Page 34 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

By the timewe reached the picnic area, Ava was tired but still full of energy, bouncing from one table to the next with Bunny in tow. Enzo stayed close to her, his protective instincts on full display, while I hung back, helping Elaine set out snacks.

“She’s such a wonderful child,” Elaine said, handing me a container of fruit.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“She’s so much like Enzo,” she added, her tone thoughtful.

My hands stilled for a moment before I forced a smile. “She’s her own person.”

“Of course,” Elaine said, her smile warm. “But the resemblance is uncanny, don’t you think?”

I didn’t respond, my chest tightening as I busied myself with the snacks.

As the outing wound down,Ava climbed onto Enzo’s lap, resting her head against his chest.

“Did you have fun today?” he asked, brushing a curl from her face.

“The best,” she murmured, her voice sleepy.

“You’re pretty amazing, you know that?” he said softly.

“So are you,” she said, her words slurring as she drifted off.

Watching them together, my heart ached with a mix of emotions I couldn’t untangle.

On the drive home,Enzo was unusually quiet, his hands steady on the wheel as Ava slept soundly in the backseat.

“You okay?” I asked, glancing at him.

“Yeah,” he said after a moment, his tone careful. “Just thinking.”

“About what?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer.

“About how much Ava knows,” he said, his gaze flicking to me briefly. “And how much you’ve told her.”

I hesitated, my chest tightening. “She asks a lot of questions. I try to keep my answers simple.”

“Simple,” he repeated, his tone unreadable.

The rest of the drive was silent, tension hanging heavy in the air.

As we pulledup to my apartment, Enzo glanced at me again. “Thanks for coming today.”

“Of course,” I said, forcing a smile.

He nodded, his expression still thoughtful. “Goodnight, Summer.”

“Goodnight,” I said, my heart heavy as I watched him drive away.

The cracks in the façade were growing, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep the truth from breaking through.

17

SUMMER

The knock at the door came just as I was folding laundry in the living room. Ava was sprawled on the carpet, surrounded by stuffed animals and a new drawing she was working on.

“Coming!” I called, setting down a stack of towels.

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