After Forever & Ever

Tessa Bonus Chapter 1

7 years later

"Auden, Emery hurry up we have to be out of the house in 5 minutes if we are going to make it to Papa's engagement party on time." I yell to the kids.

"Coming." Emery yells back.

They both come downstairs and we head outside to the car.

"Mommy is Daddy going to be there?" Auden asks me.

"No Auden you know Daddy isn't going to be there!" Emery yells at him.

"Emery don't yell at your brother." I tell her.

Vance proposed to his fiancé Holly last weekend when they were in Maui and so they decided to throw a party tonight to celebrate with everyone.

Holly is really great and perfect for Vance. And since Smith is 18 now and starting college this Fall it was the perfect time to enjoy his life with his soon to be wife.

We arrive to Vance's house and I'm shocked to see Hardin's car.

He gets out of the car as I am getting the kids out and Auden immediately spots him.

Both Auden and Emery run to him.... "Daddy!!!" They both scream jumping into his arms.

He embraces both of them giving them huge hugs.

I finally walk over to him.

"Hi." He simply says.

"Hey I didn't think you were coming." I reply.

"I didn't think I was either." He replies.

Mind you we haven't talked in 3 weeks....

We walk in as a family and greet Vance and Holly. He is the best grandpa and the kids absolutely adore him and Holly.

"Hardin can I talk to you for a second?" Vance says to Hardin stealing him away.

I'm realizing the only reason Hardin is probably here is so Vance doesn't think anything is wrong between us.

When they come back Hardin puts his hand on my back and hands me a drink. Which is weird with how things have been.

"What did Vance want?" I ask him.

"Nothing he was asking me if I could look at Smith's car to see if it's something I could fix." He replies.

"Oh okay." I respond.

He grabs his water and leans against a cocktail table outside and so I do the same next to him.

"So are we just pretending everything is good between us?" I ask him.

"What are you talking about....everything is great." He replies sarcastically as he takes a sip out of his water bottle and turns away from me.

"Well you can barely even look at me, you won't talk to me....the kids miss you and I have no idea where your head is at." I blurt out.

"I'm not doing this here." He replies and walks away....

He still has heartbreak in his eyes and that kills me.