Chapter 2

2

SUTTON

“ C ome on, kiddo. We’re going to be late.” I gently tugged Winnie behind me, my cheeks flushed and hot as I hurried her into her new school.

Her new school which happened to be my old school.

It was still a little surreal that she would be going there, but I didn’t have time to dwell on the unexpected turn our lives had taken that had landed us back in Portsmouth.

Winnie’s little legs pumped to keep up with me, but I could also feel her holding back. When I glanced at her, my suspicions were confirmed. Her gray eyes—my eyes—were wide and wild, darting this way and that as we rushed down the hall toward her first-grade classroom.

Bayshore Elementary School looked exactly the same as it had when I’d gone to school here and I’d showed her some pictures, but she was still nervous. I suppose looking at photographs isn’t quite the same as experiencing the real thing.

Not to mention the accents.

They were all American, of course, this being New Hampshire, and Winnie and I were both still suffering a touch of culture shock as we tried to settle into life in the States. I had no doubt that was part of what was bugging her.

My normally bright, bubbly, feisty little redhead was clammed up today, and she slammed on the brakes as soon as we turned the final corner to where her new classroom was located. I groaned, checking the watch on my wrist and seeing that we only had a few more minutes before she had to be seated.

Abruptly stopping myself, I spun to face her and dropped down into a crouch. As I met her at eye level, I caught her hands and smiled, hoping like hell that I looked more confident than I felt.

“Win? What’s wrong, lass?”

Her little lip quivered as her eyes kept darting up and down the hallway, taking it all in and looking like she was about to bolt. “I don’t like it here, Mam. It’s too loud.”

“It’s no louder than back in Stonehaven, baby. You’ll be alright.”

She shook her head firmly, tears welling in her eyes. She bit her quivering lip, leaning in to speak against my ear. “They talk too fast.”

I chuckled, squeezing her hands. I pulled back and wiped a lock of hair away from her face, securely tucking it behind her ear. “It’s perfectly normal to be nervous on your first day at a new school, Winnie. It doesn’t mean that the kids are too loud or that they talk too fast. You’re just nervous. It will fade, and when it does, you’re going to make so many new friends.”

Please, God. Let that be true!

She stared at me, but the fact she hadn’t started arguing was a good sign, so I pressed on. “Mommy went here, remember? The kids are very nice, I promise. Portsmouth isn’t that much bigger than Stonehaven.”

Only about exactly double the size, population-wise , I thought, but I kept the smile on my face. “It’s practically the same place. I loved growing up here and I think you will too. You just need to give it a chance. Chin up, baby. Everyone here is going to adore you. You’ll be the new kid with the cool accent. They’ll be fascinated by you.”

Finally, my beautiful little angel cracked a smile. “Do you really think they’ll think it’s cool?”

“Oh, I know it.” I squeezed her hands again, holding her gaze for a moment longer. “Now, as much as I love our heart-to-hearts, it’s time for you to go meet your new teacher and friends.”

Her chest rose and fell on a deep breath before she nodded, resolute. She marched the rest of the way to her classroom without clinging to my hand. Tears stung the backs of my eyes as pride surged through me, but I blinked them away, knowing I couldn’t let her see me get emotional.

With her chin up high, she paused at her door and spun to wave at me. “Bye, Mam! See you later.”

“See you later,” I replied softly, blowing her a kiss and waiting until she disappeared into the classroom.

Once she was gone, I blew out a harsh breath and the smile slipped away from my face. I was beyond stressed out about all of this, but I desperately tried not to show it in front of Winnie. I hovered in the hallway for a minute longer, just making sure she wouldn’t run back out if she needed me, but when she didn’t appear, I joined the last of the parents making their way outside.

Driving back to my parents’ house, I parked beneath the over-the-garage apartment I now lived in, but I sat in the car for a moment, finally allowing myself to shed a few tears. Winnie was officially enrolled in and attending Bayshore Elementary. After eight years in Scotland, I was back home in Portsmouth, living with my parents, a single mother with a failed marriage under my belt.

It was all still so unbelievable that the reality nearly crushed me every time it sank in, and seeing Winnie walking into that classroom had really done it for me. My little girl was starting her new journey at a new school in a new country, and somehow, I had to pick up all the pieces of both our lives and figure out what the hell to do now.

Thank heavens, my parents had had the space for us. The apartment above their garage had been empty after my grandmother had passed. I shook my head as I wiped the tears from my eyes and gave myself a mental pep talk similar to the one I’d just given my daughter.

It was time to buck up and get on with it. Finally climbing out of the car, I made my way upstairs to my desk and fired up my computer to check my emails. Naturally, since I was already feeling a bit sorry for myself, the first email my gaze fell upon was from my divorce lawyer.

I blinked hard as I skimmed the contents, bowled over by how very unexpected this news was. It was finalized. After going through a particularly nasty divorce for a full year, Calen and I were done. It was over.

Our divorce was official.

I gaped at the screen, uncertain whether I should laugh and celebrate or cry. While I was happy to finally be able to put it all behind me, I was heartbroken for Winnie. To this day, she had been holding out hope that her father would come back to us.

Not that I blamed her. Calen had essentially abandoned us, pretty much overnight. That was a lot for a seven-year-old to wrap her head around. I was still struggling with it myself.

