First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

miss him. She was livid he had lied to her but she had made a conscious choice to release both him and the anger from her life. Leah liked her new life better. Well, mostly.

“Are you sure?” Lily gave her one more out.

“Girls!” Leah shouted, “Anyone want to go to the park with me?”

Allison and Emmie appeared on the scene jumping and flailing. Leah smiled triumphantly. That settled that.

Lily shook her head, grabbed her purse and the grocery list then headed out the door. The girls cheered again and Leah laughed. Her nieces were something else. They tried to pull her to the door.

“I have to pee, then we can go,” she promised. The girls groaned but waited as patiently as they could.

♦

The park was just as she remembered it, except it was spring instead of fall. The warm temperatures at the end of March had melted the last bits of snow. Leah saw sprigs of bright green everywhere she turned. Spring always filled her with hope and this year was no exception.

Leah watched her nieces as they ran between different pieces of playground equipment. She walked from the slide to the climbing wall and back again. Following them tired her out quicker than she expected. She was able to give each of them a couple pushes on the swings before she knew she had to rest.

“Okay girls, I need to sit,” she confessed.

“We have to leave already?” Allison expressed her feelings loud and clear. Emmie’s face was more torn between care for her aunt and disappointment.

“No,” she assured them. “I just need to sit. I can watch from . . .” she searched for and found a nearby bench. “I’ll be right there,” she pointed. “Try to stay where you can see me, okay? If you can’t see me, I can’t see you. Got it?”

Both girls quickly agreed and took off running toward the slides. But Emmie stopped and turned back.

“Thanks, Aunt Leah!” She gave her a quick hug then dashed off.

Leah’s heart felt full. Emmie was such a sweetheart.

As she sat on the bench, she scanned for the girls. Both smiled and waved. She waved back.

One of the other children also waved. A little boy, high up in a tower. Leah’s smile faltered but she returned the wave out of habit.

The little boy reminded her of Liam. Her heart hurt. She wished she could have had it all. She realized this park did bring back memories, just not the one Lily referenced.

Remembering Eric did not bother her. Remembering what happened in her dreams after being at this park was a different story. Remembering that dream hurt. The one where she had met Cade for coffee. Where she had kissed him, finally, after all these years.

Her eyes tearing, Leah strained to focus to see her nieces. Her brain registered the bright purple jackets they wore. She breathed slowly and tried to ground herself. Leah dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve.

“Hi.”

The little boy from the tower was in front of her. Sandy blond hair and brown eyes. He looked at her expectantly. Leah blinked several times. His resemblance to Liam was unnerving. Was it Liam? She could not be sure.

“Hello,” she said back, tentatively.

“You waved at me,” he informed her. “I was up there.” He pointed to the tower where Allison now stood.

“My nieces are up there too,” she told him, waving to Allison. He looked from her to the tower again.

“I think she goes to my school. Do I know you?” he asked, turning his head to the side.

“I’m not sure,” Leah answered honestly. She really did not know. He looked a lot like her dream Liam and his voice was similar. It felt like meeting someone’s twin for the first time. They might look like your friend but you somehow know they are not.

The boy nodded and hopped up on the bench next to her. His little legs dangled. She noticed dirty jeans and boots. Not sneakers like most kids would wear to a park. This boy wore brown boots, miniature work boots. Leah’s heart thudded.

“This is a good park,” he told her.

“Yes, my nieces love it. I wish I could play too.”

“You’re too big.” he giggled.

Leah looked away. He was so much like her Liam . . . She knew it really could be him but didn’t want it to be him. She did not want to meet him in real life. She did not want to open that disturbing door so she turned her attention to making sure she could still see Allison and Emmie.

“Well,” he smacked his legs like an old man would before getting up. The gesture reminded her of Cade. “I guess I better get back before my—” the smile on his face faded as there was a loud shout.

“Liam! There you are! You scared the crap outta me!”

Deep in conversation, Leah had not noticed the girl approaching until she heard the shout. The girl grabbed the boy’s arm and he twisted away.

“Sheesh, let go! I’m right here. I’m fine!”

Leah wanted to laugh at his childish logic, but the girl had called him Liam.

The girl, or more accurately the young woman, was tall. Her long, dark hair was pulled back from her pretty face with a wide fabric headband. She didn’t look exactly like dream-Sky except for her eyes. Skyler’s blue eyes were unnervingly familiar.

Leah had absolutely no doubt in her mind now that these were Cade’s children.

She felt instant relief at not being recognized, followed by panic as she searched the park for their father. Thankfully he was nowhere to be seen and there was no black truck in the lot.

“What are you doing over here?” Sky stared down at her brother, hands on her hips.

“I was just saying hi.” Liam shrugged and gestured vaguely toward Leah. Leah steeled herself for whatever would come next. Sky’s attention instantly turned toward Leah. Bright blue eyes bore into Leah’s soul.

“Liam, do you know this person?” she demanded, more angry than the situation warranted,