Page 35 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

When I opened the door, there he was—Enzo, dressed casually in jeans and a light sweater, holding a small box wrapped in shiny purple paper.

“Hi,” I said, blinking in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“Thought I’d stop by,” he said with an easy smile. “I had some free time, and I brought something for Ava.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said, stepping aside to let him in.

“I wanted to,” he said, shrugging as he walked inside. His gaze swept over the room before landing on Ava, who hadn’t yet noticed him. “Hi, Ava!”

Ava’s head snapped up, her face breaking into a grin. “Enzo!”

She jumped up, abandoning her crayons and paper, and ran to him. He crouched down, holding out the small gift. “This is for you.”

Her eyes lit up as she took the box. “What is it?”

“Open it and see,” he said.

She tore into the paper with the enthusiasm only a four-year-old could muster, revealing a set of colorful magnetic building tiles.

“It’s a castle set!” she exclaimed, holding it up for me to see.

“It’s so you can build even better castles for Bunny,” Enzo said, smiling.

“Thank you!” Ava said, throwing her arms around his neck.

“You’re welcome, kiddo,” he said, hugging her back.

Within minutes,Ava was on the floor, fully immersed in her new toy. She barely looked up as Enzo joined me in the kitchen.

“She loves it,” I said, leaning against the counter.

“She’s easy to shop for,” he said, his tone light.

“Still, you didn’t have to,” I said, crossing my arms. “You’re spoiling her.”

“She deserves it,” he said simply, his gaze soft.

I looked away, focusing on the kettle on the stove even though I hadn’t turned it on. “So, is this a social visit?”

“Partly,” he said, his voice casual. “And partly because I’ve been thinking.”

“About what?” I asked, keeping my tone light.

“About something Ava said at the gardens,” he said, leaning against the counter opposite me.

My chest tightened, but I forced a neutral expression. “She says a lot of things.”

“She mentioned that you told her stories about me,” he said, his eyes fixed on mine. “Stuff about my childhood.”

I shrugged, keeping my voice steady. “She asks a lot of questions. I told her about people who’ve been important in my life. That’s all.”

“Important?” he repeated, his tone shifting slightly.

I avoided his gaze, busying myself by grabbing mugs from the cupboard. “You know what I mean.”

“Do I?” he asked, stepping closer.

His voice wasn’t accusatory, but it was enough to make my pulse quicken. “What are you getting at, Enzo?”

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