Page 26 of This Memory (Moose Village #3)

Gavin

I cheered as Brystol made her way to the finish line with a huge grin on her face.

I’d watched her in the past, but always from back in the crowd so she couldn’t see me.

This time, I was front and center, waiting for her.

She wasn’t first, but she was pretty damn close to coming in fourth.

When she crossed the line, she ran right to me.

“I beat my time last year!” she said, as I wrapped her in my arms.

“I’m so proud of you, babe!”

She leaned back, and I kissed her.

“Going public, huh? Where’s Betty Lou when we need her?”

Glancing to my right, I saw Kian and Cadie standing there, both wearing big smiles.

Brystol let go of me and hugged Cadie and then Kian.

“Congratulations, Brystol!” Cadie said. “You did great!”

Brystol beamed. “Thank you! I beat my time from last year.”

Cadie glanced around. “Evelyn and Denny aren’t here to cheer you on? ”

The smile slipped from Brystol’s face. “Not this year.”

Cadie frowned, and the two women exchanged looks.

“How do women do that?” I asked.

“Do what?” Brystol asked.

“Speak to each other without speaking?”

Both women laughed, then Brystol shrugged. “It’s a gift.”

“I’d say,” Kian added with a huff.

Cadie wrapped her arm around Kian’s. “What are your plans now?”

Brystol looked at me, and I gave a one-shoulder shrug. “It’s up to you.”

“Well,” she started with a grin, “I’m starving…and craving pizza again.”

“Slice, Slice, Baby?” Kian asked.

With a little jump and clap of her hands, Brystol answered, “Yes! Want to meet us there?”

Cadie looked around. “Anyone else here cheering you on?”

“Mom and Dad should be around here somewhere. If I know them, they’ve run into friends and are talking their ears off.”

Cadie chuckled. “Aurora or Harper?”

I glanced around. “I haven’t seen either of them.”

Brystol frowned slightly. “They said they’d be here.”

“There they are,” Kian said, pointing through the crowd.

Sure enough, Harper came walking up with a huge bouquet of flowers, with Aurora by her side, pushing a stroller.

“Oh my gosh, Aurora has Winnie!” Cadie said, dropping us like a hot plate and rushing over to Winnie, who grinned when she saw Cadie .

Harper hugged Brystol. “Congratulations on another great run! These are for you.”

Brystol buried her face in the flowers. “Oh, these smell heavenly.”

“Where’s Declan?” I asked.

“He’s around somewhere. He and James were talking to some younger police officer I’ve never seen before.”

I nodded. “Lucas Parson.”

“Lucas Parson, that’s a tongue twister.” Harper laughed. “Good-looking guy who clearly had eyes for Aurora. He couldn’t stop staring at her.”

We all glanced over at Aurora, who was laughing at something Cadie was saying to Winnie.

“We’re heading to Slice, Slice, Baby if you guys want to join us,” Brystol said. “I’m hungry after that race, and I’m dying for their stromboli.”

“Oh, that sounds yummy,” Harper replied. “Let me text Declan and let him know.”

We all decided to meet at the pizza shop in twenty minutes. It was only two blocks away, but Harper had to find Declan, and Aurora needed to return Winnie to Liam. According to Aurora—who heard via Liam—Hope tried to make it to the race but ended up staying home.

Brystol and I got to the pizza shop first and secured a few tables for everyone. Aurora was the first to arrive, with Liam in tow.

“Hey, Liam,” I greeted, standing and reaching for his hand. Then I crouched down and smiled at his daughter. “Hi, Win!”

She blushed and buried her face in her hands.

As I glanced up to Liam. “Shy now?”

He grinned. “Sometimes. Listen, Aurora said you guys were all heading over for lunch. I hope you don’t mind, I asked if I could join in.”

“We don’t mind at all,” Brystol said, leaning down and tickling Winnie on her chin. “Can I get her out of the stroller?”

“Sure, have at it,” Liam said, taking off his jacket and hanging it over a chair.

I watched as Brystol expertly took Winnie out and removed her coat. “Did you enjoy the race, Winnie?”

She bobbed her little head and smiled up at Brystol.

Liam held out Aurora’s chair, and she thanked him as she sat.

Once he sat as well, I asked, “How’s Hope doing?”

He offered a small smile. “She’s doing better.

I hoped she’d have the energy to make it out today, but she said she’d rather rest up and be able to play with Winnie later.

” Grinning at his daughter, he said, “She took a thirty-minute nap during the race. I guess she was snug as a bug and just crashed, even with all the noise around us.”

“I’m glad to hear Hope’s doing better. Is she still going through treatment?”

Liam nodded, a solemn expression on his face. “She’s had a bit of a break. We go back for scans this coming week. Hopefully, it’s good news. She’s been feeling so much better, but I’m sure it’s because of that break in the chemo.”

