The One and Only: A Single Mom Second Chance Romance (Heart of Hope) Ajme Williams (books for new readers TXT) 📖

before we headed out. I was really looking forward to this. It was going to be nice—my best friend and my son—this little family that I’d made for myself. I didn’t need a man. I didn’t need Cade.

My chest felt hollow anyway.

I drove the way to the lake on autopilot, and so it wasn’t until I was making the turn into the parking lot that I realized where we were—Abbot Park.

Crap. Well, it was too late now. Turning around and finding a different park would raise questions from Drew and Caitlyn. But honestly, why would I not want to go here? Just because of some decade-old memories? It was fine. Maybe being here would help me in my quest to get over Cade, making new memories in this place and reminding myself that being with him wasn’t as amazing as I was building it up to be in my head.

I parked the car and Drew flew out of the car and ran straight for the playground.

“Mama! Mama! Push me on the swing!”

I laughed. How could I not? My son was adorable. And honestly, I was a little envious of my son. His life was so simple. He had his mother, and he could always depend on her. He had the park, play time, school and his friends. Every big decision was made for him, no broken heart or wondering if he’d made the right choice in his life or his relationships.

Caitlyn and I walked behind Drew at a slower pace and found a bench to set down my purse and her camera bag. “I guess I’d better push him on the swings,” I said with a laugh, walking over to join my son.

Drew eagerly clambered up onto the swing, legs dangling in the air, as I got behind him. “You ready?”

“Yes!” he nodded eagerly.

“Then off we go!” I gave him a big push to start him off.

I could hear the occasional click of the camera shutter as Caitlyn took pictures of me pushing Drew on the swing. He laughed with delight, and I found myself smiling as I pushed him. When I was with my son, every other care in the world just fell away.

He was heavy, though, no longer a small two-year-old, and after a bit, I had to take a break. “I’m going to walk down to the lake, okay? Why don’t you take a break from the swings for a little while?”

“I’ll watch him,” Caitlyn said, taking more photos as Drew ran off to the slides.

I nodded and walked on down to the lakefront. It was a beautiful day, truly. The sunlight glinted off the water and here, away from the kids and families that were about, it was peaceful. I couldn’t see or hear Drew from here, so I was glad that Caitlyn was there to watch him.

Cade and I had kissed here not too long ago. I shouldn’t have done it, but I had been powerless against his handsomeness, his smile, the earnest way in which he spoke to me and looked at me. I knew that it couldn’t be true, that he had abandoned me all those years ago without a backwards glance, but he spoke about me as if he had been thinking about me this whole time. As if I was a lost love.

How was I supposed to stand strong against that? How could I resist him?

At least now he was far away, in D.C., and he couldn’t tempt me anymore, couldn’t confuse me and sweep me off my feet anymore.

As if I had summoned him by the power of my thoughts, I heard his voice. “Laura.”

I jumped and turned to see Cade striding towards me.

No. No, what was he doing here? How could he be here? My thoughts flew to Drew, who was not too far away. What if he ran down here to join me? There was no way that Cade could see him and know about him. My desire to protect my son was the most important thing.

Cade walked right up to me, standing insanely close. “What are you doing here? I’m—surprised that you’re still in town.”

I wanted to take a step back, but I was trembling, frozen. I couldn’t seem to make myself move even as my fingers shook.

“I wasn’t ready to go back to D.C. I have unfinished business here,” Cade’s eyes bore into mine. “I was hoping that I would find you here.”

“What? Why? What’s your unfinished business?”

Cade gave me a warm and fond look, as if I should already know the answer to that. “You,” he said, and then he was kissing me.

It was a kiss of pure fire and passion, a kiss that took no prisoners, and for a moment I was completely swept up in it. I kissed him back, melting into his touch as he held me tightly, kissing me like it was the end of the world.

And then I remembered—Drew!

I couldn’t let Cade know about Drew. I had to get him out of here, away. I yanked myself off of Cade, stumbling a little. “We shouldn’t be doing this!”

Cade frowned, clearly confused. “Why not? I’m no longer engaged. Unless…” Dark jealousy flashed in his eyes. “unless there’s someone else?”

“What? No! I never would’ve slept with you if I was seeing someone else! What kind of person do you take me for?”

Cade put his hands up in a placating gesture. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think that you would, but what else am I supposed to think? What other possible reason could you have for being so…hesitant about us? You want me, I know you do, just like I want you. What’s stopping us?”

“We’ve been down this road before,” I pointed out, folding my arms. “Ten years ago. What’s changed now? Why should I trust you? You still have a whole other life that you’re eventually going to go back to. You’ll leave me just like you did the last time, and I’m not going to get hurt again.”

Cade swallowed and I saw