I peek over at Junie, who is calmly playing by herself. I loop my arms around Vito’s waist and rest my head against his chest. “I feel so stupid. So much is changing so fast. We’ve been living out of boxes forever, Vito. I’m tired. I’m confused.”

  He holds me firmly, and I let the warmth of his muscled chest support my weight. I duck my chin and hide my face in the spicy cologne that clings to his shirt.

  “You wanted me here for something. Whatever it was mattered. If you don’t want to share it, you don’t have to. But why don’t you try to go and just see if you feel better. Sometimes the hardest part is getting out the door. Once you’re in the car, you aim for the destination, and don’t stop until you get there. I’ll be right here with Junie when you get back.”

  I’m suddenly struck by an idea. It seems foolish, but I’m blurting it out before I can talk myself out of it. “Come with me?” I ask. “I’ve been looking into taking some classes at the community college. I got a guest pass to sit in on a class tonight. I’m not going to stay the whole time. I’ll leave as soon as there’s a break—or sooner, if it goes too long. I can’t bring Junie into class, but maybe we could bring the stroller and you could walk the campus until I’m done?” I lift my face and look into his gorgeous eyes. There’s a thick dusting of stubble on his chin, which he’ll shave before he goes back on shift Saturday. I reach a hand to stroke the roughness.

  He takes my fingers and brings them to his lips. “I’m not normally one for signs and shit,” he says, “but I’ve been thinking about checking out the community college myself. Been talking myself out of it for months now. This might just be the sign I need to give school a little more thought.”

  I hold his face with both my hands. “Are you serious? You’ve been thinking about going back to school?”

  He chuckles. “I wouldn’t say go back. I haven’t spent one second of my life on a college campus.” He slides his hands under my hair and sighs. “Not having a degree has held me back in the department. I’ve been passed over for countless promotions. The last two were just a few months ago,” he admits. “It might get me feeling inspired, being on a college campus. You never know. Maybe I’ll look around and be like, yeah, this shit’s not for me. Either way, I’m down to go, Eden. You got the stroller?”

  I nod. “It’s in the back seat of the SUV. I took it out of the trunk to make room for all the boxes.”

  “All right. Do we need to pack anything, or is she good to go?”

  He’s still holding me, and I feel a strange sense of relief flood my chest. “Vito,” I say. I pull back from him and look into his beautiful eyes. “Are you sure about this? Maybe it’s all too much, too soon. I’m about to move into a house, and I’m…”

  He leans forward and plants a kiss on my lips, a light, teasing one with a gentle sweep of his tongue against mine.

  “Eden,” he says, “too soon for what? What’s too much?” He swallows and looks like he’s measuring his words. “I’m in this, babe. Not, like, move into your new house with you in this, but I care about you. I’m falling for you. I’d spend time with you if all you wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch kid shows for hours. Doing something like this? Something that might bring you closer to your dreams?”

  He kisses me again. “I respect what you’re trying to do with your life. If the only way I can support you is by kicking you in the pants when you’re doubting yourself, then I hope your fine behind is ready to meet my toes.”

  I shake my head, laughing in spite of the tears of gratitude that sting my eyes. “Okay, okay,” I say. “I just hope you still feel that way in six months when I’ve got a leaky sink and a mountain of homework.”

  He releases me and holds up a finger. “Leaky sink, I got. Homework’s all you.” He chuckles.

  We gather up Junie and head over to the campus. We find the visitor parking lot, and I fish a notebook and the pass that Catherine from Admissions gave me out of the diaper bag.

  Vito sets up the stroller and puts Junie in, then fastens the little safety straps. She kicks and laughs, then immediately tosses a toy onto the sidewalk.

  Vito picks it up and pretends to kiss the bunny’s ears. “It’s all right, bunny. Just a scratch.” Junie’s squealing for it, and he hands it back to her but then motions toward me. “Go on,” he says. “We’ll be fine. If you have any trouble finding us when you’re done, just look for the guy doing wheelies with a stroller.”

