Page 33 of His Surrender

Because fifteen-year-old me spent years imagining a future with Dean Ledger while twenty-seven-year-old Dean barely saw anything more than a plain, boring Goody Two-shoes.

CHAPTER NINE

DEAN

Imade it to Friday.

Considering how drastically my life has changed over the last two weeks, I’d call that a win.

Settling into another new routine hasn’t been nearly as difficult as I expected. Aubrey has been incredible with Liana.

She’s completely unfazed by the chaos that seems to follow a two-month-old around.

And surprisingly, she’s easy to live with.

She somehow knows when to give me space and when to step in without ever making me feel like she’s taking over. She cleans up after herself, laughs more than anyone who’s been in this apartment in years, and has a way of making the place feel lighter.

Sometimes, I catch myself looking at her and have to remind myself she’s the same Aubrey who used to live next door to me.

Somewhere over the last seven years, Noah’s little sister disappeared.

In her place is a woman I’m still trying to figure out.

Saturday morning sunlight pours through the floor-to-ceiling windows as I zip up my sweatshirt and glance outside.

Seventy-two degrees. Not bad for a random October day.

Liana squirms on my bed, already awake for the day after finishing her bottle. She lets out a tiny squeal that earns a smile from me.

“I think we both need some fresh air.”

I grab the stroller from the front closet and begin unfolding it in the foyer.

Aubrey walks into the kitchen a minute later wearing black leggings and an oversize cream-colored sweatshirt, her hair pulled into a loose ponytail.

“Morning.” She smiles softly.

“Morning.”

She pours herself a cup of coffee before noticing the stroller. “Going somewhere?”

“I thought I’d take Liana for a walk through Central Park.”

She nods. “I think she’d like that.”

“I figured we’d enjoy the weather while we still can.”

She smiles into her mug. “I’ve always wanted to see Central Park in the fall.”

“You should come.” The words are out of my mouth before I’ve had a chance to think them through.

She blinks. “With you?”

I immediately wonder why I said it. This is supposed to be my time with Liana. Right?

“Only if you want to,” I add, trying to sound casual. “You don’t have to.”

Aubrey studies me for a second. “I’d like that.”