“I’ll be thinking about you guys and praying for her.”

Liam’s eyes teared up a bit, but he blinked them away. “Thanks, we appreciate it.”

When I looked over to Brystol, she was staring at me. She smiled, and I returned it .

Before I knew it, the tables were filled, and conversations were happening all over the place.

I watched Brystol as she cut up Winnie’s pasta.

Now and then, Aurora slipped a tiny piece of pizza on Winnie’s plate, and she smiled as she ate it.

I stole a glance in Liam’s direction. He was talking to Kian…

and my chest suddenly ached. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to watch the woman you loved struggling like he had for the past year.

When I pulled my gaze from Liam, I caught Brystol’s eye. Winnie was no longer sitting in her lap, but in Cadie’s. She gave me a knowing smile. I wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand, but I simply mouthed I love you .

Of course, everyone at lunch with us knew Brystol was pregnant, except for maybe Liam.

And no one said a word, which I knew Brystol appreciated.

I couldn’t help but wonder, had Evelyn and Denny been here, if she would have stayed quiet on the subject?

Two more weeks and Brystol would be past the first trimester.

“I’m so full!” Cadie said, as she leaned back in her chair and tossed her napkin onto the table.

Brystol let out a long breath. “I needed that stromboli. Or maybe the baby did.”

All eyes turned to Brystol, including Liam’s.

“Did you say baby ?” he asked.

Brystol’s eyes widened as she quickly looked around the restaurant to ensure no one else had heard her.

Liam turned to me and clapped my back. “Congratulations, Gavin! I had no idea.”

“No, um, no…the baby isn’t mine.”

A look of confusion crossed his face before a horrified expression appeared .

Brystol let out an awkward laugh. “No, Liam, um…” Leaning closer to the table, she motioned for Liam to do the same. “I’m a surrogate for Evelyn and Denny McCain.”

Liam’s mouth fell open. “Are you serious? That’s amazing, Brystol. What a selfless thing to do.”

“She is amazing, isn’t she?” Aurora hugged Brystol.

“I didn’t want to say anything until after the first trimester. That just sort of slipped out.”

Liam motioned like he was zipping his lips. He glanced over to Cadie, who was holding a sleeping Winnie. “I should get her home. Thanks for letting me crash, guys. It’s been nice to sit and chat. Hopefully, I can talk Hope into coming out soon.”

“If you do, let us know. Maybe we can plan a dinner or something,” Cadie stated.

Nodding, Liam said, “I think she’d like that.”

As he took Winnie from Cadie, Aurora asked if he needed any help.

“If you wouldn’t mind helping me get this sleepy girl’s coat on.”

Aurora quickly got to work and put Winnie’s coat on like it was something she did every day.

“Thanks,” Liam said, giving Aurora a polite smile. “I’ll see you around.”

She nodded. “Tell Hope I’ll call her later.”

Glancing at the rest of us, Liam held up a hand while Aurora put the still-sleeping Winnie in her stroller. “Bye, guys, thanks again for having us.”

Everyone offered their goodbyes and well wishes for Hope. When Liam walked out the door, all eyes went to Aurora .

“What? Why are you all looking at me like that?” she asked.

“Is Hope really doing better?” Harper asked. “She started taking my phone calls but refuses to talk about herself at all. She sounds good, and when I asked about stopping by, she said soon.”

Cadie nodded. “That’s what she said to me as well.”

Aurora shrugged. “I haven’t been over there in a month or so now. At least, not inside. I still drop off food sometimes but never go in. And we still talk on the phone, but not for long. Mainly just me checking in to see if she needs anything.”

“What’s going on?” Kian asked. “I would think she’d be thankful you were helping out like you have been.”

Her cheeks turned red as she dropped back into her seat.

She sighed and looked at Cadie, Harper, and Brystol.

“The girls already know about this, but a while back, she kind of accused me of overstepping with Winnie. And then Liam told Nathan that Hope was getting jealous of how much time I was spending with her daughter. The last thing I want is for her to feel that way, so I backed off. I still help Cadie with the meal train and such, but I thought it best to take a break.”

“I can understand why you’d do that,” Brystol said. “But I think what you’ve been doing is lovely, Aurora, helping them so much. I’m sure Hope is just tired and overwhelmed and doesn’t have any ill feelings toward you.”

Aurora gave a weak smile. “I hope not.”

“Brystol?”

I looked behind me to see Evelyn standing a few feet away with a pizza box in her hands .

“Evelyn,” Brystol said, standing and making her way over to her friend. She kissed her on the cheek. “Picking up pizza for you and Denny?”

Evelyn nodded, looked around the table, then back to Brystol. “How was the race?”

Beaming, Brystol replied, “I came in fourth.”

With a smile that seemed genuine, Evelyn replied, “Congratulations.”