Page 27 of A Son Hidden from the Sicilian

“Are you having fun?” Brianna asked, smiling as she brushed Gio’s flyaway hair back.

Gio held up a red ball in Brianna’s face. “Ball!” Then he flung it Lorenzo’s way.

Lorenzo felt a bit foolish doing it in front of Brianna, God knew why, but he engaged in the same exaggerated bobbling before securing the ball.

Gio laughed hysterically as Brianna hitched him onto her hip. Before she could say anything, her parents stood.

“We’re going to go take a walk around the gardens. It’s supposed to be a lovely day and we could use some fresh air.”

“We’ll go with,” Brianna said. “I’m sure Gio’s ready to run around a bit.”

But Brianna’s mother stopped her before she could follow. “He’s having fun here, Bri,” she said gently. “Meet us there in a bit.”

Brianna glanced back at Lorenzo, then nodded at her mother. Once her parents had left, Lorenzo and Brianna stood in the playroom in an uncomfortable silence.

“You have wonderful parents,” Lorenzo said, hating that his voice sounded gruff. But he appreciated everything the Andersens had been so far. Stability for their grandson. A rock for their daughter. Kind to him when they didn’t have to be, even if he was housing them at the moment.

But this wasn’t about debts. This was about giving Gio and Lorenzo the opportunity to be together as father and son. And not every parent would have been as gracious as hers.

“I do. I’m very lucky.” Brianna brushed her hand over Gio’s hair again. “You don’t speak of your parents,” she said keeping her gaze on their son.

Lorenzo found it difficult to say the words even though the wound was old now and shouldn’t hurt quite so much. “Dead.”

Brianna said nothing to that, but she nodded. She kept her gaze on Gio. “Can Dada hold you for a minute?”

Gio looked at Lorenzo. Lorenzo smiled, but he did not hold out his arms. He wouldn’t pressure the child. But something about the game or the sleep must have softened little Gio’s heart somewhat. He reached out a hand. Half-heartedly and a little uncertainly, without giving Brianna any verbal yes.

But it was enough. Lorenzo felt his heart clatter against his chest, like he was a young man making a business presentation for the first time, certain everyone in the room could read thepooron him.

But he’d succeeded then and he knew how to hold a child. He reached out and took Gio’s willing form. Gio didn’t wrap his arms around Lorenzo like he did when Brianna held him, but he sat there without reaching back for Brianna or giving Lorenzo a suspicious look. He paid attention to the ball in his hand.

Lorenzo felt frozen. He was holding his son. In his arms. The boy played with the ball, slapping it against Lorenzo’s free hand. Lorenzo simply looked down at Gio for the longest time, trying to memorize the weight of him. The shape of his nose. Those blue eyes on the otherwise veryParisiface.

Lorenzo swallowed, trying to find his balance. Without thinking it through, he looked to Brianna, as if she could give to him that balance he so desperately needed. But she was watching with her hands clasped, a bright smile on her face even as a tear trickled down her cheek. She wiped it away before Gio saw.

Lorenzo wanted to reach out. Bring her into this perfect circle. So that they could be a family. So that this could be his life. These days, he got whatever he wanted, so why not this? Why not makethiseverything it could be?

But he did not move. Because he knew the dangerous feeling that swelled inside of him when Brianna was near. Then or now it did not matter. What he felt for her was too big, too complicated, and far too threatening.

Family only worked when one person was in charge. When one person was beholden only to the responsibilities of taking care of a family.

Being in love led to inequality. Weakness. It twisted things. Took the focus off the children and protecting them and put it on desperate needs that could only ever destroy everything.

So he held his son and did not reach out for Brianna. Did not attempt to bring her into this moment.

He focused on Gio. His son.

Not the woman who had stolen his heart long ago. Let her have it. Let her keep it. He had no need for it anyway.

CHAPTER TEN

BRIANNADIDNOTlet herself break down in front of Gio. She waited. She got through the day until she could excuse herself to go get ready for the art show.

Then she let herself cry. Sob, really. Just let all the swirling emotion out. It felt so wrong that Lorenzo and Gio had lived without each other for over a year. All because of another man’s lies and her own fears.

And the worst part was this overwhelming emotion wasn’tjustabout the time lost. The beauty of father and son together. It was more than that.

How was she supposed to endure this and not feel all those old, loving feelings? Lorenzo was the same man she’d known. Little had changed. Except she was getting more and more glimpses into what he’d come from, and that only made him more understandable. More wonderful.

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