  I shake my head but grab his arm. “Walk me to class?”

  A sexy grin spreads across his face. “Lead the way.” As we follow the campus map to the building where the math and finance classes are held, Vito lowers his voice. “I like the idea of you being a sexy schoolgirl,” he says. “Maybe we can act that out sometime.”

  Heat pools in my belly, and I rub his back, letting my hand graze his incredibly fine ass. The fall sun is setting and even if anyone saw me grab his behind, I don’t think they’d care. The campus looks pretty quiet at this hour, commuter students doing exactly what we are, hustling between the parking lot and night classes.

  There are some students hanging around in groups, though. Kids carrying enormous backpacks, talking, laughing. Some running with headphones on. I don’t see any babies or children, not that I expected to.

  There could be plenty of people enrolled who left their kids at home with sitters or spouses. I’m fortunate to have Junie with me. And to have someone by my side to keep an eye on her while I stick a toe in this scary new pond.

  “So, what’s the class?” Vito steers the stroller, expertly avoiding a crack in the pavement before we reach the nicely maintained path that leads toward the instructional center.

  “It’s just an intro course,” I explain. “Personal Accounting. I think it covers the basics of money management and bookkeeping.”

  He nods. “Love it for you. You lost me at accounting.”

  I slip my hand into the back pocket of his jeans and squeeze. “You know they have all kinds of programs here. Have you ever thought about what kinds of classes you’d take if you wanted to go back for a degree?”

  He shakes his head. “And therein lies my problem. I’d probably end up spending more time on the shit that was fun than what I needed to do to actually get a degree.”

  As we approach the building, I hang back with the stroller. “I won’t be long,” I tell him. “I’ll let the instructor know that I can’t stay the whole time. I’ll slip out in an hour—or even sooner if it’s really boring.”

  I hold the door open for a couple kids rushing by, but Vito shakes his head. “You stay as long as you want. We’ll go exploring.”

  I clutch the entry pass in my suddenly sweating hand. I hear the buzz of shoes hitting the tile floors, the squeak of the stroller wheeling along beside me.

  This is really happening. I’ve never set foot in a college classroom, and I feel like an impostor. My stomach flips over, and I’m glad I skipped dinner, just eating a banana while I fed Junie her dinner.

  “Hey.” I hear his voice against my hair. “This you?” He nods toward a closed classroom door. The lights are off, but we’re early. Class doesn’t start until seven, and it’s quarter till.

  I nod. “Looks like this isn’t a class people come early to. Maybe it sucks?”

  He lifts my chin in his hand and kisses me lightly. “Maybe it will. You’ll find out,” he says lightly.

  “Excuse me.” A really, really young-looking guy carrying a massive backpack steps around the stroller and yanks open the classroom door. He turns on the light and props the door open. For a minute, I think he might be the instructor, but he takes a seat and plugs in a laptop, so I think maybe he’s just a student arriving early.

  Vito wheels the stroller out of the path of the door. “You going in?” he asks.

  “Yeah.” I worry my lower lip between my teeth.

  “Maaamaaa.” Junie tosses her bunny to the floor, so I release Vito’s hand to bend over and get it.

  “Juniebug, Mama’s going to go into that room right there, and you’re going to go for a walk with Vito. Does that sound like fun?” I kneel down to give her back the bunny and kiss her cheek when I hear the clacking of very high heels on the floor.

  I hurry to stand, guessing that those are not the shoes of a student. I see an absolutely gorgeous, willowy woman with shoulder-length blond hair striding toward the classroom with a slim leather briefcase in one hand. She’s wearing black eyeglasses, but her outfit screams money. She looks elegant, expensive, put together.

  I see her look from the stroller to me to Vito, and I clutch the paper in my hand. I’m sure we look totally out of place, but the way she’s looking at us makes me feel like maybe Catherine was wrong. Maybe this instructor doesn’t allow visitors? She pulls the glasses from her face and cocks her head, and that’s when I see Vito’s body go stiff.

  “Vito?”

  The stunning woman knows his name. I look from her to him and back again.

