Emma sat in her car outside Charlotte's school, phone pressed to her ear, about to change everything. "Mr. Palmer? It's Emma Mitchell." "Emma! I was hoping you'd call. Have you made your decision?" Through the school window, she could see Charlotte in her classroom, working on some art project wi
Emma stood outside the towering glass building that housed Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, checking her appearance one last time in her phone camera. Professional but not intimidating. Confident but approachable. She still hadn't told Alek about the meeting. This morning had been another care
Emma didn't sleep. She stared at the ceiling of the guest room until three in the morning, replaying every word of their fight. The guest room bed was uncomfortable—too soft, with pillows that smelled like fabric softener instead of home. She could hear Alek moving around their bedroom. Getting wa
"I haven't decided anything yet!" "But you will. And you'll make the right choice because you always do. And then you'll tell me what our new life looks like." Emma stood up, anger flaring. "So now it's my fault that I'm good at making decisions?" "It's not about being good at it. It's about maki
Dinner was chicken nuggets and mac and cheese—Charlotte's favorite—but Emma barely tasted her food. Every time she tried to bring up the Maple Leafs call, something interrupted her. First, Frankie spilled his milk. Then Charlotte decided to tell them a very long, very detailed story about her frien
"Daddy! Did you see my spin?" Charlotte was practically bouncing as Alek helped her out of her skates. "I saw everything, little star. You're getting better every week." Alek's voice was warm, but Emma noticed he kept glancing toward the exit where the blonde woman had disappeared. "Mama looked fu