I started to get into the seat behind them. “That makes me sound old.”

  Elon leaned over and pressed his hand on my back, helping me settle in my seat. “I’m older than you. You were the responsible one. When you didn’t come back to college, I blamed myself.”

  Elon got into the seat next to Sam.

  “Mom went to college?” Sam asked.

  I buckled my seat beat and called to him. “It… it was a lifetime ago. Let’s not talk about that anymore.”

  “You’re right,” Elon said.

  Then he checked to make sure Sam was buckled in.

  The coaster started rolling. I closed my eyes. I hated these rides. My heart raced, and I clutched the handlebar as I imagined tumbling to my death. I couldn’t breathe, but I heard Sam laughing. Every day at the park, thousands of people enjoyed the roller coaster, but for me, this was torture.

  The ride finally stopped. I cranked open my eyes and forced a smile. Sam needed me, so I'd kept my fears to myself for years now.

  My legs trembled as I stepped off the ride and joined Elon and Sam. As we walked away from the ride, Elon offered his arm. I hugged my waist and shook my head. He couldn’t know how I felt. No one could.

  “I have a question that needs answering," Elon said. "I was thinking that we should return to my New York apartment right away, but maybe you’d like to pick which of my homes we’ll stay at.”

  For a Norouzi, "apartment" meant a penthouse condo with stellar views. I'd been at a few of the Norouzi properties the few times my parents took me with them to help serve the family. Most of the time, though, they left me alone in the empty room in the servants’ quarters.

  I crossed my arms and acted like I really believed I had a choice. “What are the options?”

  Sam was tugging at my hand, leading us toward a wizard shop.

  “My preferences are Miami; Fairfield, Connecticut; Pitkin, Colorado; Westchester, New York—”

  “Like the X-Men?” Sam interrupted excitedly.

  Elon nodded. “I think Westchester is Sam’s vote.”

  I remembered that the old homes in Westchester were hard to clean. I met Elon’s gaze and asked, “What else?”

  He continued, “San Mateo, Martin, or Santa Clara, all in California—“

  “Stop.” I unwrapped the fingers I'd curled into fists. I loved the backyards and quieter pace of suburban life. I lifted my chin and decided to pretend I mattered. “I always enjoyed visiting your parents' estate in Connecticut. It always felt like a good place to raise a family.”

  Elon nodded. “Then you’ll love my house in Fairfield. Let’s go there.”

  We went into the wizard shop, and Sam asked for the wizarding wand experience that involved a magical wand. Elon agreed to buy him one.

  I’d promised myself that I would let Elon spoil Sam today, so I said nothing and bounced on my feet. Elon hadn’t said no to my suggestion that we go to Connecticut. I wasn’t sure why that was. I decided to push and see what happened. “Text your secretary the plan to sign up Sam for the school in Fairfield.”

  He took out his phone and smiled. “You can still read my mind.”

  “I could never do that,” I said.

  We entered the shop where the wizard chooses the wand. The doors closed behind us, and the lights went down. I tensed as not being able to see in the dark usually terrified me.

  The lighted screen of Elon’s phone read Message Sent. He put his phone back in his pocket and said, “You’ve forgotten. It will take time.”

  “Okay, lover boy,” I said and settled on watching the show.

  He froze, and I cringed. The teasing words had just popped out of my mouth, words I’d said the first time he kissed me. I'd been a mess then, but those moments with Elon that I’d forced myself to forget were what got me through the tough times.

  Elon, the only person I’d ever enjoyed sex with, was beside me again. I wasn’t sure what would happen next, but Sam was safer as a Norouzi. That was all that mattered.

  5

  Clarissa

  Sam slept with his head against my shoulder for most of the evening plane ride. He was tired out from a hot day in the parks. I kept quiet during the night flight, only starting to breathe easier when we got far from the life I’d built in Florida.

