“Did you hear her asking me all those questions? And she was definitely giving me the side eye across the table.”

“She’s thirteen. Her face is always like that.”

“Still.” He took my face in his hands. “We need to be careful, Sylvia.”

“April knows,” I confessed. “And Frannie. Also, Chloe might have guessed.”

“Okay,” he said slowly, as if he were trying to process what that meant.

“I didn’t mean to betray your confidence,” I said quickly, “but I was just so excited, I had to tell someone. So I sort of told Frannie, but I made her promise not to tell Mack.”

“So how did April—”

“April just sort of guessed after seeing us together tonight. And Chloe must have gotten the idea after being around us at work.”

He was silent for a moment, but his jaw was set.

“Are you mad?” I asked. “I’m sorry. I know we said we were not going to take this public.”

He shook his head. “I’m not mad, Sylvia. I just don’t want your family thinking I’m taking advantage of you.”

“They don’t,” I protested. “My sisters are happy for me. And they know I’m not a child, Henry. I can take care of myself. I came to you, remember?”

“But you’ve said it yourself—you’re vulnerable right now, and from the outside, I’m worried this looks shady on my part.”

“Listen to me.” I put my hands on his chest. “I know what I said. But being with you is helping me get stronger. It’s making me happy. It’s nobody’s business but ours, right?”

He exhaled. “I’d like to think that. And I’m glad your sisters are happy, but what about your kids? I don’t like the idea of having to lie to them. And I’m not good at pretending to feel one way when I feel another. I wish . . . fuck. I don’t know what I wish.” He slid his arms around me again and rested his chin on the top of my head. “I wish we’d met sooner. Or later. I want things to be different.”

“I know.” Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pressed my cheek against his chest. “Our timing feels all wrong, doesn’t it?”

“It’s the only thing that feels wrong.”

We stood that way for another minute, until I began to shiver.

“Go on inside,” he said with gruff affection. “It’s freezing out here.”

I pulled back and looked at him. “I’m sorry about all this.”

“Don’t be sorry. Nothing is your fault.”

“But I made you come here tonight, and you felt uncomfortable.”

He didn’t deny it. “Maybe we just have to see each other in private from now on.”

I almost laughed. “Privacy is in short supply when you’re a single mom living with two kids and two parents.”