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Would he have been able to have one with Charli if he’d returned to Serenity instead of running off in another direction when things hadn’t worked out exactly as he’d wanted?
Blake realized in that moment that he wanted a second chance.
The love he’d thought long gone was still there, buried deep beneath years of pain and regret. But being back in Serenity and seeing Charli again had caused his feelings to surface, demanding his attention and making sure he couldn’t just ignore them any longer.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one to be considered in this situation. From what he’d seen so far, Charli most definitely wouldn’t be on board with what he wanted.
She wasn’t interested in spending time with him. She wasn’t even willing to have a conversation with him. And he couldn’t even blame her for feeling that way.
“Can I have a cookie, Daddy?” Amelia asked as she ran over from the volleyball court.
“Sure thing.”
“Do you want me to get one for you, too?”
“That would be great.”
She flashed him a smile, then dashed off to the table, joining Layla and Peyton, who were looking over the dessert selection. Misha was there to help them out, and soon Amelia headed back with two cookies in hand.
“Chocolate chip or peanut butter chocolate chip?” Amelia asked as she held them both out to him.
“You pick which one you want, and I’ll eat the other one.”
She stared at them for a moment before offering him the chocolate chip cookie. “I want to try the peanut butter one.”
“Let me know if you like it.”
After taking a bite, she grinned. “It’s yummy!”
“My mom made those.” Layla plopped down on the blanket next to Amelia. “I like them because they taste like Reese’s Pieces.”
Amelia nodded. “They do.”
Blake watched as the two girls chatted about cookies, wondering again where Layla’s father was. If things had been different, she might have been his daughter.
But they’d only been together once, and Charli had been on birth control. It hurt a bit to realize that she had moved on so quickly after he’d left. However, he couldn’t hold it against her because it was his choice to walk away.
Still, it hurt.
“I wish you were in my class,” Amelia said.
“Since my mom’s your teacher, I couldn’t be in your class even if we were in the same grade. They don’t let her teach me.”
“She wasn’t your teacher?”
“Nope. I had to be in the other class for that grade.”
“I like her as my teacher.”
Layla smiled. “Everyone does.”
Blake was glad to hear Amelia tell Layla that. She’d told him that she liked Charli, but hearing her tell others that made him happy. Now, if she could just make some friends in her own grade.
“Anyone up for another game?” Jay asked as he got to his feet.
Blake stood up and walked across the grass to join Jay and the other men at the volleyball net. He wasn’t ready for the afternoon to end just yet, and he was quite sure that Amelia agreed.
“Come play, Charli,” Janessa yelled.
