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She patted me on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t be the same without you.”
Maria came next, who looked very similar to her daughter. “It’s been so long since I last saw you. How are you?” She hugged me and kissed me on the cheek.
“Great. What about you?”
“I have another grandchild on the way—so I’m really great.” She rubbed my arm and walked away.
Annabella continued to hold Andrew, but she lifted her gaze to look at me, her eyes showing a level of bliss that didn’t match anyone else’s. She picked up Andrew as she got to her feet, carrying him as she walked to me.
I should look at my nephew, but all I could do was stare at her. Shining brighter than the sun, smiling like it was the happiest day of her life, giving off so much heat it felt like summer…she was hypnotizing. When I’d gone to her hotel, she was in a somber mood, so she wasn’t so irresistible, but seeing her happy, that was my weakness.
She held Andrew out to me, oblivious to the hard way I stared at her. “He’s such a big boy. Hold him.”
When my hands touched his skin, I finally focused on the little person about to rest in my arms. Both of my arms circled him, and I held him upright, noting his density, how much he’d grown since the last time I saw him. I finally looked into his face, seeing a perfect blend of both his parents. “Happy Birthday, Andrew.”
He smiled up and me and reached out to touch my nose.
I let him do whatever the hell he wanted.
Annabella smiled as she watched us both, like she thought the two of us were the cutest thing she’d ever seen. Then her eyes filled with a slight look of sadness as dark thoughts weighed on her mind. She grabbed his sock-covered foot and gave it a little squeeze.
No one else noticed, but I did. “It’ll happen for you someday… I know it will.”
She lifted her gaze, slightly surprised I could read her so well.
I held Andrew with one arm and circled her waist to hug her slightly, to give her comfort.
Her smile came back, and she gave a tiny nod. “How do you do that?”
I had no fucking clue. “I don’t know…” My fingers brushed against the soft fabric of her sweater before I pulled my hand back, not wanting my touch to linger until it became inappropriate.
But I did know. All those nights together, touching, kissing, moving together wordlessly…I understood her emotions, could read her thoughts as they danced across her eyes. It wasn’t just passion, but something deeper. I could feel her…it was the only way I could explain it.
Hades walked up to us, like he was purposely interrupting the moment. “You didn’t bring a gift?” He took Andrew from my arms and held him with one arm, taking his son like he’d done it a million times.
I shut my eyes. “Fuck…”
“Watch the language, asshole,” Hades countered.
Annabella chuckled at his hypocrisy before she walked away to talk to Sofia.
Hades bounced Andrew up and down a bit because he liked it, and whenever he glanced at his son, he looked like a proud father who thought his son was the most amazing kid in the world. But when his eyes turned back to me, he was the same cold man I’d always known. There were only two people who received different looks from him—his wife and his kid.
“I’ll make it up to him.”
“Better be good.” He glanced at Annabella before he turned back to me, as if he was telling me to tread carefully. We’d known each other so long, we could have entire conversations without saying a word.
I lowered my voice. “She lost her baby, so it’s just hard for her. Trying to make her feel better.”
Hades dropped his suspicion. “You wanna eat?”
“That’s the only reason why I’m here—besides this guy.” I squeezed his foot the way Annabella just had.
Hades gave me a glare with his eyes, but a subtle smile was on his lips. “Whatever, asshole.”
After we sang happy birthday, Andrew smashed his fists into the cake, wiping it all over his face and getting it on his father’s clothes. He giggled then smacked his hand right onto Hades’s nose, getting white frosting everywhere.
Sofia tried not to laugh, but it was impossible.
Annabella didn’t care. “Wow, he got you good.”
Hades stilled before he grabbed a napkin and wiped the mess off his face. “You’re lucky you’re so damn cute, Andrew.”
Andrew grabbed more cake and smeared it across his father’s face.
Of course, Hades did nothing…wrapped around his finger.
Sofia grabbed some cake and did the same, smearing it all over Hades. “Good job, Andrew.”
Hades just took it, letting his family ruin his clothes and smearing it across his forehead and getting it stuck in his hair.
