Page 78 of Make Your Save

Something pulls on my pocket and I glance down at a small child tugging on my shorts. I tilt my head to the side, his gray eyes meeting mine as he gives me a sheepish grin. “Excuse me, mister.”

“Oh, shit, hold on, Ro,” I say into the speaker, smiling down at the little boy who doesn’t look to be older than five. “What’s up, little man?”

“Does this have milk in it?” He holds up a box of instant mac and cheese, trying to show it to me. “Milk makes my belly hurt but I wanted to show Mommy I can pick out my own without needing any of her help.”

I take the box from his small hand, my eyes scanning the list of ingredients, frowning when I realize it’sa gluten-free type, but not a vegan one. “Yeah, bud, this one has milk. Let’s see if we can find one without it.”

“You’re right, Ford,” Rowan’s voice comes through the speaker. “I’m being a fucking idiot and I’m turning around right now. I’m going back to the airport and I’m not letting her go without telling her the truth.”

“Wait, say that again.” I drop one of the boxes I find on the shelf that says it’s vegan. “Shit,” I mumble, crouching down to pick it up. “Here, buddy. This one says it’s vegan, so it means it doesn’t have any milk in it.” He reaches out with his left hand to take it from mine.

“That I’m going back to the airport?” Rowan asks, the confusion evident in his voice.

“No, the part where you said I was right,” I chuckle, watching the kid as he tries to read the back of the box.

“Oh my god, there you are,bambino.”

My entire body falls rigid, my heart stalling in my chest. That voice—my god, I know that voice...

Lifting my gaze from the little boy, I’m momentarily transported back in time when my eyes collide with hers. Those gold-and-green eyes that have been swirling around in my mind since that one night almost six years ago. “Andi?”

“Carson.” Her eyes widen with recognition, her cheeks flushed as she tucks a lock of chocolate-colored hair behind her ear. “Hi.”

My throat constricts as I look between her and the little boy, him smiling up at me with eerily familiar gray eyes. Panic passes through her expression, her hazel eyes watching me as I connect the dots in real time. Hishair isn’t black like hers, but instead it’s a dark brown, a few shades lighter.

There’s no fucking way . . .

“Rowan, I’m going to have to call you back,” I tell him, my voice sounding foreign and distant as my gaze slowly settles on Andi’s.

Her slender throat bobs as she swallows hard, her hand protectively finding her son’s opposite shoulder as she pulls him flush against her body. He holds on to the box of mac and cheese, lifting it with his left hand for her to see.

None of this is making sense in my brain right now.

“Yeah, sure. Thank you for your help, bro,” he says, the words not even registering in my mind as I pull the phone away from my ear with my left hand without ending the call.

I tilt my head to the side, looking back at the boy again, my stomach feeling like it’s going to fall onto the fucking floor. “What’s your name, little man?”

“Matteo,” he says with his eyes bright and a grin spreading across his face. “What’s your name?”

“Matteo,caro mio,” Andi starts to speak to him, her voice soft and gentle as she directs her gaze to her son. “We should stop bothering Mr. Ford and let him get back to his shopping.”

Mr. Ford.

I resist the urge to scoff at her formality. She says my name like she wasn’t screaming it the last time I saw her.

“I’m Carson,” I answer, ignoring Andi’s interjection. It’s been almost six years since we last saw each other.My heart is unsteady in my chest as I slowly ask him the next question. “How old are you, Matteo?”

His smile grows as he lifts his hand to show me his fingers, all spread apart. “Five!”

My eyes flash to Andi’s and she looks at me, inhaling sharply as her eyes widen with apprehension.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

ROWAN

“Ineed to purchase a plane ticket.”

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