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e’d just finished watching clips of Charles receiving an award for his philanthropic donations to a long list of charities. Sound bites of his speech aired again and again along with images of him shaking hands with prominent members of government and visiting famous people.
    In his tuxedo, he looked every bit who he was—a member of New York’s wealthy elite. She cringed as she remembered how h e’d held her in the airport. No doubt shuttling his sister’s friend around was the last thing he wanted to be doing before his big event. A weepy hot mess of a friend at that.
    She flipped off the television and rolled over onto her side. Stop thinking about what doesn’t matter. Tomorrow is going to be tough enough without losing sleep over someone who has probably already forgotten I’m here.
    She closed her eyes, but her mind raced in circles, preventing sleep. At least Jace was happy. When sh e’d called him earlier, h e’d excitedly told her about his day. Between Sarah, Tony, and David, the y’d kept him so busy he didn’t have time to miss her. Thankfully, h e’d forgotten about the cookies, so her plan to pass off store-bought ones as his had been unnecessary.
    Which made her grateful and, selfishly, a little sad at the same time.
    Although she wanted him to be happy, his acceptance of the situation fed into her greatest fear that he would one day leave her.
    Jace was all she had.
    What if Todd wanted to see him often? Would he sue for partial custody? Would they become a family of scheduled sharing?
    Will he want Jace to stay with him in New York?
    Just the idea of letting Jace go off with anyone, even a man who was biologically his father, was terrifying. H e’d be a complete stranger to Jace. To me, too. No one stayed the same. Todd wouldn’t be the young man sh e’d slept with. What kind of person had he become? He likely had a career by now, maybe a wife, and possibly children.
    Would that woman welcome or resent Jace?
    Once I do this, it can’t be undone. Everything might change once Todd knows about Jace. Am I ready for that?
    No matter how much I’d like to, I can’t pretend Jace doesn’t have a father.
    And Todd deserves to know that he has a son.
    The ring of her cell phone startled her. Anxious something might have happened with her son, she scrambled in the darkness for the phone and answered it in a breathless rush. “Yes?”
    “Melanie, it’s Charles. I hope it’s not too late to call you.”
    “Oh,” she said and sagged with relief into the bed. “No. I was still awake.”
    “I wanted to make sure you settled in okay.”
    “I did.”
    After a pause, Charles said, “Come to dinner with me tomorrow.”
    Because Sarah doesn’t want me to be alone or because you want to see me? Melanie hated that she cared what his answer to that question would be, but she didn’t let herself ask it. She wasn’t sure she could handle either possibility. “I have plans, but thank you.”
    “Lunch, then?”
    “That’s not necessary. I’m sure you’re busy.”
    “I’m beginning to think you don’t like me,” he said softly. The purr in his voice sent a shiver of need down her spine.
    If you only knew. “I know Sarah asked you to check in with me while I’m here, and I really appreciate that you have. Especially considering the night you’ve had. I was just watching you on the news. I feel awful that you rushed off to meet me before something like that.”
    “I’m glad you saw the news clip. If I hadn’t been the main speaker, I would have skipped the event an d . . . ” He didn’t say what he would have done. “Why are you in New York, Melanie? Is it something I can help you with?”
    Melanie wondered what Charles would say if she asked him to find the father of her child. Could he ever understand why I kept the truth to myself for so long? He didn’t look like a man who feared anyone or anything. How could I ever begin to explain to him the weight of regret and a shame that only