away by the time Vaughn had caught on. From the rearview mirror, I watched him stare at us, driving away until he disappeared from view. Judging by his scowl, I knew he’d make me pay. He could try, but I wasn’t about to let him trap me in a beautiful glass house on a beach like I was Julia fucking Roberts.
I found myself driving aimlessly around Blackwood Keep. My father’s house and our friends were the first places he’d look. It wasn’t like I planned to go on the lam or anything. I just needed a peaceful place to think.
Somehow, I ended up at Macchicino’s of all places. River and I snagged one of the last empty tables, and with pen in hand, I inhaled the scent of coffee beans as I stared hopelessly at job applications. Filling them out felt like giving up, a betrayal of the dream I’d worked hard for, but what choice did I have? I couldn’t let my dad drain his savings, and with my GPA, I had no hope of getting another scholarship, not one that could cover my entire tuition. I had to accept the fact that I wasn’t going back to Harvard.
Twenty minutes passed before I felt someone standing over me. Heart in my throat, I looked up, expecting to see my son’s father. Maybe my old job hadn’t been the best place to hide. I felt relief when I looked into the eyes of a stranger instead. The first words I thought of when I described her in my head was tall and lithe. She reminded me of Bee except for the dark hair cropped short and the extra years this woman had on her.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but is this seat taken? All of the other tables were full.” I checked on River, who was sound asleep, before waving my hand toward the empty seat. “Thanks,” she whispered as she sat across from me. I watched her gaze drift to River, and then her smile brightened. “Cute kid.”
“Appreciate it.” I then went back to staring at the job applications.
“I just had one myself,” she announced even though I didn’t ask. “Well…if you consider two years ago recent. They grow up so fast. She’ll be three this November.”
I nodded because it seemed like the polite thing to do. Unfortunately, she was one of those people who couldn’t take a hint.
“You must have just had him. How old is your little guy?”
I felt my stomach dip. This had been the question I’d been dreading. I debated not responding, but I didn’t want to be a bitch to someone just making conversation. As unwanted as it may be. “Three months.” I looked up from the applications in time to see her surprise. I could read the indecision of whether to remark on his size or not in her eyes and decided to put her out of her misery. “He was born prematurely.”
“Oh…” She grappled for an appropriate response. “Well then, I’m happy for you both.”
“Thanks. It was all him,” I admitted despite her being a stranger. “He’s a fighter.”
“So, what’s his name if you don’t mind me asking?”
I mind, but it hasn’t stopped you before. I forced myself to respond. “River.”
“Oh, how cute! How did you come up with that?”
My stomach twisted again. “I think I saw it in a baby book,” I lied.
“Well, it’s a great choice. He’s going to be a lady killer, I can tell. Maybe River and my daughter can have a playdate sometime. Her name is Alison.”
I laughed at that, but it wasn’t forced. “I think River is a long way from making dates.”
“Well, you never know.” She reached into her purse and quickly pulled out a pad and pen. “Here’s my number if you change your mind.” She wrote down her number and then her name, and I snorted when I saw that it was Charlie. It was obviously short for something, but I didn’t ask. When she slid the paper over, I politely took it and stuck it inside of River’s diaper bag. It had his name on it and everything, a gift from his uncle Ever.
Charlie then peered at the applications in front of me. “You’re looking for a job?” She then gave me a frustrated look—one that said she found it impossible to pry without being rude. “You barely look older than sixteen. I-I thought you might be in college or something.”
“I was, but it’s not really an option anymore.”
“Oh.” She flashed me