Page 140 of Punishing His Runaway Bride
The question cut into me like a knife where I wasn't prepared.
I closed my eyes and buried my face in her shoulder.
I didn't know.
I really didn't know.
The next day's sunlight was beautiful.
Leo played in the yard. Ella's backyard wasn't big, but it had a patch of lawn, and Leo treated it like his personal playground. He wore that blue jacket he'd brought from France, running back and forth across the grass, kicking around a ball he'd found somewhere.
I sat on the doorstep with a cup of coffee, watching him.
"Mommy! Watch me!"
When he ran, he looked like a little cannonball, legs churning fast, blond hair flying in the wind. He reached the far end of the lawn, made a sharp turn, almost fell, caught himself, and looked back at me proudly.
"I saw," I said. "Very impressive."
He ran another lap, faster this time, like he was racing the wind. On the third lap, he suddenly stopped, crouched down, and started examining a dandelion.
"Mommy, can I pick this?"
"Yes."
He carefully plucked the dandelion, held it to his mouth, puffed out his cheeks, and blew hard. White fluff scattered, floating in the sunlight like a tiny cloud.
"Wow!" He tilted his head back, watching the seeds drift higher. "Where are they going?"
"Somewhere far away."
"Will they come back?"
"No," I said. "They'll build little houses in new places, have a new home, and have babies."
"I know!" Leo excitedly raised his hand. "Like when Mommy took me to France!"
I smiled at his innocent logic. "Smart boy."
He grinned so wide his eyes squinted, showing me a huge smile, then went looking for another dandelion.
I glanced at my phone. Ten-thirty. Ezio must have gotten my message that I was "sick" by now. Juliet was probably disappointed, but I couldn't go.
Last night's conversation with Ella had been spinning in my head all night. She asked if I was afraid he'd hurt me again or afraid I'd forgive him.
I didn't know the answer.
So I needed time, needed to calm down, needed to figure out what to do next.
Not let him look at me that way and scramble my thoughts.
My phone rang.
Ezio's name lit up the screen.
My breath caught.
I didn't answer. Flipped the phone over, face-down on the step.
