A firm believer in "Exes can be friends," Chassie Lewis has proven everyone thinking otherwise wrong. For almost four years now, she's been happily divorced from her ex-husband, Nathaniel Forester. The sparks had flown and crashed between them a lon...
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Chassie George
Sharing a table with Sydney Williams is one thing. Listening to her rave on and on about recipes she perfected in the span of her career is another. Like I care about a perfectly pink steak and her pork medallions. She even told me about some of her disasters in the kitchen – which is more like a mistake on the texture.
"One very rookie mistake though, doubling up the heat and thinking it'll cook faster." She sips on her wine, laughing.
I try to muster a laugh, even when that's exactly what I would do if I'm running out of time. Nathan and I hardly spoken. But he sits across me (next to Sydney), our gazes constantly touching.
Ethan's head rubs on my arm, earning my attention. He was yawning adorably for the fifth time now. My hand goes over his back as I kissed the top of his head. "You want some of my chocolate pudding?" I whispered.
His entire face lightens up. "All of it?"
"Yes." I gave him the spoon which he happily took.
I shifted my seat, freezing when my foot bumps against Nathan's from underneath the table. I gambled a glance his way, retreating my foot when I saw him visibly tensed. I nodded distractedly to Sydney. She's moved on to another one of her kitchen disasters while her hand is giving her hair a round-the-clock fluff.
"Ethan," I whispered, "baby, at least let some of the food make it to your mouth." I wiped the corner of his mouth and pecked on his nose, suppressing a laugh.
There was a sudden jolt on my toe from under the table. I flinched at the slightest touch. Translating it into an innocent accident, I resumed wiping Ethan's chin clean.
Another nudge caught me off guard. This time I threw a glance across the table and saw Nathan, nodding at Sydney (like I did), his mouth curving.
I give him a revenge jab underneath.
The curve on his lips turned into a smile, although we still haven't made eye contact yet.
He nudged back.
I dodged it.
I jabbed his foot.
He flinched slightly.
A giggle bubbled in my throat, thankfully just in time when Sydney laughed at her own joke.
Nathan finally looks my way, eyes a sparkling baby blue and a silent laugh on his lips. Just like that, we broke the ice again. No exchange of spoken apology, if there was supposed to be one.
Ethan chuckles beside me, the first loud sound he made since we sat on the table. Sensing my ease, and realizing I'm in with the conversation after all, he pays attention to Sydney. "Mommy had some trouble in the kitchen too. All the time."
I grab a napkin and put it over his mouth to cut him off. "Baby, mommy is not exactly proud of that." I swiped the napkin over his mouth in pretense of wiping it clean.
