Page 80 of Love Unwritten

“Yet,” he interrupts with a smile.

“We’ll see about that.” I continue with my story, “But when I moved to Lake Wisteria, I found something better.”

“What?”

“Cats.”

Nico makes a face. “The stray ones?”

I nod.

“Gross.” His nose twitches.

“Hey. That’s not nice. They’re still animals.”

“Sorry. Abuela told me they have germs and bugs and it’s best to stay away.”

A small grin tugs at my lips. “She’s just scared of them.”

“But you’re not?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“When I was a little older than you, I started saving up my allowance money to buy food for them.”

Ellie’s eyes spark with interest. “Your aunt didn’t mention that.”

“I’m a man of many mysteries.”

“I can see that.” Her mouth pulls up at the corners, sending another wave of warmth through my chest.

“So, it all started because you like cats?” Nico asks with an incredulous tone. His simplistic view of life makes it easier for me to open up, although I hesitate for a whole different reason. Sharing my past with my son is one thing, but doing so in front of his nanny?

It should make me pause, yet I only feel an urge to continue with my story. Ellie’s presence is strangely comforting, although that is a concern for another day.

I push the thought aside. “It was because I felt bad for them.”

“Why?”

Relax, Rafa. “You remember that Tía y Tío adopted me?” We had a conversation about it last year, but I had never specified why I was adopted. Just that I moved from Mexico to Lake Wisteria when I was about his age, after both my parents died.

Nico confirms with a nod.

“My life before I moved to Lake Wisteria wasn’t the best.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know how all the animals have sad stories?”

Nico’s eyes fill with tears, and I hold his small hand within my larger one.

“I had one kind of like that too.”

“You did?” His voice cracks.

“Yeah. My parents had…problems.” Gambling. Drugs. Infidelity. Me. “They didn’t take care of me the way they should have.”