Page 32 of Unbreak My Heart

Eva inserted her key into the lock and pushed the door open to let Simon go ahead of her. Instead, he pushed on the heavy oak door above her head and swept his hand in anafter yougesture.

Her insides turned into a gooey mess. He was such a gentleman, even if he didn’t think so.

Slipping off her shoes, Eva stepped into the living room from the short hall, Simon’s tall frame close behind her. She noted he’d done the same with his own shoes, lining them up neatly beside her own and Matty’s.

Her stomach clenched, then somersaulted.

Don’t go there. Just don’t go there, at all.

She wasn’t looking for a father for her son. She was doing fine on her own.

“Shut up, stupid brain,” she murmured, thankful Simon couldn’t hear her whispered words.

“Hi, Mum,” she said as she spotted her mother and Matty on the floor, playing with the toy cars.

Her mother smiled and sat up straight. “Hi, Eva.” She looked back toward the little boy in front of her, who turned at the sound of Eva’s voice. “As you can see, he seems fine now.”

Matty shoved to his feet and ran for her, then stopped dead, blue eyes wide and staring above Eva’s shoulder.

“Oh! You should have said you were bringing company,” Emilia said, pushing to her feet.

“Hey, Matty,” Eva said softly. Her son was usually wary around strangers, then became his friendly little self once he’d taken their measure and decided if he liked them or not. Sometimes it took only an hour or two, other times, days.

He ignored her, still staring at Simon who had entered the room just behind her.

A smile flickered on and off on his little face, then he let out a high-pitched, joyous squeal.

And bolted for Simon.

Eva grabbed for him, but he evaded her hands and launched himself at Simon’s legs. Simon stumbled a little, his hands out and ready to steady Matty if he fell, but the look of sheer shock and discomfort that washed over Simon’s face had Eva’s heart trying to leave her body.

“Matty!No!” Eva hurried to them and tried to extricate her son from Simon. “Come on, letgo! Please, Matty!”

The more she tried to untangle her son’s arms from Simon’s legs, the tighter he held on. She looked up at Simon, mortified that her normally—mostly—compliant son was being so utterlynon-compliant.

Matty squealed and Eva let go.

“It’s okay, Eva.” Simon’s deep voice tunnelled through her panic.

Why was Matty doing this, and why now? WhySimon?

“Really. Don’t stress, babe.”

Eva’s eyes bugged wide in surprise. Simon’s did the same. Pink flooded his cheeks, the reciprocating heat doing the same to hers. “I mean, it’s okay. Really.”

Eva could feel her mother’s intense scrutiny on her back, as if burrowing into her soul. She could barely breathe as Simon managed to pry off Matty’s fingers enough to hunker down in front of him. She could see it cost him, but Simon pasted a smile on his face and held out a hand that trembled noticeably.

*

“Hey, buddy! I’mSimon.”

Shit!Why had he said that to Eva? Why call herbabe, of all things—and in front of her mother, no less. A woman he literally hadn’t even met yet.

His stupid hand was shaking. He couldn’t even try to hide it. He sucked in a deep breath and focused on the little boy who looked so much like his mother that it was uncanny.

All except the blue eyes.

Matty shoved his way forward and threw himself at Simon, his tiny little arms wrapping around Simon’s neck and squeezing tight.

---