  He nods at the woman and releases a sigh so dramatic, I’m sure she hears it. “Wow. There you are. Nice to see you again, Michelle.”

  11

  Vito

  Well, if I’d thought Eden going to college was some kind of sign, I’ll be good goddamned if this isn’t my sign to run like hell in the opposite direction.

  “Vito? Holy shit. Is that you?” Michelle, my ex-wife, glides up to us on heels so high, I can’t help but think they are a step down from the stripper shoes she used to wear.

  I’m not being petty, though.

  I’m stunned and uncomfortable.

  Of course, I’d heard she was in town, but running into her here?

  No fucking way.

  Michelle’s brain’s got to be running a million miles an hour. She looks from Eden to Juniper to me, and then her whole demeanor softens. “Well, this is a surprise. Can I give you a hug?”

  I open my arms and let her give me a hug, but I don’t really return the gesture.

  As soon as she releases me, she sticks her hand out toward Eden. “I’m Michelle Davis. Vito and I are, uh, old friends.”

  Shit. This is going to get even weirder if I don’t do something fast.

  “Babe.” I turn to Eden. “This is Michelle, my ex-wife.”

  I watch as Eden woodenly shakes Michelle’s hand. “Hi,” she says quietly.

  “And is this…” Michelle gives Juniper a huge smile, and she bends down to look into the stroller. “Oh my God, you’re adorable. Hi.”

  Michelle waves at Junie, and I realize it must look like this is my family. But I’m okay with that. I’m not sure how to feel.

  Uncomfortable is a fucking given.

  But then I remember why I’m here in the first place. I swallow back my feelings and motion toward the classroom door.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask Michelle. “You teaching?”

  She smiles and looks genuinely happy. “I am,” she says. “I moved back to town to take care of my grandfather. You remember Granddad.”

  I nod, and she continues.

  “I opened my own business, and I’m teaching here part time at night.” She looks from Vito to me. “What are you doing here?”

  I step closer to Eden and put my hand on her lower back. “Eden has a guest pass to sit in on your class.” I realize I’m talking for her, and I’m sure that is the last thing she wants. Although when I look at her, Eden still looks shocked speechless. “Babe?” I nod at her.

  That seems to break Eden out of her trance. She smiles self-consciously and offers Michelle the sheet of paper that she’s nearly crumpled into a ball. “I was hoping to sit in on your class tonight. Catherine from Admissions emailed about me.”

  Michelle sets her briefcase on the floor and claps her hands. A couple more students have arrived, and they walk past us to get into the classroom. “Hey there,” she says, greeting the students. “Go on in. I’ll be right there. Hi Lacey, are you prepared for your presentation?”

  One of the two women she talks to looks older than we are. She slaps her thigh and laughs loudly. “Ms. D, you know I’m ready for my A.”

  Michelle grins. “I’m happy to hear it. I’ll be right in.” She steps to the side and puts a hand on Eden’s arm. “Catherine emailed me about you. I’m so glad you decided to visit. Do you have any questions before class starts? If you’re able to stay late, I’m happy to chat with you after class too.”

  Eden looks from Michelle to me, then back again before answering. “No questions. Thank you. I was going to say that I have childcare for a little bit, but I might not stay the whole class. I didn’t want to be rude and get up and leave in the middle.”

  My mind is spinning so fast, I can’t think straight.

  Michelle shakes her head and takes the pass from Eden. “That’s no problem. You leave whenever you need to.” She pulls a pen out from her briefcase and scribbles something on the back of the pass, then hands it back to Eden. “This is my work email and phone number. If you have any questions after class, you let me know. I can make an appointment and see you in my office.” She looks at Juniper. “And if you need to bring your daughter, please do. I do a lot of work with female clients. I like to help women understand how to make money and how to manage it.” She gives me a grin. “No offense to you, Vito.”

  “None taken,” I say, my lips as tight as my gut.

  Michelle is being really nice, and I shouldn’t be surprised. She’s good people. She always was. But after all these years, why couldn’t I have just run into her at a gas station or something?

