Page 55 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to just rip off the Band-Aid. “We told his family the truth. About Ava. About… everything.”

Mia’s eyebrows shot up. “Everything everything? Like, ‘Ava is Enzo’s daughter, and we faked being together for the foundation’ everything?”

“Yes,” I said, cringing at how absurd it sounded when she said it out loud.

“Wow,” she said, taking a slow sip of her cappuccino. “So, how’d that go?”

“Better than I expected,” I admitted. “They were shocked, obviously. But they were understanding, especially about Ava.”

Mia tilted her head, studying me. “And you? How are you holding up?”

I let out a long breath, leaning forward. “I don’t know. I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for weeks, and now that everything’s out in the open, I’m just… terrified.”

“Of what?” she asked, her tone softening.

“Of everything,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “Of what this means for Ava. For Enzo. For me. What if we mess this up? What if we disappoint her?”

Mia reached across the table, resting a hand on mine. “Summer, you’re not going to disappoint her. Ava adores you. And from everything you’ve told me, she adores Enzo too.”

“I know,” I said quietly. “But things are already so complicated. And now his family wants us to take a trip together—a few days away at their cabin by the lake.”

Mia’s eyebrows lifted again. “His family is shipping you off on a vacation together? That’s… unexpected.”

“Elaine’s idea,” I said with a faint smile. “She thinks it’ll be good for us to bond as a family.”

“Well, she’s not wrong,” Mia said, smirking. “And hey, maybe it’ll give you and Enzo some alone time to figure things out.”

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Why?” Mia asked, leaning forward. “Isn’t that what you want? A chance to figure things out with him?”

“It’s not that simple,” I said, lowering my hands. “What if we try and it doesn’t work? What if we mess everything up and Ava ends up caught in the middle?”

“Or,” Mia said, her tone pointed, “what if it does work? What if you and Enzo figure things out and actually build something amazing together? Did you ever think of that?”

I looked at her, my throat tightening. “It’s just… scary, Mia. Letting someone in after everything that’s happened. What if I’m not enough for him?”

Mia’s expression softened, and she gave my hand a squeeze. “Summer, listen to me. You’ve been more than enough for Ava all these years. You’re strong, smart, and you’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I know. And from what you’ve told me about Enzo, he sees all of that. He cares about you, Summer. It’s obvious.”

“Is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “And not just because of Ava. He cares about you, Summer. Don’t you dare doubt that.”

I sat back,letting her words sink in. The idea of a real future with Enzo felt like a dream—something I’d allowed myself to think about in quiet moments but never dared to believe could actually happen.

“What if it’s too late?” I asked softly.

“It’s not,” Mia said without hesitation. “If anything, this is the perfect time. You’ve both grown, you’ve both learned from your mistakes, and now you have this amazing little girl connecting you. If you want this, Summer, you’ve got to give it a chance.”

I nodded slowly, a flicker of hope igniting in my chest. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Mia said, grinning.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling.

We spentthe rest of the morning catching up, Mia peppering me with questions about Ava’s latest adventures and teasing me mercilessly about the trip. By the time I left the café, I felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

As I drove home, I thought about what Mia had said.

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