I considered my feet. My knockoff Nike sneakers were stained with mud, making his white shoes glow even brighter.
“Hey, what’s your name? You wanna play ninjas with me?”
I smiled, grateful for the offer, despite not understanding what he meant.
“Matthew! What are youdoing?” a lady called out to him, frantic.
He shook his head, then turned around reluctantly to face the woman. “Just playing, Mom!”
“Get back over here! We have to stay with the group.” She approached him quickly, kicking up dust from the cedar chips that lined the ground. The lady took the boy—Matthew—by the hand. “You can’t sneak off like that,” she reprimanded him.
“But I’m a ninja, Mom!” he whined. “I should be at ninja camp.”
His mother smiled at him. “You can be a ninja when we go home. Not now. Say goodbye to your friend, honey. We have to go back to the group. Daddy’s waiting.”
“Bye, um—” he called over his shoulder as his mom dragged him away.
“Taylor,” I called back.
He looked back and smiled, waving at me as the open-house tour group moved on to their next location.
I didn’t know it then. I mean, does anyone really know when they first meet the person who will become their everything? I suppose in fairy tales sometimes. Or maybe the very luckiest people.
But if there’s one thing I’ve never been, it’s lucky.
Chapter three
Present
My eyes sting, and mascara smudges from the heels of my hands linger on my cheeks.
Iknewhe wouldn’t want to talk to me. Not like this. Not after all this time.
With a cleansing breath, I put the car in drive and start up the block. At the end of the street, I flip on my turn signal and instinctively check my rearview mirror.I’m hallucinating. But, no. Matt’s standing in the middle of the road, waving his arms. I peer over my shoulder.Seriously?
He doesn’t want it. He’s going to give it back.
The road ahead is clear. I take a right and speed off toward the parkway, away from him, away from the thing I came to do. It’s done. Mission accomplished. Slush splashes against my tires. My mind races.
Did he even read the letter?
Driving home, I’m fixated on the little girl who called out for him, willing him to tuck her back in. I knew Matt had a daughter, but hearing her voice made her real.He’s a father now, I remind myself.
If not for you, then do it for her. Just keep it,I beg him in my mind.
The drive back to my condo takes a half hour. When I arrive, I pull into my parking spot in the covered lot. I sit in the cocoon of darkness,lit only by the dashboard glow, replaying the events over in my head. I’m tempted to call Jessica, the only other person who’s known me long enough to understand the weight of what I’ve done. But I don’t.
Just then, my phone buzzes. I check the screen. The number isn’t in my contact list, but I know it by heart.
So he did read the letter.
I hold my breath for three seconds, then exhale, trying to calm my nerves before answering.
“Hello?”
“Taylor, what are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
