Neve struggled to remain calm, and not lose her temper. She hadn’t even known that she’d had one until today. And she was dangerously close to losing her control over it. She was reaching the end of her patience with this situation. With Connor. Back in her house. With her daughter, with their daughter.

Why couldn’t she have been warned? Even a few minutes would have allowed her enough time to hold back the reeling feeling in her mind. It was like her whole world had stopped, then started, then stalled, and was now moving along jaggedly, as if trying to catch up with itself.

And his perfect smile was not helping. She refused to be charmed by him. Not again. Never again. She would never fall victim to that famous charm again.

Because the last time she had, he’d left. And ripped her heart out in the process. And damn him if he ever tried to take Ivy from her.

Looking at him now, she wanted to believe that it would never happen. But the fact was, she didn’t even know this man. She hadn’t known him when he was a teenager either, clearly, since he’d been able to leave without a second look. And she couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t attempt to gain custody of Ivy if he suddenly decided he needed to go back to civilization and wanted a souvenir when he went.

“Sure. Friday. Here. Make it after five so I can be home after work to meet you,” she said. This was not a negotiation. She was laying down the rules, and she wanted to make that known right from the get-go.

Connor nodded before she even had a chance to finish. “Yup, makes sense. I have some things to do before then anyway.”

“What things?” she asked. Immediately, she wished she could take the words back. Right now, she had no right to ask him anything. And she didn’t want to know. Didn’t want to get caught up in whatever mess Connor and Cyrus were in now.

“Neve, I just…I have to do some things.”

Nodding, she started to back away. “Of course, you do. Connor, ever the mystery.”

He sighed. “It’s not like that. I’m just not sure how much Cyrus would want me to tell you right now. I haven’t even had a chance to talk to him myself.”

She didn’t want to admit it, but that was fair. Whatever had brought him back, it was Cyrus’s deal, not his own. And Connor was unfailingly loyal. At least when it came to everyone but her. With her, he’d left without even a look backwards. But Cyrus…he’d move heaven and earth to save Cyrus.

And that was also fair, she grudgingly admitted to herself. Cyrus was a sweet kid, and she hoped everything was okay with him. He hadn’t had an easy childhood.

“Tell Cyrus I said hi!” Ivy piped in, ignorant of the tension between her parents.

Connor seemed shaken by her comment.

“You know Cyrus?”

Ivy giggled, “Of course, silly. He’s my friend.”

She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “He used to walk me home from home sometimes when Mom was working. And sometimes he’d buy me ice cream!” She giggled again with the glee of getting an unsanctioned treat.

Connor was floored.

No. There’s no way that Cyrus knows who Ivy is. He would have called me. Found some way to contact me. Right?

“Can you bring him with you on Friday?”

“Of course, sport. I’ll ask him.” Connor looked piercingly at Neve, but she was looking down and didn’t seem to want to make eye-contact again.

There were so many surprises, so many questions. Connor decided to let this one go – for now.

“I should get going,” Connor said softly. “But I’ll be back.”

He hadn’t even given her those words that night when he’d left, Neve thought.

“Okay.”

He nodded at her answer and then stood up. Her eyes dropped down to his muscled chest, his toned body visible even through his open winter jacket. God, how she wished he’d gotten portly and unattractive while he aged. But he hadn’t. He’d only gotten better with time. More delicious, more manly, more…everything.

Jesus, try not to start salivating all over him now, will ya? Obviously her mind was going to battle with her body every time she was in the same room with the jerk.

“Bye, Ivy. Bye, Neve,” he said quietly, his voice low and teasing her senses. Ivy waved enthusiastically, but she couldn’t. Couldn’t wish him goodbye like he wanted. Her thoughts and feelings were still all caught up in that night. Realizing that he wasn’t coming back. That he’d left her without so much as a note or a phone call.

Just one day after he’d promised her everything. Promised her forever.