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Not wanting to destroy the beautiful vision of Greer reading to Mamá, I leaned a shoulder against the wall and listened until my heart couldn’t take another dreamy word.

“Mamá’s asleep.” The rasp of my voice cut through the softness of Greer’s.

She gasped and whipped her head in my direction. And fuck me, I fell head over heels all over again.

Chapter 44

-Greer-

I parked and peered through the windshield at the Summerset Care Home. It looked nice, kept, with white roses climbing up the red bricks in-between each set of windows that lined the entire length of the long building.

My heart hammered a mile a minute and nerves rolled in my belly as I stood from my car and locked it. On a deep, grounding breath, I hitched my handbag high on my shoulder and made my way toward the entrance. Large potted plants flanked the automatic glass doors, and a cool wave of conditioned air hit me as I passed through.

My stilettos clicked on the shiny floor tiles as I picked my way across them with care, heading for the smiling woman on the welcome desk.

“Hi there, how can I help?” she (Felicia) greeted me.

I smiled warmly in return. “Hi, I’m here to visit Vega Delgado.”

Surprise hit Felicia’s face. “Oh? Well, isn’t this a nice surprise? She seldom gets visits from her daughter.”

It took a second before the meaning behind her words settled. I waved my hands to clear the assumption.

“Oh, no, I’m not her daughter. I’m a family friend from out of town.” I stumbled through the white lie and hoped she would fall for it.

“Of course,” Felicia said, handing me a clipboard to write my details on. She checked it over when I handed it back, then came out from behind the desk.

“Right this way, Greer, I’ll show you to Ms. Delgado’s room.”

I followed along as she led me down a series of corridors that angled away from the parking lot.

“This is our high dependency unit for residents that need around-the-clock care. Here we are, room seventeen. Wait here a moment and I’ll just check-in with her carer.”

“Sure,” I murmured, feeling as if I should be whispering in the quiet environment.

I looked up and down the corridor as my pulse raced wildly. I was insanely nervous and second-guessing coming here.

The door clicked open a minute later, and Felicia and another woman dressed in a white uniform emerged.

“I’m Dechen, Vega’s carer, and she is all yours,” the new woman said in a cheery tone. “She wasn’t expecting a visitor today, but she is very much looking forward to seeing someone other than my boring face.” She laughed with a rosy hue on her cheeks. “Go on in, honey. I’ve placed a couple of her favorite books out for when the conversation gets a little tricky. She enjoys being read to. I’ll pop in and out just to make sure you’re both okay, and there’s a call button on the wall if you need me in a hurry.”

“Thank you.” I exhaled and gave what I’m sure looked like a hesitant smile, then carefully opened the door and stepped into Vega’s room.

Across the room, the woman who was Rafael’s birth mother sat in a large leather armchair, slightly slumped to the side, and facing the door expectantly. Despite her invalid appearance and the slackened muscles on the left side of her face, her brown eyes were as sharp as ever. They studied me intently as I made my way further into the room.

Vega jerkily nodded at the vacant armchair across from her and watched as I sat down and set my handbag on the floor.

All the questions swimming behind her dark eyes remained unvoiced. I leaned forward, feeling instantly drawn to the beautiful Mexican woman with the long black and silver braid hanging over one shoulder. I reached out and clasped her limp hand, gently giving it a little squeeze. Her eyes widened as if I’d pinched her.

“Ms. Delgado?”

She nodded and seemed to urge me on.

“I’m Greer. I’m a friend of Rafael’s.”

A crinkle formed between her brows and her half-paralyzed mouth worked around a single word. “Raaaafferty.”

I nodded. “Yes, Rafferty. I know him as Raf.”

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