It’s not until then that the girl notices me sitting there. Her eyes widen when she looks at me.
“Are you my new mom?” she asks, her voice sounding as though that’s a wondrous thing.
I choke and then start coughing. My eyes water, and I bend over to try to catch my breath. Hands rub my back, and after a few seconds I manage to get a hold of myself. I gratefully take the glass of water Helen holds out to me, and I swallow several big gulps of the cold liquid.
“I should have told you before we got here, but I didn’t know how,” Theo says, looking remorseful. The little girl is now sitting on his lap, looking at me worriedly.
“Are you okay?” she asks, chewing on her fingernail.
I try my best to put on a brave face, but I’m not sure if I pull it off. “I’m okay. It was just a little tickle in my throat.”
She relaxes back against Theo’s chest, seemingly satisfied with my reply.
“Jules,” Theo begins, “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Aria. Aria, this is Jules.”
“Hi,” she says quietly, her little legs swinging between Theo’s.
It takes me a moment to compose myself enough to answer in kind. I’m still reeling from the shock of Theo having a child, which makes her my stepchild.
“Hello, Aria. That’s such a pretty name.”
She smiles, revealing a missing tooth. “It was my great-gamma’s name.” Her smile turns to a frown. “She died before I was born.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that.”
Her head tilts to the side. “Daddy said you’re married. Does that mean I have a momma now? My other one left and didn’t want me.”
I turn helpless eyes to Theo, who appears to be struggling with how to handle the question as much as I am. Luckily, Helen comes to our rescue, even if her answer scares me. Being a wife is one thing, but being a parent to a child I’ve never met before is something else entirely.
“She’ll be your stepmom, Aria,” she supplies gently. Holding out her hand, she continues, “Why don’t you help me with the sandwiches. I’ll even let you put the honey on yours.”
She hops down from Theo’s lap, clearly already over her curiosity. “Okay!”
I watch, enthralled with Aria, as she helps Helen with the sandwiches. She’s a beautiful girl, and the way she communicates with Helen, she’s obviously very smart and mature for her age, which I put around six or seven.
Something pulls my attention away from them, and I look over to find another woman standing in the kitchen doorway. Just from her looks, I know who she is. It’s amazing how all the siblings in this family can look so much like their father.
The woman’s eyes pin me in place, and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Her expression is closed off, so I have no idea what she’s thinking. Her gaze leaves mine just long enough to look at everyone else in the room before coming back to me.
“Get in here, Ella, and meet your sister-in-law,” Helen reprimands without stalling in making the sandwiches.
Ella waits a moment longer before coming the rest of the way into the kitchen. She stops by her mom and Aria and leans back against the counter, her gaze still focused on me. Her arms cross over her chest and her eyes narrow.
“Stop it, Ella,” Theo barks.
Ignoring him, she purses her lips together.
“Ella Renee, knock that shit off now.”
Her eyes leave mine to go to Wyatt’s. The minute they do, they lose their displeasure and soften. The small transformation makes Ella look even more pretty.
I press my back against the chair and tense as she leaves the counter and closes the short distance between us. Her expression is impassive as she stands in front of me.
“I’m Ella,” she greets, holding out her hand.
Hesitantly, I grip her hand in mine, then wince when she squeezes a little too tightly. I thought it was only men who did that. Apparently, I was wrong.
“I’m Jules. It’s nice to meet you.”