“Um…”
I took his hand, trying to ignore the zing that shot through me, and moved it to Pippa’s little pajama-covered foot. “This is her foot.” I smiled, unable to take my eyes off Ciro’s handsome profile.
“It’s so small.” Ciro touched her foot, holding it in his hand. Pippa turned toward him but stayed latched on to my nipple. It was like she hadn’t noticed him there before. “Those eyes.”
“They’re yours.” I ran my index finger across her temple like I had thousands of times before, mesmerized by her just as Ciro was doing.
Thousands of timesrang in my head, amping up the regret I carried.
“She’s perfect,” he said on a breath, touching his fingers to Pippa’s so tenderly, and then he kissed her hand.
I couldn’t breathe. One by one, tears rained down my face. Nothing about this moment, the moment Ciro met his daughter, played out the way I had imagined. I couldn’t breathe…
“Alba,” I cried. “Take her.” I removed Pippa from my breast, handed her to Alba, and ran into the bathroom.
“Isla, wait,” Ciro called as I closed the door and locked it.
I leaned against the door, sliding down to the floor and onto my ass. I sobbed into my hands.
Seeing them together was too much. How could I do this to them?
22
CIRO
I staredat my beautiful daughter, marveling at her while touching her tiny hand. It was so small and soft. There was no doubt in my mind that she was mine. In fact, aside from the patch of blonde hair on the top of her head, she looked like me as a baby.
Pippa gazed up at me in wonder, yet cautiously. An exorbitant amount of love flooded my soul and instantly changed me. How was that possible? I didn’t know her, yet I felt my heart swell ten times bigger as I stared at her.
I would never forget this monumental, life-changing moment, meeting my daughter for the first time.
Suddenly, Isla sucked in a ragged breath and tears began to fall.
“Alba,” she cried, crumbling before my eyes. “Take her.”
I stood from the sofa as Isla handed Pippa to Alba, then she ran.
I didn’t know what was happening. “Isla, wait,” I called, but she didn’t stop, closing the door behind her. I turned back toward Alba. “What just happened?”
“She’ll be fine.” Alba bounced, swaying side to side, patting Pippa’s back. “She just needs a minute.”
“A minute for what? It’s not like she’s seeingherchild for the first time.”
“This isn’t only about you, you know?”
“No? Enlighten me, please,” I huffed, more sarcastically than I’d intended. But really, if anyone needed a minute it was me.
“Wow. You don’t have to be a jerk about it.” Alba pressed her lips tomydaughter’s cheek. Those rich brown eyes,my eyes, watched me like a hawk. “This hasn’t been easy for her. Every day has been a struggle. She had horrible morning sickness until her fifth month, but she only missed work once because she was dehydrated. I remember how sickly she looked. It was me who forced her to drink and eat better. And of course, rest. Otherwise, she would have run herself ragged. And then?—”
“What do you mean forced? Isla wasn’t taking care of herself?” My heart raced. That didn’t sound like Isla at all. Something could’ve happened to the baby.
“She hadn’t been drinking enough water and was overworked. She tends to forget about herself.”
I knew all about that. Isla would always put her needs last.
“I had to keep an eye on her. Just wished I could’ve paid for her prenatal visits, then maybe things would have?—”
“Would have what?”