Now that the divorce was finally over, I really hoped we’d both finally be able to start healing. I’d given up everything, giving Calen whatever he wanted in the divorce eventually, all to be able to bring Winnie back to the States with me.

We were here now though, and the sacrifice had definitely been worth it to put some distance between us and him. Besides, I never would have left her there with him, not that he’d fought for her, and I’d desperately needed to get away.

I wouldn’t have been able to stay anyway. Not without money, a support system, or a place to live.

All that remained now was to actually believe it and to come to terms with the fact that this was our life now.

As I typed out a response to my lawyer, I caught sight of the time on my watch and cursed under my breath, hitting send before standing up and grabbing my purse. Hurrying out of the apartment, I walked the short distance to the downtown, sea-side area of Portsmouth to my dad’s bookstore.

That was where I worked now, slinging coffee and helping people find their new favorite read. My current plan was to keep working here, even if I could go teach at the local high school, but being surrounded by books was comforting to me right now.

The little bell that had been above the door since I was a child jingled cheerfully when I walked in, out of breath and practically falling in the store. My dad looked up from behind the counter, chuckling as he handed over the purchase to the customer standing across from him.

“Dan, this is my daughter. Sutton. Sutton, meet Dan. He’s a regular.”

The tweed-coated man nodded at me, a pleasant smile on his lips as he tucked the book under his arm. “Good to meet you, Sutton. Welcome home.”

“Thanks, sir,” I said, still breathing much too hard to make small talk.

Dan left and I straightened up, shooting my dad an apologetic smile as I walked around him to start sorting a new shipment of books that had come in yesterday. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got distracted by an email, and Winnie was nervous, and it’s her first day of school, and I guess I just lost track of time.”

Dad listened patiently to my rambling, reaching out to squeeze my shoulder as I passed him. “Don’t sweat it. How did the drop-off go?”

My mom walked in then, her head cocking and her eyes filled with interest as she joined us. “I’d like to know too.”

“It was okay,” I said, shrugging as I reached for the knife to slice open the first box of books in the new shipment. “She’ll get used to it soon enough.” As I sliced through the tape, I sighed heavily and just came out with it. “In other news, I’m officially a divorcee. Yay me, huh?”

I averted my gaze, humiliated about the disaster that had been my marriage when my parents had managed theirs—happily so—for more than thirty years. Mom gasped. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”

She rushed around the counter and gathered me in her arms, giving me a hug like only she could. When my gaze met Dad’s over her shoulder, he shrugged. “It’s about time. I’m glad you’re finally free of that piece of?—”

“David,” Mom said sharply, interrupting him. “Not now.”

“Shit,” Dad finished anyway, winking at me before he came over and joined our hug. “Piece of shit. I’ll say it like it is, Mindy. I never liked that man and you know it. I realize our baby is grieving right now, but she and Winnie are better off, and that’s a fact.”

Mom held me tighter and Dad gave us both a squeeze before he released us. As he did, the bell above the door jingled again and we broke apart. Wiping my eyes, I was beyond surprised when I looked over to greet our customer and immediately recognized her.

“Emery? Hi.”

The brunette squinted like she didn’t believe her eyes until laughter bubbled out of her and her arms flew wide open. “Oh, my God. Sutton? What on earth are you doing here?”

“Surprise?” I said meekly, walking toward her and enveloping her in a hug. “What I’m doing here is a bit of a long story, but suffice it to say that I’m back.”

“Back?” she asked as we parted, shock ringing clear as a bell from her voice. “As happy as I am for this reunion, when did you get here? Why didn’t I know and what the hell happened for you to be back? And when you say ‘back,’ you do mean back back, right? Like, you’re living here again?”

“I’m living here again. I’ve only been here for two weeks and it’s been a blur of helping my daughter adjust and find her footing, so I haven’t really gotten caught up with anyone yet,” I said with a sheepish smile. “Long story short, I’m here because I’m divorced, my ex is an ass, and my daughter is now in the first grade over at the elementary school.”

“I’m sorry about the divorce. That’s heavy, isn’t it?” she said before pumping her eyebrows. “Or are congratulations in order? Either way, welcome to single motherhood. I’m a proud member of that club too.”

I chuckled. “Of all the things for us to have in common, it has to be that. Can I let you know about the condolences or congratulations? I’m not really sure where I’m at with it right now either. It’s, uh, new.”

“I get it,” she said. “It’ll get easier. Hey, by elementary school though, do you mean Bayshore? My sons are there too. Two of them, anyway. The other one will be going soon. Who’s your daughter’s teacher?”

“Miss Amanda,” I said.

Emery beamed at me. “My son Logan is with her too. They’re in the same class! So you’re really not just here for Thanksgiving?”

“Nope.”

She reached out and took my hands, giving me a fond smile as she held them tight. “Let’s catch up soon. It’s the fall festival this coming weekend. Want to go together and take the kids?”

“I’d love that,” I said, even if seeing her was stirring up memories of her older brother, Hawk. I could’ve done without those right about now, so I shoved them away and focused on making plans with his sister. One thing was for certain in all this topsy-turvy nonsense that had become my life.

I could use a friend.

I just had to be extremely careful that my friendship with Emery didn’t put me in close proximity to her brother. Not now, and not ever. Luckily, he didn’t live here anymore.

I doubted I would ever see him again.