It’s an admission I’ve only made one time, and that was to Auggie’s mom. She laughed in my face even though it was all for her son.
“Yes,” I say softly.
“I didn’t mean to pry.” She steps closer to me. “But your laptop was open, and the colors caught my eye. It’s amazing, Luke. I’m speechless.”
I don’t have to ask if it’s in a good way because I see that written all over her face.
I set both coffees down on the table before I take the seat next to her. I yank my open laptop onto my thighs. “There are dozens just like this.”
“Dozens?” Her eyes widen. “You’ve written and illustrated dozens of stories for kids?”
“Auggie’s Awesome Adventures.” I laugh.
Her hand runs over the screen of the laptop and the cartoonish figure with the toothy grin and the glasses sitting atop his nose. He’s the central character in every story I’ve dreamed up. “Is that Auggie?”
“That’s him.” I turn to face her. “He’s based on someone I know.”
Her gaze volleys between the laptop and my face. “A Calvetti? Is it a nephew or a cousin’s child?”
I swallow past the lump in my throat. “August is Brooklyn’s son.”
“Oh.” Her eyes search mine. “Just Brooklyn’s? He’s not your son?”
I fucking wish with every cell in my body that I was his biological father.
“No.” I exhale harshly. “She had a one-night stand while we were broken up.”
“I see.”
I go on, so she understands, “Auggie is five. I’ve been in and out of his life the entire time. He’s my little buddy, but since Brooklyn got married, I haven’t seen him.”
Her hand jumps to my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Luke. That must be so hard.”
“It’s brutal,” I admit. “When Brook and I broke up in the past, I missed him, but I knew I’d probably see him again.”
“Because you’d get back together?”
“Yes,” I admit. “I hoped that even with her marriage to Dennis that she’d let me see Auggie, but I don’t know if that will ever happen.”
“If she allowed it, you’d jump at the chance.”
I laugh. “In a fucking heartbeat. I’ve got three new stories ready to read to him. This started when he was a toddler, and he wanted me to read him a bedtime story. I grabbed a notepad and sat down on the floor next to his bed. I drew the pictures to go with the words coming out of my mouth. Then I started using software, and it just went from there.”
Her eyes scan my face. “You really love him.”
“As if he were my own.”
She drops her gaze to the laptop screen. “I hope you’ll get the chance to be a part of his life again.”
“Me too,” I say softly. “Me too.”
Chapter 45
Afton
There is so much more to Luke Jones than meets the eye.
I knew that. I could sense it, but I admit that I had no idea that any of it involved a little boy with brown hair and glasses.
I glance over to where Luke is sitting with his laptop on his thighs. He’s been busy working on something for the past thirty minutes.
I asked him to give me a second to work on editing a photograph that the producer of Rise and Shine needs tonight. It’s another dish that went viral via social media.
Joel and I whipped it up together before I came over here.
“Afton,” Luke says my name quietly. “We got sidetracked. When you first got here, you said that a lot had happened. Tell me about that.”
I press send on the email with the edited photo attached before I close my laptop cover.
Luke follows my lead. After he places his on the coffee table, he does the same with mine.
“I saw my parents.”
His gaze searches my face. “You did?”
“Yes,” I acknowledge with a nod. “It went surprisingly well.”
The apprehension that was in his expression disappears. “Good. I’m glad, Afton.”
“They apologized for things. I did too.” I thread my fingers together in my lap. “We’re not going to go over everything that’s ever happened. We’re going to move forward.”
He points a finger in front of him. “Forward is always the best direction.”
I give him a small smile. “I think so too.”
He edges closer to me on the couch. “What else has been going on in your world?”
This feels personal, and it’s not my news to share, but I want him to know. “I’m going to be an auntie.”
His brow furrows before a wide smile takes over his mouth. “Seriously?”
I run a hand over my forehead, pushing back the one lock of my hair that always curls. “Joel and Nelson are having a baby. Their surrogate is almost four months along.”
“Fuck.” He jumps to his feet. “This is cause for celebration. I need to send them something. Cigars? Or is that for after the birth? Maybe a bottle of wine?”