chapter 22

Isabella

I walk into Leo’s bedroom and immediately collapse on the end of his bed.

Leo laughs. “Mama, this isn’t your bed!”

I glance at my son. He’s sitting at the head of the bed, already under the covers, washed and clothed in his pajamas. “You wouldn’t let Mama share with you?”

He shakes his head. “No. I’m a big boy.”

God, he’s growing up too fast. I push myself up to sitting and let out a long sigh. “Okay, I’m getting up. I’m getting up.”

“You’re not getting up, Mama…” he teases.

And lord knows if I didn’t have to I wouldn’t. I’m running on only a few hours of sleep thanks to Rex (and I mean it, thank you Rex) and because Rex promised he’d see Leo today, Rex made today a four-year-old’s best day ever starting with a pancake breakfast, then a visit to an exotic animal sanctuary where Leo got to hold not one but two snakes, then McDonald’s because what kid doesn’t love McDonald’s, then go-karting, and topping out the day with ice cream. Yes. Dessert for dinner.

Everywhere we went, t