Free Paris Rose by Dawn Douglas Page B

flamed.
    “How have you been, dear?” Sylvia asked.
    “Busy,” she said.
    “Are you still with Berries and Biscuits?” Angie asked, joining her mom by the fence.
    Lucy nodded.
    “I thought you’d have started your own business by now,” Sylvia said.
    “Well, I studied interior design for a while, and I worked in Paris for a few months. I’m just trying to decide what I want to do next,” Lucy said, trying to sound upbeat. The truth was, she’d been floundering.
    “Did you see Kieran?” Angie asked, smiling proudly.
    “I can’t believe he’s so big!”
    Tom ambled over. “How’re you doing, sweetheart?”
    “Just fine.” Lucy beamed at her ex-father-in-law.
    “Sorry to break into the chit-chat,” Nick said sourly. “But maybe you could repair the hole in your fence. This isn’t the first time your dog has invaded my property.”
    Her smile faded as she nodded. “Okay.”
    “There’s no need to be rude, son,” Tom remarked quietly.
    “Well, it was nice seeing you all again.” Lucy began to retreat.
    “Why don’t you come over and join us?” Sylvia asked. “We’d love that, wouldn’t we?”
    Everyone except Nick nodded.
    “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
    “Please—it’s my birthday. Just stay a few moments if you’re busy. I’d love to do a little catching up.”
    “Come on,” pleaded Angie.
    Lucy looked at her ex-husband. He rolled his eyes, shrugging in defeat.
    “Okay, just for a little while.” She smiled, then hurried inside to deposit Dexter safely in the kitchen with some water and pull her hair out from its ragged ponytail. She’d always loved Nick’s family. Coming unexpectedly face to face with everybody reminded her again of just how much she’d lost. Sylvia and Tom were the closest things to parents she’d ever had.
    Wishing she had something to give Sylvia for her birthday, Lucy tugged off her jeans and changed into a red cotton dress, shoved her feet into a pair of white flip-flops and headed next door, walking up the path alongside the house she’d once shared with Nick and in through the open door leading into the yard. And then she stopped, and went very still.
    Angie was breastfeeding a tiny baby.
    Pain tugged at Lucy’s heart as she forced herself to keep going forward and not turn and run. A chair had been set out for her and she sat down, pasting a smile on her face.
    “Hey,” she said weakly. “I didn’t know you had a baby.”
    Angie grinned proudly. “Meet Rosie.”
    The baby was now sitting while Angie rubbed her back firmly. When Rosie burped and a little bubble of milk formed on her puckered lips, Lucy felt a stab of pain, deep in her heart.
    She’s beautiful,” she murmured.
    “Yeah, I try to remember that when she’s screaming her lungs out at two in the morning!” Angie laughed, and then stopped awkwardly. She flushed, biting her lip. “Sorry.”
    “It’s okay,” Lucy said quickly.
    “Well, I think this is just wonderful,” Sylvia said. “Just because things didn’t work out between you and Nick doesn’t mean you can’t be friends. I just love the modern attitudes of you young people.”
    “Something to eat, Lucy?” Nick asked.
    “Yes, please,” she nodded, wondering how she’d swallow a single bite, the way her insides were churning.
    Her ex handed her a hot dog, made just the way she loved, with rings of fried onions, juicy mushrooms, and plenty of ketchup. Had he remembered? It smelled delicious, but she had to force herself to take a bite and start chewing. The baby was so close she could have reached out and touched her downy skin, and Lucy tried with all her will not to look. But her gaze was drawn again and again to the baby girl.
    Rosie was clad in a white dress sprigged with pink rosebuds and a matching pink sunbonnet. Little bow legs peeked from beneath the dress. She had big blue eyes, and she waved pudgy fists in the air, smiling all around. Lucy chewed her hot dog with great determination, managing to finish it,