Chapter 30
Vanessa
Leysa is dead.
It’s finally over.
I’m safe.
Yet I’ve never felt more unsettled.
It’s been four weeks since Leysa was burned to death, and Matteo asked us to give it a few weeks before we went about our normal life, wanting to make sure that the threat was really gone.
During which time, I’ve worked with Lorenzo and his amazing team to set up my online boutique and started getting orders.
Thanksgiving came and went, and we enjoyed the holiday with our friends and family.
My mother is in jail, awaiting trial, and the prosecutor believes he has enough circumstantial evidence to put her away.
Nicole found out that her father had left everything to her in his will, but because he owed so much money and the house burned down, the only thing remaining was his life insurance policy, which she offered to give me half of and I declined.
Not only do I not want a dime of that man’s money, but she can use it to expand her coffee shop and help pay for her wedding since James proposed on Thanksgiving.
Today is our first day out of the house, and we’re taking Leo to the zoo. But because Lorenzo is still cautious, he had his men secure the area before we arrived, and he’s warned me several will be following us around.
It’s the end of November in Florida and in the low eighties—the perfect temperature for being outdoors.
“Out!” Leo exclaims the moment he sees the wide-open space.
“Can he get out?” I ask Lorenzo.
“Yeah.” He glances around, clearly on high alert. “We just need to keep him close.”
I unbuckle the seat belt in his stroller and pull him out and set him on his feet. In the past month, he’s moved up from walking to running, and keeping up with him is a full-time job.
“Mama!” Leo yells, running over to the lion exhibit. “Roarrrr!” he growls, smashing his face against the glass in an attempt to get closer.
Lorenzo and I both crack up at how adorable he is, and then we pull our phones out at the same time to snap pictures.
We walk through the exhibits, and Leo is excited to see every animal, making the noises each one makes. We ride the carousel three times, and then we eat lunch at the restaurant. The food is shitty, but the memories we make are ones I’ll never forget.
“We should do a zoo theme for his birthday,” I say to Lorenzo as we eat ice cream on the bench while we watch Leo play in the little splash pad they have in the middle of the zoo.
His birthday is next week, and we’re keeping it small, just family and friends coming over to the condo to celebrate.
Before Lorenzo can respond, his phone rings, and when he glances at it, he hits Ignore and pockets it.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” he says too quickly.
“Try again.”
He sighs. “It’s the nanny agency. They’ve found someone, and they want to see when I’d like for her to come interview.”
“Why would you—” And then it hits me.
Next month, I won’t be here. The threat is gone, which means I’ll be back at school in Seattle and Lorenzo will need someone to watch Leo while he’s at work.
I open my mouth to say something, but there’s nothing to say. Because we both know that the time has come, and even though they’ve become my world, I have to go back to school and follow my dreams.
“I think a zoo-themed birthday will be cute,” he says with a soft yet sad smile.
“I can’t believe he’s turning one. I feel like I’m going to blink, and he’s going to be all grown up.
” He stands and takes my hand, threading our fingers.
“C’mon, let’s go play with our boy. The water looks refreshing. ”
But as we splash and play with Leo, it now feels tainted, like there’s a ticking time bomb, counting down until I have to leave, and I realize every moment with them is the last one I’ll get.