  Eden tucks Michelle’s contact information into her notebook. “Thank you so much. That’s really generous of you.”

  Michelle pulls the black glasses back over her face. “Not at all. This is literally what I do. Come on in.” She looks back at me and Juniper. “V, there’s a little playground over by the early childhood center. Your daughter might be able to get some time in the swings while you wait.”

  I nod stiffly and force a smile on my face. I won’t correct her about Juniper. Unless Eden says something, I’m fine with Michelle thinking this is my family.

  Eden turns to follow Michelle into the classroom, but then Michelle turns back to me with a stunning smile. “It was great seeing you, V.”

  I bristle at her familiar nickname. I grip the handles of the stroller, hoping I don’t snap the plastic. “You too, Michelle.” Then I look at Eden. “Stay as long as you want,” I tell her.

  Her face is pale and her lips tight, but she follows Michelle into the classroom without looking back.

  It’s only after the door is shut and I’m alone with Juniper that I realize I should have kissed Eden goodbye.

  “So, Juniper, that was freaking awkward.” I talk to the little girl the whole walk.

  She’s surprisingly quiet after leaving her mom, but I’m hoping that she’s seen enough of me over the last few weeks that the excitement of being someplace new and being out in the fresh air has her nicely distracted.

  I peek over the stroller and make sure Junie is okay. She’s tucked under a light blanket, kicking her legs and babbling.

  What are the odds that my ex-wife is teaching the class Eden wanted to visit? My gut twists in a knot, and I realize I have to talk to someone, but then the bunny hurtles right out of the stroller.

  “Hey,” I call out, stepping on the brakes on the stroller. I kneel in front of Junie, a huge smile on my face. “Where is he?”

  I tap the blanket on her lap, and she laughs and screeches.

  I stand up and look all around and pretend I don’t see the bunny. “Is he…here?” I peek inside the sleeve of my flannel.

  “Bunny!” Junie shouts, and she suddenly lifts her little hips up and out of the seat like she’s going to get up and show me where the bunny is.

  “Whoa there.” The safety belt is on, so she can’t get out, but I don’t want her tipping out of the stroller the first time I’m alone with her. “No injuries, no tears,” I point a finger at Junie. “I’ll get that bunny, but you stay right here, okay? Is that him right there?”

  I motion off into the grass, and Junie shouts “bunny” again. I grab it and hand it off to Juniper before we head toward the playground.

  I’m expecting it to be locked, but I’m shocked to see that two other kids are playing, with an older lady sitting nearby on a bench looking at her phone.

  A security guard in uniform wanders over and waves at me. The guy surprises me by calling my name. “Vito?”

  As I get closer, I recognize him, and I reach out a hand and shake his. “Hey, man. You’re Martinez, right?”

  He nods. “Yeah. Nick Martinez.” That’s when it hits me. Nick used to be a waiter at my brother’s restaurant.

  “What’ve you been up to, man? No more Italian dinners?”

  He shakes his head and pats his stomach. “I miss Benito’s cooking. I loved that job, but I couldn’t hack the hours. I’m enrolled in night school here, trying to get an associate’s. It’s tough out there without a degree. I’m doing security part-time and doing some training over at the gym.”

  “I hear that shit,” I say. “Good to see you, man. You locking up the playground? We’ll get out of your hair if it’s closing time.”

  Nick shakes his head. “Nah, it’s fine. If there are families here, I let them stay until class is out. I’ll lock up when the classroom buildings close for the night.” He looks at me and cocks his head. “I didn’t know you had a family, Vito. Congrats, man.”

  “I wish I could take credit for her,” I laugh. “This is Juniper, my uh…girlfriend’s daughter.” I jerk a thumb behind me even though the instructional center is quite a ways away. “My girl’s visiting a class tonight. She’s thinking of enrolling.” I don’t know if Eden considers herself my girlfriend, but I’m a guy alone with a kid who isn’t mine, so saying anything else seems like asking for trouble.