  My job dressing up as a princess had been fun, despite the strict park rules on what I was able to say or do, and the only part of my life in Florida that I’d miss. I'd also enjoyed being a mom, but it hadn’t been easy to find day care. The woman I’d hired to watch Sam had soon taken a week’s vacation, which was how Hunter had ended up watching my son for a few hours a day. That was after I’d realized that Dan was drinking on the babysitting job.

  I had wished every second since that I’d taken Sam with me to wander the park while I worked. He knew how to avoid security. I shouldn't have been afraid he'd be caught. That was the worst reason in the world to have put Sam in harm's way.

  I spoke about nothing important to Elon during the plane ride.

  If I’d have told him about Sam years ago, maybe our lives would have been different. He’d always been a good man who watched out for me. I’d convinced myself when I was a girl that we’d had a major love affair.

  Once again, just from sitting next to him during the flight, I was already half-convinced he was the only man for me.

  The plane landed.

  I woke Sam, and he yawned but then jumped up. He raced out the door, full of energy.

  On the steps leading to the runway, Sam stopped and pointed to something. “Is that a helicopter?”

  Elon patted him on the back. "Yes, it is."

  We continued down the steps and walked across the runway toward the helicopter. “My house in Connecticut doesn’t have an airport, but we can land on the helipad.”

  This would be my first time on a helicopter, not that I said a word. Whenever my parents had brought me along on a job, the staff had flown by commercial airline.

  When we were almost to the helicopter, Sam pointed to it. “Mom, this is way better than Betsy.”

  We climbed on as Elon asked, “Who's Betsy?”

  My face heated. He’d probably never named a car, especially one on its last legs. Of course, he'd never had one of those. “My yellow car you ended up paying for.”

  We fastened our seat belts, and the roar of the propellers drowned out conversation. The helicopter rose, and in the distance, I spotted the ocean.

  My body trembled, but I doubted anyone would notice. I glanced at Elon. As a girl, I'd often wondered what it would be like to be a princess who lived in a castle and had servants—instead of being a servant. Once upon a time, his kiss had almost made me believe I didn’t need to conjure up a fairy-tale world, because the real world had been good enough.

  Dating him had made me feel like I mattered, but then our relationship had burned out. My belief in love had been shaken, but I'd found a way to live in the real world.

  While I was lost in the past, I’d not even felt the helicopter land.

  We got out of the helicopter, and Sam darted ahead of us to the main house. The brick two-story house was picture perfect. As we reached the door, a member of the staff opened it for us to step inside.

  I kept my head down. I didn't know whether anybody on staff would recognize me, but the last thing I needed was for my parents to find out Sam and I were here with Elon.

  Sam ran into the grand room and gazed up at the chandelier.

  I looked up at the twelve-foot ceilings and imagined they could only be dusted by someone on a tall ladder. The beach art was clearly original, and it was nice that Elon had gone with a coastal theme.

  Elon said, “This is the house.”

  Sam ran left and right, not caring that he trampled on Persian rugs that were probably rare. “Wow!" he cried. "Which is my room?”

  Elon said, “Whatever one you choose.”

  Sam clomped up the stairs. Elon and I followed behind him.

  “Your house is nice,” I said.

  He nodded and walked with me down a hall. “My bedroom is the last room on the right.”

  Sam had chosen the bedroom that was the first room on the left.

  I ended up picking the bedroom between their rooms.

  Elon left me alone. I took off my shoes, washed my face, and quickly assessed the room. A white bedspread, a blue carpet, and a few abstract paintings gracing the walls that were likely originals. From my bedroom window, I spotted the ocean in the distance. Elon probably had one of his yachts docked nearby.

  My skin felt prickly. I left my room and tiptoed down the hall.

  I peeked into Sam’s room and saw him playing a video game on his TV. I had no idea what game, but it was probably one he’d coveted forever.

  I took the staircase down to the first floor, moving slowly to ensure no wood creaked on the steps. Once downstairs, I took a deep breath and headed into the kitchen.

  No one was there. Perfect. I opened the refrigerator and found a bottle of water. My stomach grumbled as I hadn't eaten much all day. I grabbed a slab of cheese and decided to chop off some small pieces.

