So I tried a different tack.
“Look. That’s her.”
I pointed to a break in the curtain, through which Sofia’s capable little form was extremely busy packing plastic fruit into a play refrigerator.
Xavier bent down next to me, then watched a long time, completely rapt until she finished her task, then trotted off, waving some sort of stuffed banana at another child.
“I forgot,” he said.
I smiled. “That she looks like you? Yeah, spitting image, I’m afraid. No DNA test needed.”
“No, it’s not that.” He stood straight and seemed to take a long time to adjust his scarf while he continued watching the shadows of children still evident through the curtains. “It’s only, well—I only saw her the one time. And…she’s quite beautiful, isn’t she?”
I softened. I couldn’t help it.
“Xavi.” I touched his arm, which was currently trembling at his side.
When he turned back to face me, his eyes were as wide as the river just beyond us.
“What you said…about the lawyer…” I glanced toward the preschool, then back at him. “If you send someone to tear Sofia’s family apart, it will kill her. Ruin her sweet innocence. You can understand that, can’t you?”
Slowly, and with a few more glances back toward the covered window, he nodded.
I reached out and squeezed his gloved hand, pulling his attention back toward me. And then I took a deep breath and did something I never thought I would do again.
I begged.
“Xavi, please. Leave the lawyers out of it. For her sake, if no one else’s. I know I should have told you about her. I know that. But if you can take things slowly, let things come naturally…if you can give us that, I’ll make it right. I promise.”
Again, that blue-eyed gaze darted back and forth between me and Sofia’s shadow, now dancing behind the curtain. I didn’t like the idea of using my daughter as a bargaining chip, but here we were. Here I was. Doing what needed to be done for her safety and security.
Or was it for mine?
“All right,” he said. “On one condition.”
I gulped. “What—what’s that?”
“You come to dinner this weekend. We’ll sort out the details of the future then. No running off. No games. Just the truth. Can you do that?”
Solemnly, I nodded. “I need to check on childcare, but I think so.”
Relief flooded through me, followed by a different kind of tension. One that was curiously like…excitement. Kate would have to babysit. I wasn’t giving her an option.
“And, Ces?” he asked as I was about to enter the preschool.
I turned back. “What?”
A sly black brow lifted. “Wear something nice. This time I pick the place.”
I had a hard time catching my breath, and it had nothing to do with nerves. “As—as you like.”
A hint of a smile rose to those full lips. “I do. I will.”