Page 23 of Always You
“Mommy let’s go get a toy please.” Dante looks at me, pleading and pouting with puppy eyes.
“Honey, we can get you a toy in just a minute. Let me get what I need first.”
I hear a groan and someone gasping for air with a lengthy breath, and I’m startled by the sound. I turn around, and I see Dominic staring at us. His gaze is drawn more to Dante than to me. The way he’s glaring at Dante has me worried. I’m not sure if he sees the resemblance. He opens his mouth, then closes it repeatedly. My momma bear’s instincts kick in. We hardly know each other anymore. I don’t know what he’ll reveal in front of Dante. My stomach churns queasily. This is not the place for him to find out and Dante thinks he’s dead, for God’s sake. Ahh, here comes Miss Snobby, I mean Samantha, with her snarky voice.
“Hi, nice to see you again. Sorry forgot your name.” Her eyebrows furrow into a sour lemon face.
The need to roll my eyes is unconscionable. She’s clearly overdressed in her 4,000-dollar outfit. Her annoying voice has me cringe.
“Mila.” My tone comes out icy. I direct my haughty stare toward Dominic. The damn bimbo keeps talking.
Dominic has yet to open his mouth to speak. His eyes stay pinned on us.
“Is this your son?”
I feel my anxiety crawling in on me. I see the wheels turning in his head. Averting my eyes back to her sour face, mustering a smile.
“Umm… yes, this is my son.”
Fuck I just need to walk away from them.
Dante stares at Dominic, his head tilted to the side. He might recognize him. I need to leave; I don’t want him to say he looks like his dad. Dante has seen pictures of Dominic.
“Hi, my name is—”
I cut Dante off when he's about to say his name, not wanting him to reveal his full name. Then Dominic will know. Hell, they look alike.
“His name is Dante,” I reveal with a shaky breath.
Dominic’s eyes widen.
Shit.
“Nice to see you two. We better go.” Fate has a way of fucking with us. As I round my cart and pass directly in front of Dominic, he grabs my arm and whispers in my ear. His hot breath prickles my skin.
“How old is he?”
I feel the need to pull away and say,Fuck you. I don’t owe you an answer.But I do.
“Four,” I snap, giving him a grimace of a stare, pulling from his hold.
* * *
My head is pounding and splitting in two—this was not how I had hoped Dominic would find out. When I overheard his outburst about not wanting kids, my plans changed. Picking up the phone, I call Sophie.
“Hello?”
“Hey, guess what just happened?” I blurt out.
“You overspent at Target like always.”
I want to laugh because she’s right. Just this time, I didn’t get the chance.
“No, I ran into Dominic and his fiancée.” I tell her everything that happened. I’m sure she can hear the worry in my tone.
“I don’t think he will go looking for you. He made it clear about not wanting kids and if he wants to talk, then lay it all on him.”
Sighing I feel a tad better.