  As I made myself a plate, Elon coughed to announce himself. I cringed, though a part of me understood he didn't care if I ate.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  My spine stiffened like I'd been caught doing something wrong. I gazed at him and answered the way I’d been trained to as a girl whenever I'd been caught. “Making us a snack.”

  He took a piece of the cheese I'd cut and popped it in his mouth. “We can ring for service.”

  I picked up the plate and whispered, “Servants talk, and they might tell my parents I'm here.”

  He walked with me to the sitting room, and we settled on a couch. I nibbled at the cheese on my plate.

  “What happened between you and your parents?” he asked.

  My nerve endings buzzed. I closed my eyes, decided to delay my answer by eating the piece of cheese in my hand, and chewed.

  Once I finished, I sighed and said, “When I was pregnant with Sam and told them I was going to keep the baby, they said I wasn't their daughter anymore."

  He rubbed my arm.

  "It’s fine,” I said.

  "No, it's not." He continued to rub my arm. “That must have hurt. I wish I’d not been such an asshole. I wish I'd cared about your pain.”

  Damn, there he was acting perfect again. I tilted my head and faced him. “You’re being hard on yourself. When they cut ties with me, it was almost freeing. It meant I could raise Sam—on my own.”

  He relaxed into the couch like he was entirely comfortable around me. I stole another bite of cheese. Then he asked, “Why did you name Sam after my grandfather?”

  I tensed as I was a private person and usually avoided conversations like this. I remembered how his grandparents visited once a month and, like clockwork, the rooms were readied for them. I turned and said, “Because I think he was the only person in your family to really see my life as it was.”

  Elon sat up straight, and his gaze narrowed. “What do you mean?”

  I sucked in my lips. I was about to say something I hadn't said out loud in years. Now that we were living with Elon, I needed to tell him enough so he entirely loved Sam. I wrung my hands, as confiding in someone wasn’t easy for me. “Your grandfather was the one who decided to pay for my school. He also arranged for me to get a ride with you every day.”

  Elon inhaled. “I didn’t know that.”

  I nodded. He probably hadn’t. Neither did his mother and father. I remember begging his grandfather to never tell anyone, not even Elon's parents. I was afraid they'd have told my parents.

  “I asked your grandfather not to talk about me or what he'd done to anyone,” I said.

  He sat up straighter and massaged the back of his head. “Why?”

  Heat rose to my face. The sting of long ago shouldn’t still prick, but it did. I didn’t blink. “My parents would have refused his help. And the exclusive private school we all went to was the only place where I wasn’t being sent away until I got my job at the park.”

  He folded his hands in front of him. “I’d like more info on your parents, so I can ensure they’re cut off from all knowledge about you.”

  Right. I needed Elon to protect Sam, both from my parents and my violent ex. I lifted my chin. “Okay. They didn’t care about me. I was a mistake, a nuisance, a headache. My mother never wanted to have a child at all and mentioned that pretty much every night.” A sob escaped. “I won't rebel if that’s what you’re worried about.” My cheeks were wet, and my shoulders slumped, but I needed to finish. “I’m protecting Sam from pain as best I can.”

  “Don’t cry,” he whispered and rubbed my back. Then his arms wrapped around me. For a minute, I pressed my head to his shoulder.

  I’d forgotten how nice he was.

  He didn’t seem to mind that I was getting his shirt wet. I rocked against him and wished I was stronger. Once my crying subsided, I swiped at my tears and stood. “Tears don’t solve problems.”

  He met my gaze, though my vision was still glassy. “That’s hard. Look, after I broke up with you, I regretted it. I asked your parents what happened to you. I looked around for you. I wanted to make it right, but you were gone.”

  I shrugged. He’d gone to medical school and now owned a medical company. He’d done exactly what he’d said he was going to do.

  “I had to find a job that would pay the bills as I was determined to have my baby,” I said.

