28. Sammie Starr

They’re still there, waiting for me. Even if I’d taken several hours, I think they’d still be waiting.

I don’t want to make more of a scene than what I just witnessed, and I don’t think I could run in these high-heeled sandals anyway, so I continue forward at a steady pace. My heart hammers in my chest. The wedding is over, I’m walking away from my mom for forever, and the guys I’m in love with are hurrying toward me with hopeful expressions on their faces.

“Evie,” Lincoln says in a low voice.

Daddy.

I rush forward and fall against Lincoln and Caleb, allowing them both to hold me. Lincoln tugs my forearm away from my body and sees the scratches my mom left on my arm. A murderous expression crosses his face, but I say, “It’s fine now. I dealt with her, and I’m never going to see her again.”

“We have company,” Caleb mutters.

I go rigid in their arms, afraid that it’s my mom. Also, in a sick way, hoping that it’s my mom. That she’ll run to me with sincere apologies and promises of doing better—promises that she’ll keep.

Finally turning around, I see that it’s Chloe. Tears streak down her cheeks, ruining her make-up. Her dress is beautiful and pristine, but her face is a hot mess.

“You ruined it all,” she says.

I brace myself, but with the guys at my side, I’m not afraid. I’m ready for whatever abuse she’s going to try to throw at me. It’ll roll off my back.

“Thank you,” she continues.

I can’t help but stare in shock. Surely I heard her wrong. “Wh…what?”

“Thank you. You kept me from making the biggest mistake of my life. I didn’t deserve your kindness back there. You could have let me sign that marriage license and it would have been so much harder to leave.” She takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I say carefully. This is bizarre—I never thought Chloe would see me as a real person and not just a means to achieve her own petty goals. “Um, what are you going to do next?”

She sighs. “Get out of this dress. Return a bunch of wedding gifts. Block Troy on everything.”

“I’m blocking him, too,” I say. “The only reason I didn’t before was the wedding.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.” She rubs at the streaky mascara beneath her eyes as she peers from Lincoln to Caleb, then to me. She definitely wants to ask about these guys, but she’s restraining herself. “If you had, I might not have found out what a snake he is until it’s too late. His parents are so pissed. They never liked what he did to you. I guess they’re happy he isn’t marrying me, though.”

I sure could’ve used their support right when everything fell apart with Troy, but he is their son, so I guess that might have been weird for them.

“All of his friends know what he did now,” Chloe adds. “He’s cut off. I narrowly avoided a miserable future.”

“And…the baby?” I’m afraid to ask, but I have to. She’s going to be tied to Troy forever because of this.

From the corner of my eye, I see Caleb’s mouth fall open in surprise at the baby news. I don’t blame him.

“The baby and I will be just fine,” Chloe says. “We don’t need Troy. He seemed pretty terrified at the idea of being a dad, anyway. He’ll sign over his rights, no question.”

I have my doubts that it’ll ever be that easy for her, but I’m glad she’s optimistic.

“Mom treated you so bad,” Chloe continues, “and I did, too. I’m sorry. I’m never going to do that to my little one. This baby is a wake-up call. I want better for those around me, not just myself.”

“Well, good,” I say, clinging to Caleb and Lincoln. I don’t know what else to tell her. I really hope her attitude shift sticks, but saying that out loud wouldn’t be kind.

“So who are these guys?” she asks.

“Lincoln James and Caleb Swann,” I say. “They’re my boyfriends.”

The word “boyfriend” doesn’t do them justice. They’re my daddies, which is so much bigger.

“Boyfriends? Plural?” Chloe’s eyes go wide.

“Yeah.” I wait for her judgment, not caring either way what she thinks.

But she nods. “Mom had it so wrong, didn’t she? Thinking you were trying to win Troy back. But you had these guys all along. It’s nice to meet you, Lincoln and Caleb. I promise to keep my distance.”

I’m not worried. She couldn’t steal these guys from me in a million years. No one could.

She strides away in her wedding dress, head held high, a perfect picture of a day gone wrong.

I watch her go for a minute before looking up at Lincoln and Caleb.

Lincoln cups my cheek. “We need to talk, Trouble.”

* * *