Lindey hadn’t mentioned Jace and Tanya would be joining us.


    If she had, I definitely wouldn’t have shown


    1. up.


    +25 BONL


    It’s not that I’m scared to face them–I just didn’t want to lose my appetite.


    “Rea, you’re here! Now we’re all set, Lindey said with a bright smile, pulling me in for a quick hug.


    It’s hard to be mad at someone with a smile like that, but I still couldn’t help saying, “Lindey, I


    thought it was just gonna be the two of us.”


    “It was supposed to be, but then…” Lindey shot a quick nce at Jace and Tanya and pouted. “I ran


    into them by chance.”


    By chance? Really?


    I’m not a kid. Did she really think I’d buy that?


    But if I walked out now, it’d only embarrass Lindey and make me look like I was still hung up on


    Jace.


    So I forced a sarcastic smile. “Wow, what a coincidence.”


    “We must be intruding on Mrs. Johnston’s time with you,” Tanya chimed in.


    If she knew she was intruding, why didn’t she just leave? But no, she sat therefortably.


    When I first met Tanya, I actually believed she was as Innocent as she looked. Now I knew better.


    I didn’t even try to hide my annoyance. “If I’d known you were here, I wouldn’t havee.”


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Tanya’s smile faltered for a second, and Jace looked just as ufortable. “Can we start eating


    now?” he asked.


    That’s when I realized Lindey wasn’t exaggerating when she said they’d been waiting for me.


    Now that I thought about it, it was actually kind of awkward. Tanya, Lindey’s future daughter–inw,


    sitting there with no food being served. That had to be ufortable for her.


    “Go ahead and start. Oh, and bring out the pumpkin milk drinks, too,” Lindey said, pulling me down


    to sit next to her.


    Jace, looking all serious, signaled the waiter to start bringing out the food.


    “Rea, you’ve put on some weight recently. Your hands are looking a little chubby,” Lindey said.


    She really didn’t miss a thing.


    I had gained a few poundstely–all thanks to Hayden


    Most people expect you to lose weight after a breakup, with all the stress and heartbreak and


    everything.


    Thinking about it, I smiled at Lindey. “Yeah, I’ve put on some weight. I’m in a good mood, eating


    well, and sleeping like a baby!”


    Clink–a sudden noise of silverware ttering came from across the table.


    +25 B


    Lindey nced over before saying, “Must be Hayden taking good care of you.”


    Ouch. That was a solid jab.


    I was starting to think Lindey might be my real mom. Between me and her son, she was definitely


    on my


    team.


    I just smiled, but she wasn’t done. “Is Hayden free? If he is, invite him over. The more, the merrier.”


    “Mom!” Jace cut in sharply before I could say anything. “You love the grilled fish here, don’t you?


    Should I order some?”


    “Yes,” Lindey replied without missing a beat. “Rea loves it, too.”


    Tanya’s already pale face turned an ashen green–probably from being ignored and cut down by


    Lindey’s sharp words.


    She really did look pitiful.


    But pity and annoyance often go hand–in–hand. This situation was entirely her doing.


    I had moved on from everything with Jace and didn’t have any reason to go after Tanya, but there


    was no fixing this mess.


    It was obvious Lindey didn’t like Tanya, and she wasn’t holding back. Her words always hit like


    knives, cutting deep every time.


    Jace quickly ordered the grilled fish, steering the conversation away from Lindey’s “invitation.”


    I knew Lindey didn’t actually want Hayden there; she was just using his name to get under Jace’s


    skin.


    Soon, the food started arriving, along with two sses of pumpkin milk.


    There were four of us at the table, and Jace didn’t drink sweet stuff, which left just Tanya.


    This was getting painfully awkward.