“Sure.”
I went over to the fridge and grabbed the container of parmesan. That in hand, I started to sprinkle some on top of Maddie’s meal.
“I want to do it,” she said, reaching her little arms out toward me.
“The last time you did it, you dumped half the thing of cheese out onto the pasta. You want to taste the sauce, not the cheese, kiddo.”
She pursed her lips, the look on her face letting me know she wasn’t happy with the portion of cheese that I’d doled out. I handed her the bowl, and she wasted no time hurrying over to the counter to eat. I flicked on the TV, putting on reliable old Daniel Tiger, the show that always grabbed her attention right away.
My phone buzzed with an incoming text, and I took it out to see that it was from Valentino.
Hey. Be there in twenty.
I smiled, excited to see him again even though it’d only been a few hours since we’d last spoken. My smile faded however, when I glanced over at Maddie.
I had to tell him. There was no getting around it, no more putting it off. He had a right to know that she was his. It was cruel to have this little girl living without her father when in reality he was right next door.
Everything was going to change tonight. The moments I was experiencing then would be the last of just Maddie and me. I was a little scared. Valentino was a cool and calm and rational sort of guy, but what if the news upset him, infuriated him? What if he didn’t want to be a father? What if he turned around and marched back over to his place and never said another word to me?
Or, even worse, what if he never forgave me for what I’d done? What if he turned vindictive, using his wealth to hire the best lawyers in the city to take Maddie away from me and never let me see her again?
“Mommy?” Maddie asked, her mouth smeared with pasta sauce in a way that I couldn’t help but notice was insanely cute, in spite of the worry shooting through me. “Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, kiddo. Just thinking about adult stuff.”
“Is there bread?”
“Yep. You want some?”
“Yeah!”
I grabbed the loaf of artisan bread I’d bought for the evening, cut off a slice and placed it on Maddie’s plate. Tension tightened in my stomach. I was so worried about the night ahead that my hands were beginning to shake.
I cleaned up the kitchen as Maddie finished her meal, getting the place presentable. When Maddie was done eating, I helped her wash up and change into her jammies before Valentino arrived. A ring sounded from the front door right about the time Maddie was ready for bed.
It was time.
“Dr. V.!” Maddie cried, her face flashing with enough enthusiasm that I worried she might get too wound up to go to bed.
She sprang up, running out of the room and down the stairs, moving so quickly that my hopes of getting her to bed before Valentino arrived instantly faded. I sighed, following after her and catching up right at the bottom of the stairs.
Once there, I took a glance in the full-length mirror still propped up against the wall. I’d managed to spruce myself up a bit for the important evening ahead. As I gave my image a once-over, I realized how much of a miracle it was that I hadn’t spilled Bolognese all over my clothes.
“Coming!” I called out, smoothing my hair one last time before turning and heading to the front door.
I took one last, deep breath then opened it.
God, he looked good. Valentino wore a pair of dark blue slacks, a white Henley tucked in at the waist, and brown deck shoes. He was the picture of classy, summer style.
“Evening.” He raised his hand, a neatly tied bunch of daisies in his grasp.
“Pretty!” Maddie called out, wasting no time reaching for the flowers as if they’d been brought for her.
“Hey there, cutie pie.” Valentino squatted, setting down the wine bottle he carried in his other hand. “How are you?”
“Good. I like those.” She pointed to the flowers once more.
“Mads, why don’t we let Dr. V. come into the house first? I can put those in a vase, OK?”
