48

ALESSANDRO

I watched Matteo devour the chocolate and held back my grin. Lorena’s attention was on her phone, and I could see the reflection of it in the car window.

She was downloading a translation app. It bothered her that I could understand her son and she couldn’t.

The frustration was written all over her face. She was so focused on app, she missed Matteo glancing his mother’s way before he devoured the second chocolate bar.

It wasn’t pure chocolate anyhow. It was more cookie crumbs wrapped in chocolate.

His eyes traveled my way and realizing he had been caught, regret entered his eyes.

I winked at him, trying to assure him his secret was safe. A smile spread over his face, and suddenly jealousy hit me. Matteo didn’t look like his mother, but he had her smile. It lit up his whole face.

Something in my chest shifted, cracking the hard ice my heart had become. I decidedly shut it down.