Matteo stabbed an egg with his fork, the yolk running across his plate in a bright yellow pool. “I used to steal things when I was younger. My mama worked nights and I got mixed up with some kids who made bad choices, so I decided I would be cool if I made bad choices, too.”

Grace took a sip of her coffee. “What kind of things did you steal?”

“Anything the older kids told me to. I stole a car when I was twelve and got caught. I didn’t drive so well. I walked the straight and narrow after that. We moved to a new neighborhood, and my mama started working while I was at school so she could keep tabs on me the rest of the time.”

“But they let you enlist in the military after stealing a car?”

“I had to get a waiver. I was a juvenile, but it was a felony. They could have turned me away.”

“And what would you have done instead?”

He laughed. “Let’s just say I was praying real hard to get in. The Navy gave me a good life. A better life than I knew how to get on my own.”

They’d ordered room service, and Matteo’s antibiotics had been delivered an hour before.

“I guess we should hit the road,” he said.

Grace was quiet on the drive home. She was happier than she could remember being in months, aside from the happiness she experienced around her son. But as a woman, as just herself, this was definitely the best she could remember feeling in a very long time.

She snuck a sideways glance at Matteo as he drove. How would the night they spent together affect their relationship going forward? She wasn’t foolish enough to think this meant he had feelings for her. Clearly, what they had experienced was mutual physical attraction. But she liked Matteo, and it just so happened he was married to her, at least for the time being.

Don’t go thinking of him like he’s actually your husband.

Yes, that was dangerous indeed. He was a paid employee. It would be good for her if she remembered that.

“You’re awfully quiet,” said Matteo.

“So are you.”

“Fair enough. I’ve been watching traffic to make sure we’re not being followed. You’re anxious to get back to the baby, I assume.”

“Oh, of course.” His comment reminded her of their sexual antics. She’d been so brazen. What must he think of her now? “I didn’t expect any of this to happen.”

“Neither did I.” He was quiet for a moment. “Are you sorry?”

“No. Are you?” She’d just had another man’s child. She wouldn’t blame him if he was.

He reached out and took her hand. “It doesn’t have to mean anything more than you want it to,” he said.

She shook her head. “These last weeks have been surreal in every way.” Now he was taking a step back, giving her the option of starting fresh when they got back.

Did she want to take it?

The idea left her feeling sad. For while she knew she shouldn’t pursue a relationship with Matteo, she knew she would miss him if she didn’t.

“I don’t know what I want,” she said. “I wish I could give you a more definitive answer.”

“As long as you don’t have any regrets, that’s good enough for me.”

Regrets.

This last year had left her with a few of them. She couldn’t completely wish away her relationship with Mason, as he had given her Nico. But so many of her choices had strained her already rocky relationship with her father.

“Where did you go?” asked Matteo.

“I was thinking about my father. We’ve always had our differences, but lately it seems like that’s all we have. When my mother was alive, she was the go-between, always making sure we found a way to get along, even work together. Since she passed away, we can’t seem to have a decent conversation without assuming the other one has terrible intentions.”

She looked down at her ring, still not used to seeing it on her finger, and twirled the gold against her skin. “She would be sad to see what things are like now. This is definitely not what she wanted for us.”

“If you don’t mind me saying so, it doesn’t seem to be what you want, either.”

“No. It’s not. In a perfect world, I wish I had a father I could talk to, who enjoyed my company and didn’t think I was a walking disaster. But I can’t control other people, and me wishing for it won’t ever make it happen.”

“What if I told you I thought he wished for the same things?”

“Are you his confidant now?”

“No, but he did share with me enough to make me realize he cares about you very much.”

Her eyes stung. Her father would never tell her himself that he cared for her, and it had been many years since her mother had done it for him. “Do you really think so?”

“You should talk to him. Life is short, Grace.”

“What about you? Do you get along with your parents?”

“It’s just me and my mom. But yes, we do. She’s only fifteen years older than me, so we have a different relationship than a lot of people do with their parents.”

“What about your father?”

“I never met him.”

“Just like Nico will never know his. You seem like you turned out okay.”

“If that’s a compliment, I’ll take it.”

“Do you feel like it hurt you not to have your dad in your life?”

“It’s hard to miss what you don’t know. It made me wonder if I could be a decent father when the time comes.”

“You’re wonderful with Nico.”

“I like him.” He laughed. “I never realized how much personality a baby can have.”

“He’s got personality, all right. I just hope I don’t screw him up too badly.”

“Life doesn’t always work out the way we want it to, but if you’re looking for the good in the world, it usually turns out okay.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” The question was out of her mouth and hanging in the air before she had time to stop it. It was none of her business, yet she wanted to know badly.

“Not at the moment. I don’t do relationships so well. Cowboy—he’s the head of HERO Force and a good friend of mine—has been having a field day with me being married. It’s a running joke.”

That answer did more to stir her curiosity than satisfy it. “Why don’t you do relationships?”

“Never found anybody I wanted around that much.” He shrugged. “I date. I go out with women, but nothing serious.”

Grace thought those women might disagree. Matteo was a great guy and she could see it would be pretty easy to get attached to him.

Not that I’m getting attached.

This was different. Sure, they’d spent the night together, but that didn’t make up for the fact that he was here for the paycheck, not for her.

They were two consenting adults who just happened to have some great chemistry. And if it bothered her that he didn’t want to have sex with her, that was her problem.