  He took my hand. “I've spent every day for the past eight years wondering where you were. A few weeks ago, I decided before my… our next birthdays, I needed to find you. It’s why I went to your place.”

  Maybe somehow the universe had delivered a message to him as Sam and I had slept in my car that we needed help. My eyes were watery. I jumped back so he wouldn't get a repeat showing of my weakness. “I need a few minutes.”

  I dashed to the nearest restroom. My heart thumped as he called, “Take your time.”

  Once I closed the door behind me, I rocked back and forth and stared at myself in the mirror.

  He was so fucking nice. I wished he’d not found me sneaking food in the kitchen. Then maybe I wouldn't feel so uneasy around him.

  Footsteps sounded on the stairs. I took a few deep breaths. There was no way I could let my son see me like this. I swallowed, washed my face so there was no sign of tears, and quietly opened the door.

  I heard Sam ask Elon, “Dad, have you seen Mom?”

  My ears buzzed, and I held my hand to my chest. Losing Sam had already begun.

  Elon said, “She’s had a hard day. Do you want anything?”

  “Popcorn, though I’m actually hungry for more,” Sam said. I peeked into the room to see Elon writing out a text and sending it. He put his phone on the table and took the seat next to Sam.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Sam asked.

  "Sure." Elon nodded. “What’s going on?”

  “Mom’s been through a lot. Can you marry her?”

  I covered my mouth so no one heard me gasp. Sam had never done anything this embarrassing before. His school counselor had mentioned something to me about not letting him live entirely in a fantasy world, but maybe he couldn't help it. Maybe it was genetic.

  Elon said, “I don’t think she’d want that.”

  Nice way of ducking that question. Elon was the one who literally could have any partner he chose.

  Sam said, “She’ll say yes, if you ask. I’ll make sure of it.”

  I rocked on my feet. It was time to end the conversation. I rattled the door knob of the bathroom, then skipped into the room like I was excited and happy.

  Sam immediately hugged me.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  The doorbell rang. Elon and Sam both headed toward the door like they were expecting someone. I tensed and hugged myself as I wasn’t sure what I'd missed. They returned, Sam with flowers and Elon with pizza.

  My son walked over and handed me the bouquet. “Dad got us pizza and you flowers.”

  I'd been gone for two minutes or less, although Elon had probably texted his staff earlier to have the pizza and flowers delivered. We needed to speak about that once we were alone.

  Elon nodded. There was a twinkle in his eyes. “Those are for you.”

  Flowers were something a man got a woman when they were dating, and we weren’t dating. But I sniffed the roses, as this was the first time a man had bought them for me. I knew he intended the flowers as a peace offering. “Thank you, Elon… thank you for everything.”

  I headed to the kitchen to find a vase so I could put the flowers in my room. As I suspected, the vases were in the supply room next to the kitchen. My mother had probably put them there.

  I ignored the thought and returned to the kitchen to make my bouquet look pretty. I cut off the bottoms of the roses with scissors and arranged them in the vase.

  Elon and Sam followed me into the kitchen. Elon got out some dinner plates. “I hope you like the flowers.”

  I sighed. For the first time in a long time, a gift was for me and me alone. It was sweet. Elon had sent me flowers to make me feel better about our situation.

  “I’m sorry you saw me in the kitchen,” I said.

  Sam grabbed some silverware, and the three of us headed to the kitchen table, each carrying something.

  “You had a long day," Elon said. "Don’t worry about anything.”

  I put my roses in the middle of the table. Elon and Sam set the table quickly, though there were only the three of us.

  “So what kind of pizza is in the box?” I asked.

  Sam sighed. “Your favorite—vegetarian.”

  I took my seat and licked my lips. “I don’t know if it’s my favorite—“

  “It is,” Sam retorted.

  Maybe a vegetarian pizza was what I would order. I shrugged. “I just think having a sprinkling of healthy things on a pizza is good for you.”

  Elon served each of us a slice of pizza. “Does your mom still watch all the princess movies?” he asked Sam.

  Sam nodded. “She says its practice for work.“