I eased up to the practice field trying to blend in as the kids were running to their parents, biting my lip to hide my nervousness. After my conversation with Lucia, I knew that this was what I had to do. I couldn’t run away anymore. I needed to meet my son, let him ask all the questions he wanted to, and answer them as honestly as possible.

What I had done all those years ago had provided him with a better life than I could ever have given him, with what I hoped were two loving parents where he never wanted for anything. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t be part of it now. I was getting ahead of myself, I knew. He wanted to meet me—anything beyond that would be up to him.

The kids and their parents scattered away rather quickly and I groaned as I saw Luke’s familiar form near the pitching mound. Damn. I was hoping he had already left so that I wouldn’t have to face him as well. I didn’t know what to think about him still, but there was something off about Luke/Mark or whatever his name was and I wasn’t so sure that he was completely safe to be around.

He threw the ball to a kid not far from him and I felt my newly discovered mom instincts start to take over. Was he safe enough to be around kids? What if he was into something dangerous that could put all of these innocent kids in danger as well?

It was then that I realized the kid he was throwing ball with had brown hair. No. As I moved closer, I could see the gentle slope of his nose that looked oddly familiar, a pair of hauntingly blue eyes that could have been a blast from the past.

James.

He had his father’s scruffy hair and his eyes, the very same ones that had winked at me multiple times before he’d succeeded in getting what he wanted from me one rainy Saturday afternoon in his parent’s basement. The words of love and affection had been so silly looking back now, but I really did think that he had loved me.

Shaking out of those thoughts, I looked at my child closely. Despite the resemblance to his father, he was perfect. A perfect little kid who was trying hard to throw the ball the way Luke was instructing him to. Maybe he had my patience and strength. I felt a wave of panic crash onto me. This was my kid and he was with a man I didn’t know if I could trust.

“Get away from him,” I shouted out, waving my hands to get their attention. Luke looked up and his easygoing smile died, replaced by an expression I couldn’t decipher. James looked over at me and I did not see any dawning recognition in his face. In reflection, all he probably saw was a crazy woman running toward him.

“Cara,” Luke started as I made my way over. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Stay away from him,” I panted, my face surely red with my little exertion. I needed to hit the gym just a bit harder apparently. “You, you whoever you are! Whatever your name is!”

“What are you talking about?” he asked, gritting his teeth. “I’m just playing catch with the kid.”

“You could be someone dangerous,” I fired back, feeling the anger well up inside. “You shouldn’t be around kids if you can’t tell anyone who you are!”

His eyes narrowed and he peeled off the glove, clearly agitated. “Cara, you don’t understand.”

“I know one thing for sure: you lied,” I said flatly, crossing my arms over my chest.

He didn’t say anything but I could see his jaw clenching. Good, he was mad. He should be after what he had done to me, tricked me into believing that he was a good man. My instincts were right on the money from the moment when we first met. “James, don’t go near this man.”

“This is stupid. I’m his damn coach,” Luke hissed, his eyes blazing now. “I wouldn’t hurt him, not ever.”

I stepped forward, jabbing my finger into his chest. “I wouldn’t trust you with my dog if I had one. You’re a liar and god knows what else.”

“You don’t understand,” he bit out again, his voice full of frustration. He grabbed my finger lightly and removed it from his chest. I ignored the flame that licked up my body at the mere contact, hating that after all of this I still actually wanted him. “I want to tell you, I do. But I don’t know if I can trust you…”

“The feeling’s mutual,” I shot back, glaring at him. “Go home, James. Stay away from this man.”

Luke’s eyes widened and he looked at James, then back at me. “How do you know his name?”

I swallowed. It was my turn to feel uncomfortable, not wanting to tell him my secret either. “That’s not important.” It would be a cold day in hell before I shared that information with him.

“Mom?” said a little voice.

I looked over at the boy between us his head tilted up at me and saw the surprise on his face. I swore inwardly. I had just given myself away in the crappiest way possible. This was not how I wanted our first meeting to go.

“Um, hi. I’m sorry… I should have…” I felt like a dumbass, unable to get the words out as he stepped closer.

“You’re my mom, aren’t you?” James said, the beginnings of a smile appearing on his sweet face.