Page 12 of Single Mom's Undoing

“Your babyccino and pistachio latte,” the waitress says as she brings the order to our table. I check her name tag. Lacey. “And your scones.”

“Thank you, Lacey,” I reply with a warm smile.

“Thanksies!” Matty says with his crooked, sweet little grin.

“You’re most welcome, honey,” Lacey replies.

I watch her head back to the counter as customers come in to pick up their takeaway orders. Folks occupy a couple of other tables, sitting down and enjoying their treats. I’m glad I chose an hour with little foot traffic.

“Go easy, baby, it might be hot,” I tell Matty. “Remember what we do to make sureour drink isn’t too hot?”

Matty thinks about it for a second, looking so cute in his green plaid shirt and jeans, sitting like a miniature grown-up next to me. He gets a hold of his spoon and shows it to me. “We test it.”

“That’s right! Go ahead, test it.”

With a cautious move, Matty tastes his babyccino with the spoon. “Okay, I’ll eat the scone first. My ‘ccino is too hot.”

“Alright, then,” I chuckle, cutting his chocolate scone into smaller pieces, keeping a wet wipe handy to clean him up as needed. “Dig in, buddy.”

It’s nice here. Quiet. No one is staring at us. Then again, it’s been five years, and the only attention I ever got was when I was hanging out with Stephan, Carter, Jace, and Damon. They talked about me as though they never really knew me. I remember the gossip, the rumors. I know what followed after I left.

For now, I revel in the peace.

I hear the bell above the door chime. Carter, Damon, and Jace walk in.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter under my breath, but Matty hears me, nonetheless.

“What is it, Momma?” he asks, then follows my gaze and lights up like a firebug when he sees them. “Carter!” he calls out.

Dammit.

“Ah, there they are,” Carter says as soon as he spots us.

“Jodie told you I’d be here, I presume?” I ask, annoyed, as the three men approach our table.

The closer they get, the faster my heart beats. The feelings are still there, simmering beneath the surface. The desire, the longing, the memories of what might’ve been if I’d stayed. Stephan, Margot, and I were the only ones who knew about the way Carter, Jace, and Damon shared their women. During my teenage rebellion phase, I was curious. Then I turned eighteen, and I found myself craving it, though nothing ever became of it.

Something could’ve though, after Carter and I broke my brother’s rule.

Once Stephan was gone, I ran. I knew too much.

“She did; just don’t hold it against her,” Damon replies with a soft smile. “We kinda harassed it out of her. Mind if we join you? We just want to talk, Clara.”

“I hope you’re not here for answers again. I don’t have any in stock,” I say.

Carter shakes his head. “Nope, we just want to have coffee with you, if that’s okay. With you and the little man, that is,” he pauses to look at Matty. “How are you doing, big guy?”

“Am I the little man or the big guy?” Matty asks, prompting a laugh from everyone.

“You’re a bit of both,” Carter replies then shakes Matty’s tiny, chocolate-smudged hand. “And I reckon you’re your momma’s best man.”

“I am!” Matty proudly exclaims.

Jace gets coffees from the counter while Damon and Carter pull up extra chairs to join us.

As Carter sits, his gaze lingers on Matty a beat too long again. The way Matty tilts his head when he’s thinking — it’s the same habit I’ve seen Carter do a thousand times. His eyes narrow slightly, like he’s filing that away.

An awkward silence sets in. Matty is too busy working through his chocolate scone to care.