“Until you find something permanent,” I say, though for some reason I don’t like adding that caveat. “You can’t live in a hotel. And I need to see him.”
“Really? You wanted nothing to do with him!”
“I didn’t know he existed!”
He opens his mouth. Then shuts it.
“But I’m glad he does,” I say. “Your sister wanted a child.”
“You really knew her.”
I shrug.
“She didn’t want it this way,” he says softly.
No doubt she’d wanted to settle down with someone. She’d probably wanted a husband or serious boyfriend.
“I guess—” he says finally.
“Excellent.” I know Enzo well enough to back away. I don’t want him to change his mind. It matters that he says yes.
I hurry down the corridor, back to my room.
I’m a father. A dad. A papa.
Oh my God.
My son will depend on me.
My heart races. I can’t believe I didn’t know.
I take out my phone. “Hi Mom. What do you remember about toddlers?”
CHAPTER
TWELVE
Enzo
I whip out my phone. My hands tremble.
“I just made a mistake,” I blurt out.
“Deep breath.” Sofia’s voice is calm on the other end.
Kids shriek in the background. Sofia’s place doesn’t exactly sound Zen, but I still inhale obediently.
“What happened?”
“I told Axel about Luca!” I exclaim.
“Oh. Well, that’s good. That’s what you wanted to do.”
“But now he knows!”
“That’s what happens after those types of conversations. Look, yesterday you were complaining to me that he didn’t want to talk with you.”
“I know, but?—”
