Page 71 of Fool Me Twice

“I want you to stay. I want you to live with us all the time.”

Tears filled my eyes. “Oh, Sebastián. I love living with you, and your father and Melba.”

“So then you’ll do it?” Excitement spilled from him.

“It’s not that simple. I have my own apartment I’ll be moving into in Rio soon. I promise that I will visit you all the time, though. We will go to the beach together, and to the museum, and whatever else we decide to do.”

He thought about that for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. I like that. I want you to keep being my dad’s girlfriend.”

My jaw dropped. So Sebastián had picked up on more than I’d thought he had.

“Even if I wasn’t your dad’s girlfriend,” I said, “I would still love you.”

“I love you, too.” Sebastián reclined on the seat and rested his head in my lap.

Stroking his hair, I gazed out the window. This situation with Sebastián’s mother was becoming more complex than I’d ever imagined it could.

Rodrigo wasn’t just keeping things from me. Did anyone other than Melba know about Sebastián’s mother?

A sour taste collected in my mouth. Rodrigo had lied to me years ago, but I’d thought all of that was in the past. I thought we’d turned a corner the other afternoon in his hometown.

Apparently not.

CHAPTER20

GEORGIA

“Rodrigo?” I rapped on the door of his home office.

“Come in,” he called.

Opening the door, I found him standing at the window, his hands in his pockets.

“Sebastián is asleep,” I said.

Rodrigo’s head hung. “Good. Thank you.”

I folded my arms and leaned against the doorframe. Rodrigo hadn’t asked me to put Sebastián to bed; the boy had requested it.

Not that I minded; I’d been happy to read him a story and tuck him into bed. The day had been a stressful one, and we were no closer to answers.

“I’m a failure,” Rodrigo said to the floor.

I straightened up and closed the office door behind me, just in case Sebastián decided to sneak downstairs and spy on us. “You’re not a failure. No one is a perfect parent.”

He snorted. “Although some are better than others.”

I drew a deep breath. I’d shared with him everything that happened at school, but I’d kept the part about the conversation Sebastián overheard to myself. I’d wanted to make sure I brought it up in the right way and at the right time.

“He’s crying out for help,” I said.

“But help with what?” Rodrigo spread his hands. “He has everything he needs. More than he needs.”

“You know what.” My jaw tightened. I’d had enough of this. I suspected very strongly that Rodrigo knew exactly why his son was acting out—but he was in denial about it.

Rodrigo turned to face me, his features clouded.

“Sebastián told me something today.” I crossed my arms again, steeling myself. “He said that he overheard a conversation between you and Melba where you said he could never know where he came from.”