Isabella barely slept that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Nolan standing outside the café so still, so shaken, like a man who had just watched his entire world tilt off its axis. Worse, she saw Juan's face when he'd asked that question.
Are you my daddy?
Her chest tightened as she lay staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft rhythm of her son's breathing from the next room. He slept peacefully, one small arm flung over his pillow, completely unaware that his world had shifted.
She had sworn she would never let this happen.
Never let Nolan enter Juan's life and complicate it with broken promises and half-love. She had built something safe here small, imperfect, but warm.
And now Nolan Sinclair was standing just outside that safety, waiting.
By morning, Isabella had already decided one thing.
One hour.
That was all he would get.
The park was quiet, bathed in soft morning light. The ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and freshly cut grass, and the sound of gulls echoed faintly overhead.
Isabella sat on a bench near the playground, her fingers laced tightly together in her lap. Juan stood a few feet away, fascinated by a bright red slide, bouncing on his heels with barely contained excitement.
"Can I go play now?" he asked, already halfway toward it.
She smiled weakly. "Go ahead. I'll watch."
Juan raced off, laughter trailing behind him as he climbed the steps with determined little grunts. Isabella watched him carefully, her heart twisting with equal parts love and dread.
She checked her watch.
Ten minutes early.
She told herself that if Nolan didn't show up on time, that would be her sign to leave.
He showed up exactly on the hour.
She saw him before Juan did walking along the paved path toward them, hands shoved into the pockets of his dark coat, posture tense but purposeful. He looked out of place here, all sharp lines and quiet authority against the soft, ordinary beauty of the park.
Isabella stood slowly, bracing herself.
Nolan stopped a few feet away, his gaze immediately finding Juan. The boy was at the top of the slide now, shrieking with delight before shooting down and landing clumsily in the sand.
Nolan's lips parted slightly.
He looked… undone.
"Thank you for meeting me," he said quietly.
"An hour," Isabella replied, her voice cool. "That's it."
He nodded. "I won't push."
She studied him, searching for arrogance, entitlement anything that would justify turning around and walking away.
She found none.
Instead, she found nerves.
That unsettled her more than confidence ever could.
Juan noticed Nolan then.
He froze mid-step, staring openly.
"Mommy," he called, trotting over, "it's him."
Isabella swallowed. "Yes, sweetheart."
Juan looked up at Nolan again, squinting slightly. "You came."
Nolan crouched instinctively, though he stopped halfway, glancing at Isabella for permission.
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
Nolan knelt fully this time, leveling himself with the boy. "I said I would."
Juan considered that seriously. "You're tall."
A faint smile tugged at Nolan's mouth. "So I've been told."
The boy leaned closer, studying his face with intense curiosity. "You have my eyes."
Nolan's breath hitched. "Yeah," he murmured. "I do."
Isabella's heart clenched painfully.
Juan rocked back on his heels. "Do you want to see me slide again?"
Nolan blinked. "I yes. I'd like that."
Juan grinned and took off without another word.
Nolan remained kneeling for a moment, watching him go, his expression awed.
"He trusts easily," Isabella said softly, unable to stop herself.
Nolan nodded. "I can see that."
She folded her arms. "Which is why I need you to be very clear with me. You don't get to confuse him."
"I won't," he said immediately. "I swear."
She studied him. "You don't know how to be gentle."
His jaw tightened. "Teach me."
The words landed harder than she expected.
"I'm not here to fight you," Nolan continued quietly. "I know I don't deserve this. I know I should have looked for you harder. I should have broken through whatever pride I had left and found you."
Her chest burned.
"I did look," he added. "After you left. I hired people. Someone erased you."
Her breath caught.
"My mother," she said bitterly. "I know."
Nolan winced. "I've dealt with her."
She laughed hollowly. "Have you?"
He held her gaze. "I will."
Juan ran back then, breathless and flushed. "Did you see?"
"I did," Nolan said, his voice warm. "You're fast."
Juan beamed. "I can go really high too."
"I believe you."
Isabella watched them carefully, her resolve wavering with every soft exchange.
This wasn't what she'd imagined.
Nolan didn't demand. He didn't posture. He didn't try to buy his way into Juan's heart.
He listened.
An hour passed faster than she expected.
When she finally stood, brushing sand from her jeans, Nolan straightened immediately.
"That's time," she said.
Juan frowned. "Already?"
"Yes, sweetheart."
Nolan's chest tightened visibly. "Can I… say goodbye?"
Isabella hesitated, then nodded once.
Nolan knelt again. "I had fun today."
Juan tilted his head. "Will you come back?"
The question hung in the air.
Isabella's heart pounded.
Nolan looked up at her, silent, asking.
She inhaled slowly. "That depends."
On everything.
Nolan looked back at Juan. "If your mom says yes."
Juan smiled, satisfied. "Okay."
Nolan stood, his gaze lingering on the boy one last time before shifting back to Isabella.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "For trusting me… even a little."
She turned away before he could see the conflict in her eyes.
As she and Juan walked toward the path home, Isabella felt it the unmistakable sense of being watched.
She glanced back.
Nolan was still standing there, eyes fixed on them, hands clenched at his sides as if holding himself in place.
And for the first time since he'd found her, Isabella wondered
Not if Nolan would fight for his son.
But how far he would go