Chapter2

I blinked back my own tears and smoothed his hair. "Okay. Then it's just you and me."

That first week, Leo and I ran along the shoreline and built sandcastles until he declared himself done. Without Damon around, even the air felt lighter.

Nora, of course, wasn't about to leave me alone. Photos and videos kept arriving, each one aimed at me. Damon in an apron, cooking at her stove. Damon stretched out beside Ethan, rubbing the boy's back until he fell asleep.

The newest video came with a question she clearly wanted me to hear. "Damon, Ethan wants a family portrait with you as his dad. Should we book one tomorrow?"

Off camera, Damon answered, warm and easy. "Of course we can."

Five minutes later, a voice memo. "Elena, Damon only has eyes for me now. Marcus is gone, and I'm the one he takes care of. Take the hint. Let him go, and stop using your kid to hold on to him."

A year ago, that would have wrecked me. Now I felt nothing.

She had no idea I was ending my marriage the minute Leo and I got home.

The next afternoon, the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and Leo and I both went still.

Damon stood in the hallway with shopping bags in his hands, looking like he'd come straight off a red-eye.

"Leo, buddy, I got you the Saturn V set, the one they stopped making! And, Elena, here's that bag you've been wanting forever." He held it all out, his eyes full of apology. "I'm sorry I'm late. I'm not leaving again. I'm staying right here with you."

Leo stayed behind my leg. He didn't reach for anything.

The silence stretched until Damon's phone rang. His assistant. A package had arrived from his wife's attorney, urgent, signature required.

That was the divorce agreement I'd had my lawyer send.

He hung up and turned to me, jittery. "Elena, what did you send? Please tell me those aren't divorce papers."

I wanted so badly to say yes. But I wasn't going to ruin one of the few good days my son had had in months, so I kept my voice level. "You'll see when you get home."

We'd be strangers soon enough. He didn't need an answer.

Damon let out a breath. "I'm never divorcing you, honey. I want to spend my life loving you and our son."

He crouched down to Leo, still working the angles. "Hey, buddy, you've always wanted to try a jet ski, right? I'll take you tomorrow. Or we can throw a party on a boat. Name it, and I'll make it happen."

He sounded so sincere. Anyone watching would have thought he was the perfect husband and father.

I looked down and saw the struggle in Leo's face. He'd said he was done with fathers, but he was five, and some part of him still wanted his dad.

An ache settled in my chest. I pushed it aside and nodded. "Fine. Set it up."

I only hoped he wouldn't let us down this time.

Damon went off happily to call the charter company.

Leo tugged my sleeve until I bent down, then planted an awkward little kiss on my cheek. "You're the best, Mom."

His grin lifted most of the gloom, and I found myself grinning back.

That night, after Leo was asleep in his little bed, Damon came out of the shower, pulled me against him, and bent to kiss me the way he always did.

But the second I pictured those same arms around Nora, my stomach turned. I jerked my face away before I could think.

He sighed. "I know you're still angry, sweetheart. But Nora has no one. Marcus died for me. I can't leave his family to fend for themselves."

Then he gave me his word. "I've already told her to stop coming to me for everything. All I want is for you and Leo to be happy. Okay?"

I listened without answering. I'd heard this speech more times than I could count. He'd given it last time, too, swearing he would never abandon us for Nora or make Leo feel unsafe again.

But every time her phone rang, he walked out without a backward glance, and all we got was disappointment and another long wait.

I met his eyes. "Damon, there's something I need to tell you."