Page 82 of The Sweetest Mistake

Cam shook her head. “But he loves you now. Surely, you know that.”

Julia’s eyes widened, but she didn’t have time to respond.

“Uh, Cam? You about ready to go?” Connor said through the screen door.

Julia felt a moment of panic, wondering if he’d heard what Cam had just said, but he appeared to be his usual easygoing self.

“Coming. I was just giving Julia some last-minute instructions.”

“Okay,” he said and retreated again.

“See what I mean? He doesn’t have a clue about what we were really talking about.”

Julia giggled, but it came out strained.

“Call me if something comes up with Ava,” Cam called over her shoulder before disappearing out the door.

After they left, Julia slumped down on the rug next to Ava and handed her a toy. Ava babbled enthusiastically and temporarily distracted Julia from her rambling thoughts.

Is it true? Does Connor love me? Did he tell Cam that? No. He wouldn’t tell her before he told me. Would he?

She’d probably been sitting there with Ava for all of twenty minutes before the doorbell rang.

“Hello,” Harper called through the screen.

“Come on in,” Julia said, not wanting to get up and leave Ava alone.

But it wasn’t just Harper who’d come to visit. McKayla entered the room too, and each of them was carrying a bag from a local children’s clothing store.

“We come bearing gifts,” Harper sang as she and McKayla plopped down on the floor next to Julia and Ava.

“Ohmigod. She’s the cutest thing ever!” McKayla exclaimed.

“I told you,” Harper said.

“Well, you’re her aunt, so I would expect you to say that,” McKayla said.

Harper stared at her like she’d said something crazy. “I’m not her aunt.”

“Yet,” McKayla said. “But you will be soon.”

“Do you know something I don’t?”

McKayla shook her head and reached out to hold Ava’s hand.

Julia looked between the sisters with a touch of envy. How she’d wished she had a sibling, and now she was surrounded by people who had them. Connor, Finn, and Liam, Harper and McKayla. While it would have been nice to have someone be related to her by blood, this was the next best thing.

“What’s in the bags?” Julia asked.

“Here. See for yourself,” Harper said, handing her a bag.

“Shouldn’t Cam be the one to open these?”

Harper shook her head. “We didn’t buy them for Cam. We bought them for Ava, and we wanted to give them to her when you were here.”

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes at her friends’ show of support. Julia leaned over to give Harper a hug, and then she hugged McKayla too for good measure.

“Geez, you two are sappy. Just open it!” McKayla said.