Page 34 of Rescuing Tobias

For the next few minutes, the two of them built towers, giggled when they toppled over, and started again. When the child finally got up to ask his mom for a snack, Isabella stood, too. It wasn't long until boarding and playing with the little boy had been a good distraction, plus it had given the mom time to feed the baby and put her to sleep.

Now Isabella was the one feeling like she needed a nap.

“Your first?” the woman, Mara, asked, nodding at Isabella’s stomach.

“How did you know I was pregnant?”

“You had your hand resting on your stomach and the same look of awe and terror I remember from when I was pregnant with Joey.”

“Yeah, my first.” Possibly only because for the next eighteen years her focus was going to be on her child and trying to rebuild her life after her ordeal. That wouldn't leave much time for dating. “Is it as scary as it seems right now?”

“More. Most terrifying thing ever. But you figure it out as you go, and it’s also the most rewarding and amazing thing I've ever done. Don’t regret it for a second.”

“Are you … doing it alone?” That was an intrusive question, she knew that, but she needed someone to assure her that being a single mom was totally doable.

“No. My husband had to fly out quickly because his mom was in a serious car accident. We’re flying out to join him, he’s meeting us at the other end. The father?” Mara asked, nodding at her stomach again.

“Chose not to be involved. I'm going to be doing this alone.” Which right now seemed even scarier than being abducted and trafficked, tortured, and held captive. That was just her, but with this, she was raising a whole person, and every decision she made could affect them for their entire life.

“Make sure he at least contributes financially. He helped make the baby he needs to pay for its care.”

“He offered but … I don’t think I want him to.”

“Baby deserves it. It’s going to be tough, not just financially, but emotionally and physically, and with your time. Make both your lives a little easier and take the money. If nothing else, it’ll pay for daycare, or give you more time to spend with the little guy or girl. Trust me, one day you’ll recognize it was a good choice.”

Nodding thoughtfully, the first call for boarding was announced, and after saying goodbye to her new little friend,Isabella grabbed her stuff and joined the line, still mulling over the woman’s words. Maybe Mara was right, maybe this decision would be best for her baby, even if it made her feel uncomfortable. After all, she wasn't sure what she was going to do for work, she and Becca hadn't yet talked about their aid agency, and while she owned her parents’ house, if she sold it she would have to buy something else, and the remaining money wouldn't last forever.

If Tobias didn't want to be involved in the child’s life, the money would at least ease her financial burden a little.

The problem was, she wanted so much more.

Wouldn't matter how many times she told herself otherwise, she’d been dreaming of a happy ending with a partner and a kid.

Now she had to wipe that dream from her mind and start forming a new one.

CHAPTER 11

April 16th

9:06 A.M.

He may as well bea zombie.

That was a pretty accurate description of how Tobias was feeling right now.

Since he wasn't stupid, he knew he very well could have thrown away the best thing to ever happen to him. At the very least, he’d thrown away what could have been a great friendship with an amazing woman and a chance to raise a child with her. If it never developed beyond that, he still would have been a lucky guy, and being around Isabella, who was so brave and strong, some of that would have rubbed off on him, and he would have fallen in love with someone else. If that had happened, Isabella and their child still would have been a major part of his life.

But that wasn't going to happen now.

Because he really had turned into a stalker, he’d tracked Isabella’s phone last night to the airport. She’d gone straight there from his place, and he was ashamed to admit, even tohimself, that he’d hacked the database and gotten her flight number.

Sleep had eluded him, so he’d watched her plane’s progress, feeling worse and worse the further away from him she got.

There was no going back. He was painfully aware of that fact.

So he was going to have to find a way to move forward. To be content with watching from afar—stalkingfrom afar—and move on with his life the best as he could, knowing that somewhere out there his kid was growing up without him.

A kid.

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