Page 27 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

“But it’s working,” he said, his tone firm. “The foundation is on board, Ava’s getting the care she needs, and no one’s gotten hurt.”

“Not yet,” I said under my breath.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

I shook my head. “Nothing. Forget it.”

He studied me for a moment, then sighed. “Look, if this is too much for you, just say so. But don’t let someone else’s opinion make you second-guess what we’re doing.”

“I’m not,” I said, though the words felt hollow.

“Good,” he said, his gaze steady. “Because this is about Ava. And she’s worth whatever it takes.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yeah. She is.”

As we left the café,I couldn’t shake Mia’s words from my mind.

Don’t let this blow up in your face.

The problem was, I wasn’t sure I knew how to stop it.

14

SUMMER

The living room was a mess of toy blocks, stuffed animals, and half-finished drawings. Ava had claimed the coffee table as her personal art studio, and crayon shavings covered every surface. Bunny sat propped up on a chair, overseeing the chaos like a tiny foreman.

I didn’t have the energy to clean up. Instead, I leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping my coffee as I kept one eye on Ava. She was humming to herself, completely absorbed in her latest masterpiece—a castle for Bunny, complete with a dragon.

The knock at the door startled me.

I frowned, glancing at the clock. It wasn’t late, but I hadn’t been expecting anyone. Setting my mug down, I crossed the room and opened the door.

“Enzo?”

He stood there with a grin, holding a large, flat package wrapped in bright paper.

“Hey,” he said. “Is Ava home?”

“She’s always home,” I said, still confused. “What’s this?”

“Something I thought she’d like,” he said, stepping inside.

I raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know,” he said with a shrug. “I wanted to.”

Before I could respond, Ava’s voice rang out. “Enzo!”

She darted across the room, skidding to a stop in front of him. Her eyes widened when she saw the package in his hands. “What’s that?”

“This,” Enzo said, crouching down to her level, “is a surprise for you. But you have to promise to take good care of it.”

“I promise!” she said eagerly, bouncing on her toes.

“Okay,” he said, handing it to her. “Open it.”

Ava rippedinto the paper with the kind of excitement only a four-year-old could muster. Her little gasp of delight filled the room as the gift was revealed: a colorful wooden puzzle with hundreds of pieces.

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