“Dad and Genna are getting married at the end of June.” Hazel said it in a rush, avoiding Zoey’s eyes.

“Next month? What the fu...” She caught herself, but damn. The divorce hadn’t become final until February. He’d already forced her and Hazel out of their house so he could build a new one with what’s-her-name. What was the big rush to add one more major event to their daughter’s life?

She and Chris had vowed they wouldn’t bad-mouth each other to Hazel, no matter how intense things got during and after the divorce. She had to keep her end of the bargain. She’d deal with Chris later. “I mean...that seems...fast. I thought they’d wait longer, but...”

“Genna’s pregnant.” Hazel’s voice was flat, but that didn’t soften the cut of those words. Zoey felt like someone had just kicked her in the stomach, to the point where she almost wheezed from the impact.

“I’m sorry, what? It’s a shotgun wedding?”

“Mom...”

Zoey sucked in her breath and held it, closing her eyes. Chris and she had talked so many times about having another child, but it never happened. The doctor couldn’t find a physical reason for either of them, but Chris had still blamed Zoey. He didn’t say it out loud, but she’d felt it. There was a blank space between them where more children should have been. And now he was having those children. Without her.

“Mom? Are you okay?” Hazel’s hand rested on Zoey’s.

“I’m fine, honey.” She knew her words sounded forced. “It’s a surprise, but hey—a baby!” She hoped her smile wasn’t shaking as much as she was inside. This conversation wasn’t about her. “You’re going to be a big sister... How does that make you feel?”

Zoey’s jaw tightened. This was typical Chris—doing things for himself with no thought of how they affected the people in his life. Cheating on Zoey. And now surprising Hazel with a new sibling.

“I don’t know. I mean...there’s going to be almost fourteen years between us, so it’s not like we’ll hang out or anything.” Hazel was trying to be nonchalant, but Zoey sensed her feelings ran deeper than what she was letting on. It would probably take them both some time to process it all.

“Maybe not when the baby’s little, but once you’re both adults, you could end up being great friends. Tani and her brother are ten years apart, and they’re super close now.”

“It’s a boy.”

Zoey bit her lip. Of course it would be the boy Chris had always wanted. Not that he didn’t adore Hazel, but he’d always talked about having a son.

“A baby brother. How sweet.” She was running out of strength to sound enthusiastic.