Page 67 of Before Broken Vows

"Mommy!" he shouts, scrambling to his feet. The coloring book flips shut as he launches himself at me with the unrestrained joy only a child can possess.

I catch him, lifting him into my arms, burying my face in his neck. He smells of honey shampoo. I hold him tighter than I should, my eyes burning.

"I missed you so much," I say.

His small arms loop around my neck, squeezing with surprising strength. "I missed you too! Did you see my T-Rex? I made him green and purple because those are scary colors."

I laugh. "Very scary colors."

He wiggles to be put down, then grabs my hand, tugging me toward his artwork. "Come see! Lena says I color dinosaurs the best ever."

I let him pull me into the room, sitting on the floor beside him. He immediately crawls into my lap, a habit he hasn't outgrown.

I hope he never does.

"Do we live here now?" he asks, looking for the T-Rex to show me.

My heart clenches. We've moved so many times in his short life.

"Just for a little while," I say, brushing his hair back from his forehead. "But someone very special is here to meet you."

Xander tilts his head. "Who?"

Here it comes. The speech I'd rehearsed a thousand times in my head that now seems ridiculous.

"Remember how I told you that your daddy couldn't be with us because he was sick?"

Xander nods solemnly. "daddy has to get better."

"That's right," I say, my voice steady despite the earthquake happening inside me. "Well, he's all better now. And he's here to meet you."

Xander's eyes grow round. "My daddy is here?"

The question hits me like a physical blow.

"Yes, baby. Your real daddy." I cup his face in my hands. "And he's been so excited to meet you. He's been waiting a very long time."

"Where is daddy?" Xander asks, suddenly shy, pressing himself closer to me.

"He's outside," I say. "He wanted me to see you first, so you wouldn't be scared."

"I'm not. I’m a big boy," Xander declares, though he tightens his grip on my shirt.

"Yes, yes you are," I agree, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "You're my brave boy."

We sit there for a moment, Xander half-hidden against me. Then he looks up at me, his expression suddenly serious.

"Does daddy like dinosaurs?"

I laugh. "I think so. We can ask him."

"Okay," Xander says. "I want to see daddy now."

My heart swells with pride and terror in equal measure. "I'll go get him. You stay here and get your best dinosaur drawing ready to show him."

Xander nods, sliding off my lap and immediately returning to his coloring book.

I walk back through the villa to the front door, step outside into the warm Italian afternoon. Theo is still in the driver's seat. When he sees me, he straightens.