“Noah!”
The boy’s head lifts.
“Mom!”
He launches himself toward her the second Leone sets him down.
Izzy catches him like gravity itself depends on it.
“Oh my God,” she breathes, crushing him against her chest. “Oh my God.”
“I’m sorry,” Noah says immediately. “I went to Mrs. Delgado’s because Gabby didn’t come.”
“That was smart,” she says. “You did so good, baby.”
He buries his face in her shoulder. “I didn’t know where you were.”
“I’m so sorry.” She kisses his hair over and over like she is trying to make up for every second he was scared. “I’m here now, okay? I promise I won’t ever let this happen again.”
The sheer affection between them tugs at something in my chest. A part of me I’d long thought I’d buried.
I step out of the car slowly.
Leone meets my eyes.
“He was napping at the neighbor’s,” he says quietly. “Lady told me he showed up sometime in the afternoon. Said his sitterdidn’t show. She’s elderly though—only has a landline and a phone book. Had no idea how to track down Izzy to let her know.”
I clap him once on the shoulder. “Good work.”
Leone grins. “That mean I get vacation days this year?”
“Keep dreaming.”
Izzy is still holding Noah like she will never let go. For a second, I see myself and my mother, the way we were before the world broke us. Before it took her from me and turned me into a monster she’d struggle to recognize.
Love like that is pure. And pure things are exactly what men like me destroy.
After a moment, Izzy looks up at me.
Her eyes are wet.
“Thank you,” she says.
“You’re welcome.”
Noah turns in her arms.
Then, finally, he turns to look at me.
For the first time I really see him. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Straight nose. Straight eyebrows, and a small birthmark just beside his ear.
My hand moves before I realize it.
My fingers touch the same spot on my own face.
The same mark. The same shape. The same place.
The world goes very still.
