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‘Wow,’ said Harriet. ‘That’s...unexpected?’
This time she couldn’t stop the nervous laughter escaping. ‘You could say that.’
Harriet put a hand on Annah’s arm and squeezed gently. ‘Let me know if you need anything, hon.’
Annah managed a smile. ‘Thanks.’
Harriet headed off to her car, and Annah looked across the road again. Luca wasn’t even looking at her. His gaze was fixated on Ethan.
‘Mummy?’
‘Yes?’
‘You’re holding on too tight.’
‘Oh!’ Annah loosened her grip on Ethan’s hand and looked into his upturned face. ‘Sorry, sweetheart.’ She smiled, hoping it looked less strained than it felt, and he beamed back.
‘Are we crossing now?’
His little voice rang with eagerness, and Annah’s heart clenched. Ethan was excited to meet his father, but she was still grappling with shock and anxiety. She would have appreciated a few days’ grace—time to get her emotions under control before introducing Ethan to his father—but Luca had different ideas.
Annah had tried to put herself in his shoes. He had missed out on the first four years of his son’s life. Wanting to meet his child without further delay perhaps wasn’t unreasonable.
Reminding Ethan to look both ways for traffic, she crossed the road with him. Luca waited on the other side. He wasn’t wearing his coat, and his all-black attire combined with his sheer size and the intense expression he wore made him look rather intimidating. But as they drew close he squatted down, bringing his face level with Ethan’s, a smile curving his lips that not only softened his hard features but caused Annah’s pulse to hitch.
‘Hello, Ethan,’ he said. ‘My name is Luca.’
Ethan blinked and then looked to Annah, shyness overtaking him now that he was face to face with the commanding figure of his father.
Annah smiled reassuringly. ‘It’s okay, sweetheart. Say hello.’
He turned back to Luca. ‘Hello.’ His hand reached out and touched Luca’s bent knee, as though to make sure he was real. He pulled his hand back, broke into a grin, and boldly announced, ‘You’re my daddy.’
Luca shot Annah a surprised look.
She lifted one shoulder. ‘I thought honesty was best.’ She could have made something up. Introduced Luca as her ‘friend’. But then what? Ethan would learn the truth eventually, and then he’d know she’d lied to him.
Their eyes held for a moment.
‘Thank you,’ he said quietly.
Annah gave a single small nod, his gratitude sparking a warm glow she hadn’t expected—and wasn’t sure she should welcome. Not when she and Luca could be headed for opposite sides of a custody battle.
His attention returned to Ethan. ‘I am,’ he said. ‘Although where I come from we say papà.’
‘Where are you from?’ Ethan asked, and Annah suddenly realised she had no idea how far Luca had travelled to get here or where he lived these days. New York? London? Sicily? Rome?
Her stomach tightened. How would a shared custody arrangement work if she and Luca lived in different countries?
‘A long way away,’ Luca said.
‘Is that why you haven’t come to see me before?’
Annah winced inwardly. Seeing the discomfort on Luca’s face, she stepped in to rescue him. ‘Come on, sweetheart. The ducks will be wondering where we are.’
Ethan turned back to his father. ‘Are you coming to feed the ducks?’
Annah held her breath. In his handmade Italian shoes and tailored trousers, Luca wasn’t exactly dressed for a walk in the reserve, but she’d thrown the invitation out there anyway. This was part of her and Ethan’s weekly routine; Luca could fit in or not.
