The ride screeched to a halt, and Liam shot out of the car like a cannon, his laughter echoing through the park.
"Again! Again!" he shouted, bouncing on his heels.
Celine stumbled slightly, catching herself on the seat beside August. Her hair was a mess, cheeks flushed, and her heart still racing from the drops.
"You… you survived," August said, smirking at her. His fingers brushed hers as he reached to steady her, and she felt a tiny jolt at the contact.
"I… I did," she admitted, laughing nervously. "Barely."
Liam ran in circles around them. "Celine, that was awesome! You screamed a little, but it was funny!"
Celine glanced at August, trying to hide her blush. "I screamed? Was it… bad?"
August leaned in slightly, lowering his voice teasingly. "Not bad. But I think you were more entertaining than the ride itself."
Her eyes widened, caught off guard. "Entertaining?"
"Yes," he said, smirk playing on his lips. "And… you looked really brave. Handsome, even."
Celine froze for a heartbeat. "Handsome?" she echoed, voice soft, teasingly flustered.
"Or… brave," he corrected, leaning back with a sly smile.
She shook her head, laughing softly. "You're impossible."
Liam tugged at her hand. "C'mon! Let's go get popcorn! And candy! You promised!"
Celine rolled her eyes, still holding August's hand, but she let herself be dragged along.
August followed, a quiet smile tugging at his lips as he watched her. Every time she laughed or teased, he felt a pull he couldn't ignore.
"See," he murmured under his breath as they walked, "bravery looks good on you."
Celine glanced up at him, cheeks warm, eyes twinkling. "Stop it," she whispered, smiling.
"I'll stop… when you stop being adorable," he teased back.
She snorted, shaking her head. "Good luck with that."
After finishing their snacks, Liam's eyes landed on a small stand selling water guns.
"Water guns!" he shouted, pointing. "Celine, let's get them! Let's have a battle!"
Celine froze, eyeing the row of bright, plastic guns. "Uh… I don't know about this."
"Come on! It'll be fun!" Liam said, already dragging her toward the stand.
August followed at a slower pace, shaking his head with a smile. "This is going to end… wet."
Celine finally relented, picking a small, brightly colored gun. Liam picked a huge one, practically bigger than his torso, and August casually selected a sleek, tactical-looking water gun.
"Ready?" Liam shouted, eyes gleaming.
"You're going down," Celine teased, though she was already aiming at him nervously.
"Bring it on," Liam grinned, squeezing the trigger.
The first shot hit her square in the shoulder. Celine squealed, spinning around and spraying back—but missed by a mile.
"Ha! You missed!" Liam laughed, running behind a bench for cover.
August chuckled, stepping closer. "Careful… don't get soaked."
Celine shot him a glare, pointing her gun at him. "Me?!"
"Yes, you. You're in my line of fire now," he teased, crouching slightly, aiming his own at her.
Her eyes widened. "No fair!"
"Life isn't fair," he quipped, firing a small stream that hit her side.
Celine yelped, spinning around again, but Liam snuck up behind her and sprayed her with a blast full in the back. She shrieked, laughing uncontrollably, trying to turn and retaliate.
"Hey! You little monster!" she shouted at him, chasing him across the grass.
August watched, suppressing a laugh, before stealthily advancing behind Celine and tagging her with a quick spray.
"Ah! August!" she gasped, spinning around to glare at him—but couldn't hide the smile forming.
"You're wet," he said softly, hands resting casually at his sides.
"I know," she admitted, brushing hair from her face. "And I think I hate both of you."
"Love you both anyway," Liam said, laughing hysterically.
Celine laughed, feeling lighter than she had in months, as August took a playful step closer, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"You're enjoying this too much," she said, narrowing her eyes—but her grin betrayed her.
"And you're enjoying it more than you're letting on," he shot back, a teasing lift to his voice.
She rolled her eyes but didn't move away. Liam squealed in triumph nearby, completely absorbed in their water-gun chaos, unaware he had just become the ringleader of the best morning Celine had had in forever.
By the time they decided to call it quits, Celine, Liam, and August were soaked from head to toe.
Liam collapsed onto a bench, still laughing hysterically. "I won! I totally won!"
Celine plopped down beside him, shaking her head, water dripping from her hair. "You're impossible."
August stepped closer, a small grin tugging at his lips. He held a folded towel out to her. "Here. Don't want you catching a cold."
Celine took it, brushing the wet hair from her face as their fingers brushed for a moment. Her cheeks warmed instantly. "Thanks…" she said softly.
"You're welcome," he replied, voice calm but teasing. "Though I can't decide if you're more dangerous with a water gun or… without one."
Celine blinked, flustered, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm dangerous?"
"You know," he said, leaning slightly closer, his eyes glinting, "in a very… distracting way."
She laughed, shaking her head, pretending to wipe the towel over his arm instead. "Stop it, August."
"Nope," he replied, letting her, his thumb brushing against hers as he steadied the towel.
Liam groaned dramatically. "You two are ignoring me! I want a towel too!"
"Fine, champ," August said, handing him a smaller towel. "But only because I don't want water dripping on the grass."
Celine laughed, shaking her head at the two of them. "You're like a really tall, handsome mop," she teased August.
"Then I'll take it as a compliment," he said, smirking, his eyes locking with hers for a beat longer than necessary.
"Alright, champ," he said, glancing at Liam. "Time to head back to the car."
Liam hesitated, reluctant to leave the fun behind.
"Liam?" August's voice was calm but carried a quiet weight. His eyes met hers, soft but firm.
