Chapter 35

Kristen’s POV

“Can I try one?” Noah asked impatiently.

“They’re still hot, sweetheart,” I told him. “Just give them five minutes, and they’ll be ready for dunking.”

“They look so good.”

“They do, don’t they?” I nodded. “These were my favorite snack to make when I was ten.”

Noah’s mouth formed a little ‘o’ shape. “You knew how to make cookies when you were ten?”

“I sure did,” I nodded.

“Your mommy didn’t make them for you?”

I hesitated a moment, remembering my lonely childhood. Mom had mostly been working, and whatever free time she did have left over was spent on her friends. Of course, when Ted designed to give her the time of day, nothing could keep her from his side. She would even miss work to stay at home and be with him.

Shortly after my tenth birthday, Ted decided to come and spend the weekend with us. He’d bought Mom flowers that looked like they’d been hacked from a neighbor’s backyard, and he had bought me a teddy bear