𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐞

four.✔

I shut my eyes and take a long breath before taking my phone from my pocket and follow her, taking pictures of Soph. Caroline stands behind her with our mother on the other side. Elizabeth has Livy in her arms beside my mom and Cole is sitting beside Soph. I snap a photo as Soph blows at the candles. The echo of my family cheering as I glance at the photo I just took. Soph's face is candle lit with a bright grin and shut eyes. Everyone is staring at the cake but Cole. He's staring at Soph. His lips crooked to the right with a sincere happiness on them.

"Babe," Wraith's hand on my back startles me. "Whoa, it's just me," he says as I look up at him. "How much longer? I've got to be up early in the morning for a meeting back East."

"Have a piece of cake and let her open her gifts," I reply. "Then we'll go."

Wraith sighs but nods.

My eyes land on Soph again as Caroline cuts into the pink sugar coma. Soph sticks her finger in the frosting and runs that very same finger down Cole's cheek. He's watching me as she does so. A smirk forms as he feels her little finger, but his gaze lingers for a moment before turning to Soph, demanding answers. She giggles as he does the same to her with a lot less frosting.

"Sophie!" Caroline sneers when he realizes what she did to Cole.

He laughs, wiping the frosting off then licking it off his finger.

I heard Wraith's phone ringing again, but I ignore it and sit down as Livy hands me a piece of cake. I pull her into my lap once everyone has a piece but Wraith, who has returned to his spot at the far end of the lawn.

"Auntie?" Livy says with a mouthful of cake.

"Squish?"

"Is Wraith going to be our uncle?"

"Baby, he's marrying Auntie so yes," Caroline replies for me.

"Can Cole be our uncle instead?" Soph speaks up, also with a mouthful of cake. My eyes flicker up at Cole, who is across from me. He takes a bite, to avoid answering.

"Sophie," my mom steps in. "Cole is Auntie's best friend. You don't have to pick between the two, you get both."

Soph scrunches her nose. "I think Auntie should just marry Cole."

Children. You have to love their bluntness.

Cole awkwardly clears his throat.

"Soph..." I start.

"Look Soph," Cole cuts me off, sweetly turning to her. "Scarlett is in love with Wraith," he says in soft tones. "She doesn't love me like that. She loves me like you love Livy."

"Like mommy loves daddy?" Soph tries to understand.

"Yes," he nods.

"Well why not?" Livy chimes in, looking at me pointedly. "We love Cole."

"Girls," Caroline stands.

"It's fine," I breathe. "One day you girls will understand," I tell them both. "But for now, here's the deal; you get to keep Cole and I'm keeping Wraith. And occasionally we'll share."

I glance at Cole again, for the first time tonight he's not grinning but earnest and stiff.

"Livy," Caroline grabs the extra piece of cake. "Why don't you go see if Wraith wants a piece?"

Livy pouts but jumps off my lap and grabs the cake from her mom.

Elizabeth takes another long sip of wine to hide her laughter. My mother tries to calm Caroline and Cole is shamelessly turned all the way around watching Livy walk over to Wraith.