Chapter 4
Chapter Four
CHELSEA
Present Day
When I left Christmas over two years ago, I grabbed only the essentials. Then I had a moving company come and pack up the rest of my stuff and place it in storage. I lost a house I loved, and now we’re back here anyway, only this time we’re living out of a bed and breakfast at the far end of town.
I can’t believe of all the daycares to go to, I had to find the one my friend Farrah works at.
When I left Christmas, she was running her parents’ coffee shop, The Roasted Chestnut.
Somewhere in the time since I’ve been gone, she began teaching at the local daycare.
She always did love being around kids, so it makes perfect sense that is where she ended up.
I would have known that if I had stuck around.
When I walked into the classroom and saw Farrah standing there, my heart and mind raced, and I was fearful of who she would tell, but now I’m seeing it as a positive thing.
I disappeared, dodged her calls and she was still eager to help me, without even knowing the full story. She’s a better friend than I was.
It’s been a long two years, and from the short time I’ve been back, it seems there have been some changes for the Casanova Family.
I haven’t contacted Francesca yet. I know I need to; it’s just that I’m trying to prepare myself.
Once she knows, Adam will know, and even though I came back to tell him, it’s still a scary situation.
Will he try to take Dominic away from me?
Will he fight me for custody? Will he want nothing to do with us at all?
After being pushed aside all my life, it was easy to make the decision to run and stay away. But it’s not fair to Dominic and he’s the reason I came back. He deserves to know his family.
I can’t hide any longer. Especially here in this small town of Christmas, Texas where there is absolutely no disguising oneself.
Entering the small bed and breakfast with bags of groceries and Dominic on my hip, I call down the hallway, “Adley! Are you back yet?”
“In here.” I drop the bags on the counter and Dominic squirms to get down.
“Addy! Addy!” Dom yells as he races down the hall to her room.
“Hey, slow down, buddy!” I laugh while watching his little feet carry him quickly around the corner.
Reaching her doorway, I lean against the frame and watch as she smothers Dom in kisses.
Thank God for my sister, the only one who never left me.
I’ve needed her more than anything these last few years and she’s stepped up.
She’s never complained and put her life on hold to help me move back to the town that I thought would be my home for life.
“I grabbed some basic snacks and easy meals. We’ll have to do a better shop, but I really need to find us an apartment first.”
“Yes, this little B I’ll just see if I can find Adam quickly and ask to meet for coffee at a later time.
He’s going to be preoccupied with Jackson and the game tonight and I don’t want to be a bother. ”
“Of course, we’re ok!” She grabs Dominic and he giggles as she swings him around.
I follow her out of the room and into the small living room/kitchen.
Yeah, we definitely need to find a bigger apartment.
She places him on the chair next to the counter and starts unpacking the groceries.
“Go. Find something hot to wear, do your hair, and go get your baby daddy!”
“Stop it!” I hiss at her but I’m laughing. “If only it were that easy.”
I know better. I know Adam and I know why I left. He’s got his priorities, and I wasn’t one of them. Now I have to hope a new set of priorities will change his mind.