Chapter 51
Aria’s POV
Inviting William over after school has become second nature at this point. What started as a few casual afternoons where he tagged along with Joe has turned into something more regular.
Sophia’s either late or doesn’t show up on time to pick him up, so it’s almost like William’s become a part of the routine. I can see the way he admires Joe’s family dynamic.
It’s subtle, but it’s there—he watches us with that mix of curiosity and longing that makes my heart ache just a little.
Some evenings, like tonight, the boys are sprawled out on the living room floor, trying to build a fort with every pillow and blanket they can find. I’m in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner, and I can hear them laughing, their voices floating through the house.
It’s hard not to smile when they’re like this, carefree and full of energy.
The doorbell rings, and I know immediately who it is. Sophia.
"William! Your mom’s here!" I call out, setting down the knife and wiping my hands on a towel as I head toward the front door.
When I open it, there she is, just as cold and indifferent as always. Sophia’s eyes flick over the house, barely masking her disdain. "He ready?"
"Just finishing up," I say, stepping aside so she can see William gathering his things. "We were having dinner, you’re a bit early."
She shrugs like it’s nothing. "Had something canceled, so I’m picking him up."
"Right," I say, trying to keep things neutral. "You know, William’s always welcome here. He enjoys hanging out with Joe. But I was thinking, maybe it’d be nice if you spent more time with him too."
Sophia’s eyes narrow, and the atmosphere shifts instantly. "I don’t need you telling me how to raise my son, Aria."
Her tone stings, but I stay calm. "I’m not trying to tell you how to raise him. Just suggesting it might be good for him."
She scoffs, folding her arms across her chest. "Mind your own business. I’m his mother, not you."
Before I can say anything else, William appears at the door, completely oblivious to the tension between us.
"Bye, Ms. Aria. Bye, Joe!" he calls, waving with that same easy smile he always has.
"See you tomorrow, William," I say softly, watching as he walks out with his mother.
The door closes behind them, and I feel the weight of the conversation settle on me. I know I’m not William’s mom, but it’s hard to stand by and watch when I see how much he’s missing out on.
The next day, I’m buried in paperwork at the office when a familiar voice breaks through my concentration.
"Hey, stranger."
I look up from my desk to see Logan standing in the doorway, his trademark grin plastered on his face. It’s been a while since we last spoke, and I wasn’t exactly expecting him to show up unannounced.
"Logan," I say, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"
He strolls into my office like he owns the place, taking a seat across from me. "Thought I’d drop by, see how you’re doing. Been thinking about us."
I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms. "I’m not sure that’s something we can just pick up where we left off, Logan. You know things got complicated."
"Complicated?" He shrugs, still smiling. "Sure, but we’re both adults. We can figure it out, can’t we? It’s not like you’re married to Liam anymore."
That makes me pause. The mention of Liam still stings, but I try not to let it show.
"That doesn’t mean I’m rushing into something else. Especially after everything that happened between us."
Logan leans forward, his expression softening just a little.
"I know I messed up. I wasn’t honest with you from the start, and I get that. But I’ve been straight with you since then. Look, you’ve got options, Aria. You don’t have to go back to Liam just because he’s putting in the effort now. I could be your option."
His words hang in the air, and I can feel my mind start to spiral. Logan’s always had a way of making things sound so simple, but I know it’s anything but.
"I don’t know, Logan," I say, glancing down at the papers scattered across my desk. "I need time to figure things out."
He stands up, smoothing out his shirt. "Tell you what—let me take you out this weekend. No pressure, just a chance to make up for some of the things I got wrong. What do you say?"
I hesitate, the memories of our past flashing through my mind. Despite everything, there’s still something there, something I can’t quite shake. "Okay. This weekend."
"Great," Logan says, grinning again. "I’ll pick you up Saturday at seven." He winks as he walks out, leaving me to stare after him, still unsure if I made the right call.
Later that evening, as I’m wrapping up work, my phone buzzes on the desk. It’s a message from the executive who’s been dangling the promotion in front of me for weeks now.
Hey Aria, just wanted to follow up on our conversation. Have you had a chance to think about the offer? Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
I let out a long breath, staring at the screen. The promotion is everything I’ve been working toward, the next big step in my career.
But it comes with a price—moving, uprooting Joe, and leaving behind the life we’ve been trying to rebuild. And then there’s Liam... and now Logan.
Everything feels like it’s happening all at once.
I type back a quick response: Still thinking it over. I’ll have an answer soon.
But how soon? It feels like no matter how much time I give myself, the decision doesn’t get any easier.
By the time I get home, Joe and William are already sitting at the kitchen table, talking excitedly about some school project.
The moment I walk in, Joe waves me over, his face lighting up.
"Mom! William and I are working on our volcano for science class. Can you help us?"
I smile, feeling the familiar warmth at seeing him so excited. "Of course. Let’s see what you’ve got so far."
As I set my bag down, I’m immediately met with the sight of Joe and William huddled around the kitchen table, surrounded by all sorts of materials—newspaper, plastic bottles, a mountain of clay, and a suspicious amount of baking soda.
"Okay, so I came up with the idea of using vinegar for the eruption," Joe says proudly, shooting William a smirk.
William rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. "You did not! I told you about vinegar after I saw it in that science video. You were the one who wanted to use Coke and Mentos like everybody else!"
Joe opens his mouth to argue, but I step between them before it escalates.
"Alright, alright. Let’s focus on making the best volcano we can, not who came up with what," I say, holding back a laugh. "So, show me what you’ve done so far."
They both launch into a rapid-fire explanation at the same time.
"I made the base—"
"But I designed the crater—"
"Joe, you didn’t even get the measurements right!"
"William, I was only off by a little bit!"
"That's because your ruler's broken!"
I can barely keep up as they gesticulate wildly, both clearly eager to prove their contributions.
Their bickering is lighthearted, though, and I can tell they’re having fun—even if neither of them wants to admit it.
"Okay, okay!" I hold up my hands, laughing.
"Why don’t we take it one step at a time? Joe, show me the base, and William, tell me what you’re thinking about for the eruption. We’ll figure out what works best together."
We spend the next hour working on their volcano, the kitchen table covered in construction paper, glue, and baking soda.
The boys laugh as we test the eruption, the vinegar fizzing and bubbling over the edges of their carefully constructed mountain.
It’s a mess, but it’s a good mess.
Still, even in the midst of the chaos, my mind drifts back to the executive’s message, to Logan’s offer, to Liam’s attempts to make things right.
Every decision I need to make feels like a brick weighing me down, and I know that sooner or later, I’m going to have to face them head-on.
