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“Whenever your mom says it’s okay.” I ruffled his hair and prayed to Mama we could have more days just like this.
“We’ll see.” Holly put up a tough front, but by the time we took off, she was as interested as her son in flying.
“I can’t wait to tell everybody at school about this.” He practically glided toward his room.
I couldn’t help what felt like a smile shaping my mouth.
“I’ve never seen him so excited.” Holly appeared wistful as she stared after him.
“You don’t seem to be.”
She’d been quiet on the way home, then again, Gabriel had chattered the entire drive back. I held open my arms, but she hesitated before she stepped into them. I didn’t like that.
“I’m not ungrateful.” She planted her hands on my sides, and I slid mine around her back. “And I’m so happy he got to experience something new.”
“We can go anytime you like.”
She frowned. “I just—today made me feel like I’m not good enough.” When her eyes met mine, they were conflicted. “I do the best I can, but this was just one more example of something I can’t give him.”
I recoiled at the same time my heart seized. “No.” Instinctively, I pulled her against me. “Beauty, I never meant to make you feel that way.”
“I know.” She swallowed hard. “I’m so afraid of making mistakes, or that Gabriel will miss out because he only has me.” She dropped her chin and rested the crown of her head on my chest. “I’m ruining an amazing day.”
I kissed her hair. “You couldn’t ruin anything even if you tried.”
She snickered and looked up, some of the turbulence gone. “Sweet talk isn’t necessary.”
“Not sweet talk.” I brushed my lips against hers. “Truth.”
She nipped at my jaw. “Thank you.”
What little space existed between us, I erased. “Gabriel doesn’t only have you.”
“You keep proving that, but it’s hard for me to accept especially given our agreement.”
Her light kiss softened the blow of those words. I’d agreed to just sex as a means to getting what I wanted. It tore me apart she could believe that’s all I’d ever need from her. She was wrong, but words didn’t mean a thing. I had to keep showing her exactly how I felt.
“Are there any rosquillas left?” she asked with a sheepish grin. Gabriel had consumed his fair share, but my Beauty had a sweet tooth.
“I’m not sure,” I teased. “But we can bake more.”
The doorbell rang at the same time Holly’s phone did. A quizzical look passed between us. I tracked to the door, and she answered.
After a quick check through the spy hole, my brows shot up.
“We need to talk.” Donato’s somber appearance set me on edge. Not today. This was supposed to be one day free of the outside problems. He glanced past me, the lines across his forehead deepening. “Perhaps it’s best done somewhere else.”
I turned to let Holly know we were going to step outside. She had the phone pressed to her face as if she were trying to process what the person on the other end was telling her. I had the urge to yank the device away and tell whoever it was not to ever cause my Beauty trouble again.
“Jason,” Donato said quietly.
That one name had my attention back on him. If he bothered Holly, I’d kill him.
A clatter came from behind me. I swung around in time to see the phone bounce on the stone countertop.
Holly was ghostly pale.
“Beauty?”
