handled things correctly, but we’re fortunate enough to get another shot.”
She sighed heavily. “Are you happy?”
“More than I have been in years.”
There was a pause, and I knew she was caving. “Fine. If this is what you really want, I’ll try to be supportive.”
“That’s all I ask.”
“I love you, but I’m your big sister. It’s my job to protect you.”
“I know and you do a great job, but you don’t need to protect me from him.” After last night, I knew we were on the same page. We wanted to try again. We wanted to give us another chance. “Love you.”
We hung up and I slipped out of the break room and hurried back to my desk.
“So, you and Jason?”
I spun around to see Chloe standing behind me with a wicked smile.
“What?”
She handed me Callan and I took him without thinking, propping him up on my knees while I bounced him.
“You can’t lie when you hold a baby.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s not true.”
She mocked a gasp. “You would lie to my child?”
I looked at the back of his little head. “Not to him but near him, sure.”
“Nope. It’s a rule. You can’t lie while you have him. So, answer me. You and Jason?”
I looked around but no one seemed to be paying attention to us. They were probably just good actors or used to Chloe’s wild antics.
“We are neighbors.”
She nodded. “I’m aware.”
“And we had dinner last night.”
Her head tilted up and she waited.
“And we talked.” Why were the words just spilling out? I had no intention of telling her anything, but between her withering stare and the distraction of Callan, I lost my filter.
“And? You’re back together?”
I nodded. “How did you know?”
“My powers work in mysterious ways.”
I pursed my lips. “Isn’t that a tiny bit blasphemous?”
She shrugged. “Not if it’s true.”
Callan squirmed so I started bouncing him again. “Was there anything else?”
“Yes, actually. You made things so much easier for us.” She pulled out an envelope from behind her. “We were trying to come up with ways to keep you two away from each other so we could invite you both, but now we don’t have to worry.”
I struggled to open the envelope with one hand but finally pulled a card free. An invitation to Colby and Noah’s wedding in Mexico the following month.
“Hurry and get your time-off request submitted. I hear your boss can be a real stickler about that.”
I eyed her. “You’re my boss.”
“Exactly.” She took Callan and walked away.
She was bizarre, but I appreciated that she and the other women had actually included me on this and were working to make sure I was comfortable there. It would be a hundred times better now that Jason and I were together. We could actually enjoy the vacation rather than wasting our energy avoiding one another.
I slid the card into my purse and tried to focus on the mural. I only got a few minutes of uninterrupted time before my phone alerted me to a new message.
Sydney needed a sitter tonight, and of course, I was willing to watch the boys. After all she and Brandon had done for me, I’d be their babysitter for the next several years.
After work, I went straight to their house and let myself into the main house. “Milo? Finn?” I called out when they didn’t come running out to find me. I got to the kitchen but it was empty.
“Syd?” I yelled through the silence. Where were they?
“There you are!” Finn nearly slammed into me when he came from the backyard. “We’re out here.”
I followed him out and smiled at the lit tiki torches and strings of tiny fairy lights that created a romantic glow, extending past the patio and into the lawn.
“Over here.” He took my hand and led me around the pool house.
“Oh, wow,” I gasped when I saw the white arch lit up with candles. Brandon was standing in a dark suit that I realized matched Finn’s. Milo was wearing a similar one but had suspenders instead of a jacket. Jason stood next to them in casual clothes, and I was grateful I wasn’t the only one not dressed for the occasion.
“Stand here.” Milo pointed across from them to the empty side. I followed his instruction and then looked around.
“What’s going on?” I felt the need to whisper.
Jason shrugged, his eyes wide.
Quiet music grew a bit louder, and Sydney turned the corner wearing a flowy, lacey white dress. It wasn’t quite a full-blown wedding dress, but