a glance with Sally. “It’s like Sally said. Sometimes surprises are fun.”
“Fun for you,” Emily murmured.
“Fun for everyone,” Juniper said.
All of us adults laughed, including Emily.
The talk died down as the new arrivals took their turns with the menus to figure out what they wanted.
The waitress returned with the new drinks, and we all placed our orders. The waitress also gave Juniper some crayons and a children’s activity sheet.
“I’ll help you with the games if you need it, Juniper,” my mother said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins,” Juniper said.
“You can call me Grandma Amelia if you want.”
“Okay.” Juniper smiled.
Emily choked on her drink. I shot my mother a look. It was a tad bit too early to be asking Juniper to call her grandma.
I glanced over at Sally. The smile on her face suggested she didn’t think it was too early at all.
Chapter Thirty-nine
EMILY
By the time the waitress delivered our food, I’d gotten over Mama tricking me. Sure, it was childish, but given everything that had happened between Logan and me the previous night, I was past caring about Mama’s attempt to force us together.
She’d won for crying out loud. Now, she didn’t know that yet, as I’d certainly not told her about us sleeping together on Saturday. There were some things she didn’t need to know about.
I dug into my pancakes, thinking over everything that had happened in the last week. I’d gone from pushing Logan away and thinking I’d never seeing him again to telling him I loved him.
I’d also gone from worrying that Lionel was going to take my daughter away from me to making sure I had full custody. It’d been both a busy and terrifying week.
Free. That’s what I felt. The dark clouds of Lionel that had been hanging over my head since the divorce were finally starting to part.
I wasn’t going to take his daughter from him, not totally. I was more than willing to let him have visitation, but things were going to change, and he’d never be allowed to use her as a weapon again.
All that assuming he didn’t end up going to prison. I didn’t know how serious the charges were against him, but given what he’d tried to pull, I’d have to prepare for that. Juniper might not understand, but I’d have to figure out some way to break it to her if it happened. Maybe Lionel would still weasel out of it.
I spared a glance over at Logan. So handsome, so intelligent, so loving. I’d been trying to push him away since I met him, and now the idea seemed insane. It was only by the grace of God that Logan hadn’t given up on me, even when I’d given up on myself.
Juniper laughed loudly at a joke of Logan’s. I chuckled myself. Who could have guessed he knew so many kid jokes? It’s like he’d been around young kids his entire life. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. Young and old, everyone smiling, laughing, eating. All relaxed with not a care in the world.