Page 14 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

As Robert straightened, his wife smiled warmly at Summer. “You have a beautiful family.”

“Thank you,” Summer said, her voice steady but guarded.

I felt a pang of guilt for putting her in this position, but the look of approval in Robert’s eyes reassured me. This was going exactly as planned.

Over the next hour,we made our way through the room, meeting more board members and answering their questions. Summer was calm and composed, her responses thoughtful and genuine. Ava charmed everyone with her curiosity, asking questions about the flowers on the tables and the artwork on the walls.

“You’ve got quite the team,” one of the board members said, clapping me on the back.

“I’m lucky,” I said, glancing at Summer and Ava. “They’re my everything.”

Summer’s eyes flickered toward me briefly, something unreadable in her gaze.

As the evening wore on, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. Watching Summer navigate the room with quiet confidence reminded me of the girl I’d fallen for all those years ago. She’d always had a way of commanding attention without trying—a way of making people feel at ease.

“Enzo,” she said quietly, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Ava’s getting restless. Is it okay if we sit down for a bit?”

“Of course,” I said, leading them to a small seating area near the corner of the room.

Ava climbed onto the couch, arranging Bunny neatly beside her. Summer sat beside her, smoothing out her dress as she exhaled.

“You’re doing great,” I said softly, sitting down across from them.

She gave me a tired smile. “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Ava’s the real MVP here.”

Ava looked up, her face bright. “What’s an MVP?”

“It means you’re the most valuable player,” I explained.

Ava grinned. “That’s me!”

Summer laughed, the sound soft but genuine, and for a moment, the tension between us seemed to ease.

Later,as the event wound down, Robert approached us again, his expression warm. “It was wonderful meeting your family, Enzo. Ava is a delight.”

“Thank you,” I said, shaking his hand.

“And Summer,” he said, turning to her, “it’s clear how much love and care you’ve poured into your daughter. She’s a lucky little girl.”

Summer’s smile was faint but genuine. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

As Robert walked away, Summer turned to me, her eyes searching mine. “Do you think it worked?”

“I know it did,” I said confidently. “They loved you. Both of you.”

Her lips curved into a small smile. “Good. Because I don’t think I could do this again.”

I chuckled, glancing at Ava, who was half-asleep on the couch. “You did great, Summer. Better than I could have hoped for.”

For a moment, she looked like she might say something, but then she shook her head. “Let’s get Ava home.”

I nodded, knowing there was still a long road ahead—but for tonight, we’d taken the first step.

8

SUMMER

Icouldn’t shake the feeling of dread settling in my stomach as Enzo parked his car in front of the Pearson family home. The house was beautiful—a sprawling two-story with large windows, a wraparound porch, and neatly trimmed hedges. It exuded warmth and elegance, just like the family inside.

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