Caught off guard, she quickly nodded, brushing off her emotions. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… tired.”
Rowan didn’t push. He simply gave her a nod, as though he understood more than he was letting on.
Vaughn was already back to talking about the tiger cub, lost in his own world of excitement, and for a brief moment, it felt like they were just… a family.
But that fleeting feeling was accompanied by an undercurrent of guilt and sadness.
Because, as much as this felt like a peaceful morning, Amara knew that peace was fragile.
She glanced at Vaughn, his face alight with joy as he chatted away, and then at Rowan, who had settled into this serene moment with an ease that made her heart ache.
It was too perfect, too fleeting.
Rowan caught her eye, his expression softening as if he could sense the conflict churning beneath her calm exterior.
He reached across the table, his hand brushing against hers, a subtle gesture of reassurance that made her pulse quicken. “You’re really okay?” His voice was low, filled with a quiet concern that only made it harder for her to keep her emotions in check.
Amara looked at his hand on her hand, swallowed, forcing a nod. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… a lot on my mind.”
Vaughn’s laughter broke through her spiraling thoughts, his tiny hand reaching for the tiger cub that had been lazily lounging at his feet. “Rowan uncle, can we play with the cub after breakfast?”
Rowan’s eyes twinkled as he looked at Vaughn, nodding. “Of course. But remember, we have to be gentle. He’s still a baby.”
Vaughn grinned, looking up at his mother with wide eyes. “Mommy, can we come back tomorrow too? Please?”
Amara felt the weight of Vaughn’s innocent request settle heavily in her chest. She couldn’t keep making promises to Vaughn that she wasn’t sure she could keep.
Coming back here, allowing Vaughn to bond with Rowan.. it was dangerous, for both of them.
“We’ll see, baby,” she murmured, her voice faltering as she glanced at Rowan. She saw the unspoken questions in his eyes, questions she wasn’t ready to answer.
But she knew it was only a matter of time before the fragile peace they’d built would crack, and everything would come crashing down.
Rowan, seeming to sense her hesitation, shifted his attention back to Vaughn, distracting the boy with more talk about the cub.
As they finished their breakfast, Amara stood, helping Vaughn down from the chair. She caught one last look at Rowan, his expression unreadable, and a part of her wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as she could.
As the afternoon stretched on, the sun hung higher in the sky, casting long, slanted beams of light across the yard where they had spent hours playing. The white tiger cub, now exhausted, had curled up on the grass, its rhythmic breathing the only sound besides Vaughn’s endless chatter. Amara sat quietly, watching her son’s excitement, the way he seemed to blossom in Rowan’s presence.
Rowan looked at the sky and stood up,
brushing off the grass from his clothes. “Let’s head inside, it’s getting too hot out here.”
Vaughn jumped up, full of energy despite the hours spent running around. “Can we see your house, Rowan uncle? Mommy told me it’s really big!”
Rowan smiled, nodding. “Of course. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Amara hesitated, her eyes lingering on Rowan. She didn’t want to leave Vaughn alone with him, not because she didn’t trust Rowan, but because being inside that house felt like stepping deeper into a trap.
A trap she’d set for herself by bringing Vaughn here in the first place. Still, she followed, her footsteps heavy as she trailed behind them.
Inside, the cool air of the house was a welcome relief from the sweltering heat outside. Vaughn’s eyes widened in awe as he took in the large, open spaces, the high ceilings, and the tasteful decor. Rowan led them through the main hall, his voice low and patient as he answered Vaughn’s rapid-fire questions.
“This house is huge!” Vaughn exclaimed, his small feet echoing on the polished wooden floors. “Do you live here all by yourself?”
Rowan chuckled. “Most of the time, yes. But it’s not as lonely as you might think. I have the tiger cub now, remember?”
Vaughn laughed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “You’re so lucky! I want a house like this when I grow up!”
As they walked further into the house, they entered a room lined with paintings. Vaughn gasped, running ahead to inspect them. His wide eyes landed on a particular painting that made Amara’s heart stop.
It was a portrait of her..
It captured in breathtaking detail, every curve, every shadow, the essence of her captured so perfectly it was unsettling.
“Mommy! It’s you!” Vaughn shouted, turning to Rowan with an excited grin. “Rowan uncle, did you make this?”
Rowan nodded, his eyes lingering on Amara for a moment before looking down at Vaughn. “Yes, I made it for your mommy’s birthday.”
Vaughn looked at the painting, then at Rowan, his little mind connecting the dots in a way that made Amara’s breath catch. “Wow, Rowan uncle, you’re so talented! Can you teach me how to paint like this? I want to make a painting of Mommy too.”
Rowan’s face softened, and for a moment, the intensity of his usual demeanor melted away. “Of course, Vaughn. I’d be happy to teach you.”
Vaughn eagerly looked at Rowan.
Then Rowan crouched beside Vaughn, his gaze steady as he explained the basics of painting. Vaughn listened intently, his enthusiasm infectious, but Amara’s mind was elsewhere.
The portrait of her on the wall seemed to loom larger, a silent reminder of how entwined their lives had become.
Rowan had captured her in a way no one else ever had, and that frightened her more than anything.