Liam groaned dramatically. "Do we have to?"
"Yes," Celine said, adjusting him in her arms. "Come on, troublemaker."
As they walked toward the parking lot, a familiar voice drifted across the playground.
"August?"
Celine froze, glancing over her shoulder.
There she was. August's ex. She had seen her picture unintentionally in Augusts stuff, Short blonde hair that caught the sunlight, fine and sleek, framing a face that had always carried that confident, effortless expression.Her figure was slim and lithe, posture perfect, and she carried herself like she owned every space she stepped into.
Celine's stomach tightened. She suddenly became hyper-aware of her own messy hair, damp sweatshirt, and casual sneakers. Her cheeks warmed as she clutched Liam a little closer.
August straightened, jaw tightening slightly, though his voice remained calm. "Hey."
She smiled faintly, eyes lingering on him for just a moment too long. "I didn't expect to see you here."
Celine bit her lip, trying to ignore the way her heart was picking up.
August leaned slightly toward her, voice low, insistent but gentle. "Take Liam to the car. Now."
Celine hesitated, wanting to protest, but the quiet firmness in his tone, and the look in his eyes, made her nod. "Okay. Let's go, champ."
Liam wriggled. "But—"
"No buts," Celine said, giving him a playful glare as she started walking.
Behind her, August faced his ex, calm, collected, but with a subtle tension in his stance. Celine couldn't help stealing a glance back, feeling suddenly small compared to the effortless poise of the woman.
Once they were buckled into the car, Celine exhaled, glancing back at August. His eyes met hers, steady and reassuring. A small smile tugged at his lips before he looked away.
August stood tall, facing his ex, the warm evening light casting sharp lines on his face. His jaw tightened slightly, the smile he had on his face long gone.
"Who's that woman?" she asked, eyes narrowing just enough to show curiosity, and maybe a hint of challenge.
August's gaze flicked toward Celine and Liam for just a moment, who were already inside the car waiting for him. Then he looked back at the ex, expression unreadable, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"She's someone Liam enjoys spending time with," he said carefully, calm but firm.
His ex raised an eyebrow, studying him like she was trying to read a secret. "Hmm. She seems… close."
August shrugged lightly, effortless as always. "I don't owe anyone an explanation."
She let out a small scoff, clearly not used to being brushed off so easily. "Of course, you'd say that."
"Let's not worry about me right now," he said, a faint smirk. "I'm busy watching my kid."
The woman folded her arms, her gaze drifting past August briefly, to where Celine and Liam were now at the car, before returning to him with a tight smile.
"I'm his mother, August."
The words hung there, heavy, deliberate. Like a claim. Like a right she had every intention of taking back.
August let out a short, humorless scoff.
It wasn't loud.
But it cut.
His head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing, not angry at first… just disbelieving.
"Really?" he said quietly.
She stiffened, clearly not expecting that tone.
August took a slow step closer, one hand slipping into his pocket, the other rubbing briefly over his jaw as if trying to keep something in check.
"Funny," he added, voice low and even. "You didn't think about that before you walked out."
That hit.
Her lips parted, then pressed together, her composure cracking just for a second. "I didn't walk out—"
"You left," August cut in, not raising his voice—but this time, there was steel in it. "Same difference."
A beat.
The air between them tightened.
She straightened, chin lifting, slipping back into that polished, controlled version of herself. "I had my reasons."
August gave a small, cold nod, like he'd heard that line too many times to count.
"I'm sure you did."
His eyes flicked briefly toward the car again, Liam was smiling.
That was enough.
When August looked back at his ex, something in his expression had settled. Not anger anymore.
Finality.
"You don't get to show up years later," he said calmly, "throw that word around like it means something now."
Her eyes flashed. "That word does mean something. He's my son."
August stepped closer this time, just enough to make the space between them feel tight.
"And where were you," he asked quietly, "when he had a fever at 3 a.m. and wouldn't stop crying?"
She froze.
"When he won his first award?" he continued. "When he asked why every other kid had a mom and he didn't?"
Her breath hitched, barely noticeable, but there.
August's jaw tightened, but his voice stayed controlled. Too controlled.
"I was there," he said simply.
Silence.
For a moment, she had nothing.
Then her gaze flicked again toward the car, her expression sharpening slightly as she spotted Celine.
"And her?" she asked, tone shifting. "You're letting some random woman play house with my son now?"
That did it.
August's eyes darkened, not explosive, not loud, but dangerous in a quiet way.
"She's not random."
The firmness in his voice made her pause.
He didn't elaborate.
He didn't need to.
But the way he said it… said enough.
Then August exhaled slowly, stepping back, regaining her composure, slipping her mask back on.
"This isn't over, August," she said, voice smooth again, but edged with something deeper. "I'm his mother. You can't keep me away."
August held her gaze, unflinching.
"Stay away from our life Marissa."
Not loud.
Not threatening.
But final.
He turned before she could respond, walking away without another word.
At the car,
Celine looked up immediately when he approached, reading something in his face she couldn't quite place.
"Everything okay?" she asked softly.
August opened the driver's door, then paused, glancing at her.
For a second… the hardness melted.
"Yeah," he said, voice gentler now. "Everything's fine."
Liam leaned forward from the back seat. "Dad! Can we get ice cream?"
August huffed a small laugh, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, champ," he said, starting the car. "We'll get ice cream."
Celine smiled, but her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer.
She knew.
It wasn't fine.
But he was trying.
And somehow… that mattered more.