“I’m glad you had him watching over you, and Ryan, too. Max, you’re an amazing person. Look at the work you do as a nurse. You literally help people for a living. All the work you do at the Center. I’ve seen you with the kids there, and even in Lisbon; you didn’t have to run those sessions but you did because you care and you’re an amazing person.”
He’d pulled me in for a kiss. “Besides, do you think I fall in love willy nilly for just anyone?”
I’d let out a chuckle. “I suppose I am quite the catch.”
“You are and don’t you forget it.”
“Do you really think I can look after Lucy and not let her down?”
“Do you want what’s best for her?”
“Of course.”
“Then you won’t let her down. All she needs is a big brother that cares about her.”
I could do that, I’d thought. I would damn well be the best big brother in the world. I justneeded to figure out what that particularjob entailed.
There was also the detail of who would have custody of Lucy since she was still a minor, and that meant having to confront my parents.
“And us?” I’d asked.
“What about us?”
“What will happen when Dorian and Jean-Paul are back? Will you have to go back to Portugal?” I hadn’t really wanted to know the answer, but I’d had to ask the question. “We promised there would be no more miscommunication between us. No more telenovela moments, right?”
“Max, I have never felt more at home than when I’m with you. I came to New York hoping we could give our relationship a try, but I still have my whole life in Portugal, Max is still out there, too, and I miss him.”
I’d felt like my heart stopped beating.
“Wait, I can see you heard thatall wrong. What I’m saying is that I may have to go back there to settle things and bring Max here, but that is a problem I want to have to face. Got it?” he’d said.
“Got it.” I’d kissed him. “Do you think Max will like it here?”
“He’ll love it.”
“Max!” I turned to the voice I knew better than my own. The panic I heard brought me back into the present.
“Isaac, what’s up, baby?” Fernando and Diogo walked in behind him.
“It’s Lucy. I think she ran away.”
