Page 67 of A Simple Regret

Suddenly, he turns and our eyes meet. His smile falters, but only for a moment. It’s like he sees a ghost and then realizes I’m actually standing here. He turns to Charli and says something to her. I watch as her eyes widen and she looks my way. A flash of anger washes over her features, and I straighten my spine, ready for the showdown.

Charli moves to take their daughter out of the car seat after Quinn gently places it on the floor. He bends down and presses a kiss to the baby’s forehead and then turns his attention my way. There’s a smile on his lips as he walks toward me, and the moment he’s standing directly in front of me, he pulls me into a hug.

“Maren.”

I don’t wrap my arms around him in return, mostly because I’m so damn shocked.

When he pulls back, he asks, “How are you?”

My throat feels dry, but I’m able to reply, “Good. You?” I crack a smile and glance to where Charli stands, holding their daughter. “You’re a dad.”

He grins so wide, it almost cracks his face in half. “I am,” he murmurs, taking yet another look over to his baby girl. “I’d like you to meet her.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, astonished by his statement.

He reaches out and squeezes my arm. “I was sad when you left, Maren. I lost a friend that day too. I’m not here to judge you for the decisions you made, but I am happy to see you again. I missed you and would love to get to know you again. That includes meeting my June Bug. Now, Charli is probably going to turn all angry big sister on you, but remember, it comes from a good place. She loves her brother.”

He gives me another smile. “Damn, girl. It’s so good to see you,” he says, pulling me in for another hug. This time, I squeeze back as tears fill my eyes.

“Good to see you too. I missed you all so much,” I whisper through a sniffle, and when I meet his gaze, I add, “I’m sorry.”

“And I forgive you.”

Just like that.

I don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it and use it to be a better friend moving forward.

“Come on,” he says, politely walking beside me as we move to where Charli is standing, holding their daughter.

“She’s so tiny and perfect,” I murmur softly as I stand close enough to see, but far enough back that Charli won’t feel like I’m imposing.

“How have you been feeling?” Jenn asks Charli, and I’m not sure if she’s oblivious to the added level of animosity suddenly buzzing in the room or if she is aware of it and trying to keep things light and focused on Charli.

“Really good now,” Charli replies with a smile. “She still gets her days and nights mixed up sometimes, but she’s eating better and sleeping longer.”

“She’s the perfect mixture of you both,” Lila adds.

“She is,” Quinn confirms, watching Charli hold their baby. The way he looks at her, with so much love and adoration, makes my heart ache. Not because I’m jealous. In fact, I’m really happy for both of them. I hurt because I know I had that, and despite what I thought were good intentions, I let it slip through my fingers.

Now, perhaps, I can right the wrongs I made all those years ago.

Baby June is passed around to Jenn and Lila, and since my client will be here soon, I excuse myself to finish cleaning my station. I overhear their cooing and joyous laughter. You can tell the three women get along well, having worked in the same place for a while now. I just pray that I’ll fit in with that closeness at some point. Not that I feel like an outsider, or they haven’t made me feel welcome, but these three ladies are definitely close, and I have a slight tinge of jealousy.

“Do you want to hold her?”

I pause and look up in the mirror, surprised to see Charli standing behind me, her daughter in her arms. Turning around, I reply, “Oh…uh…”

Without waiting for my actual response, Charli steps forward and carefully transfers June from her arms to mine. It’s weird holding a baby so small again, hard to believe Theo was ever this small, but he was. “You are adorable,” I murmur softly as Camden’s niece makes a sucking motion with her lips.

“She is,” Charli agrees. After a few seconds, she sighs. “Listen, Maren, you’re not my favorite person.”

Well, I was expecting that, but had hoped it wouldn’t cause a problem at work…

“I don’t like what you did to my brother. I had to watch him try to pick up the pieces after you left, and it was painful to witness. You crushed him, broke his heart into a million pieces.” She takes a deep breath, and I suddenly wished I weren’t holding her infant. I can feel my body start to tremble as sadness ripples through me.

“But…it’s Camden’s life. If he wants to forgive you, then that’s his prerogative.”

I feel the tension ebb from my entire body.