Chapter 5
Kia
By the time dessert has been cleared and people begin gathering up their coats, containers, and kids who are overtired and cranky, my head is buzzing from too much noise, laughter, and holiday cheer packed into one space.
I expected to feel like an outsider tonight, hovering on the edges of Oliver’s life, smiling politely while everyone else moved comfortably around one another.
Instead, I was dragged straight into the thick of it.
Elody hasn’t left my side since I stepped foot in Hugh’s penthouse.
She’s fearless and affectionate, sticky-fingered from dessert, and completely hyped up on sugar.
“Okay, bug,” Laiken says, helping her into her coat. “It’s time to say goodbye.”
“No!” Elody protests, launching herself at me like a tiny missile.
With a laugh, I stumble back a step as she wraps her arms around my waist with a surprising amount of strength. Her fluffy polar bear hat presses against my stomach, and I can’t help but marvel at the instant attachment that’s formed between us.
“I had fun too,” I murmur, hugging her back.
She pulls away just enough to look up at me, her face serious in that way kids get when something really matters to them. “You have to come over tomorrow,” she pleads. “Please. We hardly got to play.”
Across from us, Laiken drags a hand through his hair, exhaling like a man bracing for a fight. “Elody—”
Instead of looking at him, her attention stays fastened to me. “You’ll really come?”
I crouch until we’re eye level. “I promised that I would,” I tell her. “But you need to be good, okay? It’s late. Soon it’ll be bedtime.”
Her gaze flicks to her father. “It’s really okay, Daddy?”
Laiken looks at me.
Really looks at me.
It isn’t invasive or flirtatious. More like he’s assessing me carefully. Measuring the cost before he agrees for a second time.
“Yeah,” he says after a long pause. “Like I said earlier. Just for an hour or so.”
That’s when I realize Laiken isn’t trying to push me away, he’s attempting to protect his daughter from disappointment.
With a squeal, Elody throws her arms in the air. “Yay!”
It’s only then that I second-guess myself. Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed so easily. Maybe spending more time with Elody isn’t in her best interest. It’s not like I belong in their world.
But the truth is, I want to see her again.
And I want—
I shut that thought down before it can finish forming.
Laiken shifts, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Let me know what time works.”
“I’ll get your number from Oliver and text you.”
Before the moment can stretch any further, my brother’s voice cuts through it. “Okay, we’re heading out!”
Elody hugs me one final time, her fingers curling into my sleeve, as if needing the reassurance. “We’ll play tomorrow?”
“We definitely will,” I murmur. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
She beams before returning to Laiken, slipping her hand into his without hesitation. He lifts her easily into his arms and presses a kiss to the top of her hat. The sight melts everything inside me.
Here’s a dad who cares and shows up day after day. It makes me wish I’d found someone like that. Someone who wouldn’t have freaked out when I told him I was pregnant.
I turn away before the thought has time to sink in any deeper.
Near the elevator, Evelyn steps beside me, tucking a wrap around her shoulders with effortless grace.
“Did you have a nice time?” she asks.
There’s nothing pointed in her tone, but the quiet authority that surrounds her makes me straighten anyway. “I did. Thank you so much for the invitation.”
She studies me. “You’re Oliver’s sister, which makes you family. You’re always welcome.”
The words fill me with unexpected warmth. “That means more than you know.”
“I’m glad.” Her gaze drifts to Laiken and Elody. “You’re very good with her.”
“It’s not difficult; she’s a sweet little girl.”
“I’ve known her since she was a baby, and I’ve never seen her take to someone so quickly,” Evelyn says. “You must have made quite an impression.”
A smile hovers on my lips as I shrug. “I watched her during poker night a few weeks ago.”
“I imagine she must have loved that.” She pauses. “It’s been a year since Laiken’s wife left, and it’s been hard on both of them.”
The admission catches me off guard, and my attention lingers on the father and daughter from across the room. Even though questions swirl through my head, I keep them locked up tight.
With a smile, Evelyn moves the conversation along. “You mentioned taking a little breather from college to figure out what’s next. Sometimes the time in between is exactly where we’re meant to land.”
I nod, allowing the comment to settle inside me. It’s a nice thought. “Yeah, maybe it is.”
“If you need anything at all,” she adds, “please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I’ll be sure to do that.”
“Excellent.”
After a quick hug, she drifts back into the room, smiling as she greets the other guests.
By the time the three of us settle in Oliver’s Porsche, my chest feels full. Gratitude tangles with fear and an emotion that feels suspiciously like hope.
Later that night, after showering and sliding between the sheets, I can’t help but notice that the room seems quiet in contrast to the holiday party. I scroll through the girls’ group chat, smiling at jokes about pumpkin pie, fights over turkey legs, and hockey player appetites.
For the first time in weeks, I don’t feel the urge to disappear under the covers.
Tonight felt okay.
Maybe even better than that, if I’m being honest.
My phone buzzes.
Unknown Number:
We both know you haven’t thought this through. Why are you making this harder than it has to be?
I squeeze my eyes tightly closed, wishing it were just as easy to blot him out of my life. Collin isn’t the kind of guy to yell or threaten. He just steadily wears you down until you start questioning yourself. I can hear his calm voice now, explaining why an abortion would be the best option.
For both of us.
The worst part isn’t the message itself. It’s knowing he won’t stop trying to convince me he’s right. That sooner or later he’ll find another way to reach me, another angle, another argument about why this would be easier if I just listened to him.
Normally, that would be enough to send me spiraling as I lie awake, replaying every word, second-guessing every decision until the fear feels bigger than anything else in my life.
But tonight, my mind drifts somewhere else entirely.
To Elody’s easy laughter as it echoed through Hugh’s penthouse.
To the way Laiken’s presence felt solid and steady, like nothing could rattle him when it comes to his daughter.
To what Evelyn let slip about his marriage and how things fell apart, and yet somehow, he and his daughter are still standing.
For the first time in months, I don’t feel quite so alone. And I catch myself wondering what it would be like if things actually worked out.