“Mitch, there’s nothing to discuss.”
“Really? I beg to differ.”
“You haven’t been a part of his life.”
“Not on purpose,” he said, his words clipped and angry.
She glimpsed the hurt on his face but held firm to her conviction. “I have to look out for his best interests.”
“And that includes keeping him from his father?” He made a turn, stumbled and reached out with the arm she noticed he kept tucked close to his body. He leaned over the couch to steady himself on the armrest. A small gasp escaped her, but his sharp look kept her from rushing to his aid.
“You aren’t in any condition to take care of a child.”
“Not now, but this condition won’t last forever.”
Maybe she should have felt sorry for his plight, but she wasn’t willing to barter the welfare of her child over her sympathy for a man who had left her too many times to count. Did that make her cold? No. It made her a mother.
“So you’re going to recover here? In Cypress Pointe?”
“Yes.” He tried to walk again, but ended up sinking into a nearby chair. His cheeks were red from exertion now. Zoe knew he was a proud man and pointing out his physical limitations would only make the situation more tense.
“And once the recovery is complete?”
He dropped his head into his hand. Remained silent for too long.
“Mitch? Your recovery?”
His head shot up and he winced. “What?”
“I asked about staying in Cypress Pointe while you recover.”
“Yes...that’s...ah...the plan.”
Unease slithered over her. “Are you okay?”
He rubbed his head. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t worry? Mitch, you want to be part of Leo’s life. I have to look out for him.”
“And you honestly think I’d hurt him?”
“Not intentionally.”
He grimaced.
“Look at it from my point of view, Mitch. You aren’t yourself.”
“So you’d keep him away from me?”
“No, but I certainly can’t leave you alone with him until you’re stronger. He’s a bundle of energy right now.”
He opened his mouth, presumably to argue the point, then stopped.
She took a seat on the couch near him. Gentled her tone. “Mitch, I don’t mean to come across as the bad guy, but Leo is my responsibility. It’s not just you and me anymore. Our actions matter now.”
“I’m not going to make demands.”
“Sure feels like it.”
He blew out a breath. “We need to calmly hammer out some sort of...agreement, concerning our son.”
A shiver ran over her. She knew Mitch enough to know that when he set his mind on something, he didn’t give up. Mitch might be okay putting himself in harm’s way, but she never would be. And what if Mitch wanted to take Leo out of Cypress Pointe? She couldn’t entertain the idea.
“I don’t want us to be on opposite sides here, but things are different now,” she told him. “This is nothing like our old life.”
The defeat in his dark brown eyes nearly undid her, but she remained strong. For her son’s sake.
“This is a change of topic,” she said, “but do you have a doctor here?”
“I have a referral. I need to make an appointment.”
“That’s a step.” She hesitated. “We aren’t together, but I’ll try to work something out with you concerning Leo.”
The pain in his gaze made her pause. Emotional or physical? She couldn’t tell.
His shoulders sagged. Resignation seemed to deflate him. “Please call Wyatt and ask him to come pick me up. I’ll wait outside until he gets here.”
She rummaged through her purse to find her cell phone. Before she found Wyatt’s number and dialed it, Mitch said, “I will be a part of my son’s life, Zoe.”
His quiet, firm conviction made her fear that Mitch’s return from the dead could be the end of the quiet, stable life she’d built for herself and Leo.
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