---- Chapter 21: Life Under One Roof It was Aunt Paige's day off, so Clara threw together a simple breakfast-just some pancakes and orange juice-and sat down with Leo to eat. Just then, Aaron emerged from the study, all sharp and. energized, striding straight to the table like he owned the morning. That face? Ridiculously good-looking. Like, unfairly handsome. Sculpted lips, mesmerizing lavender eyes-you could get lost just staring at him. He was only wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt, nothing fancy, but with that solid, gym-toned physique, even the basics looked runway-ready. Damn, this was what you called a feast for the eyes, Clara thought. A walking, talking, free-to-look-at Greek god? Yeah, Clara was secretly kind of loving it. Leo grinned wide. "Daddy! Come eat breakfast!" Clara, ever polite, offered, "Want some?" Aaron nodded, and she poured him a glass of orange ---- juice. Then he said, casually but firmly, "I'm taking Leo to kindergarten today." Clara blinked. Huh? Aaron added, "Just finished up a case, so I've got more free time. I'll handle drop-offs and pick-ups for now." Clara nodded, no problem. "Okay. Drop-off's between eight and eight-twenty, pickup's between four and four-twenty. Oh, and Aunt Paige usually gets off work at six. If you're planning to eat at home, give us a heads-up." The moment Leo heard his dad was doing drop-off, he lit up like it was Christmas morning. Backpack on, shoes zipped, and standing at the door faster than you could say "Let's go." Clara's work schedule was about the same, so they all left the house together. Both parents taking him to school? Leo had never experienced this before-and he was living for it. He looked left, looked right, grabbed his dad's hand, then his mom's, beaming the entire time like he'd won the lottery. ---- Today, Leo felt like the happiest kid on the planet. "Daddy, are you picking me up too?" "Daddy, will you take me again tomorrow?" "Daddy, see her? That's my teacher, Ms. Rose. And the girl with the ponytail? That's my best friend. But that boy in the blue shirt? He's the worst! Always talks during nap time..." Leo's little mouth just kept going and going and going. Finally, after much reluctance, he walked into the kindergarten building. Aaron stood there, waving toward the entrance like he was sending his son off to college, not preschool. What a surreal moment. Aaron's chest felt hot, like something had ignited deep inside. At that second, he genuinely felt like he'd do anything for this little boy. Was this... what fatherhood felt like? Clara stood there watching the two of them, looking entirely unamused. Relax, he's just going to school, not off to war, she thought. "I'm heading to work now," she told Aaron. "Make sure ---- to pick Leo up between four and four-twenty. If something comes up and you can't make it, shoot me a message ahead of time." Aaron came back to reality. "Got it." He followed Clara toward the gate, where Matt was already parked and waiting. Aaron glanced over. "Need a ride?" Clara shook her head quickly. "Nope, I'm good. Walking gets me there right on time. Counts as my morning workout." Yeah right. Between an awkward car ride with him or a brisk walk, she'd take the walk-even if it was ten miles uphill both ways. Aaron didn't press. He just nodded and got in the car. Over the next few days, Aaron gave a full masterclass on how to be a top-tier dad. He handled every drop-off and pick-up, ate with Leo, played with him, even supervised bath and bedtime. After school, they'd shoot hoops together at the community court. After dinner and a shower, they'd tackle puzzles or build stuff with blocks, then finish the night with study time and bedtime stories. Leo's laughter echoed through the house like music. ---- Clara had to admit-when Aaron committed to something, he went all in. Whether it was his career or parenting, he brought the same level of focus and precision. She couldn't help but respect that. But a few days later, Clara suddenly realized something terrifying: She had been replaced. Aside from bedtime stories, Leo barely needed her anymore. The rest of the time, he was practically glued to Aaron. Clara felt a little empty... a little lost. But not for long-because soon, she tasted the sweet nectar of freedom. After dinner, her evenings were hers. She dusted off her neglected yoga mat, got in some good stretches, binged dramas, cracked open long novels, experimented with new soup recipes, soaked in the tub, did full skincare routines... One day, while out shopping with Sierra, her friend gave her a once-over and gasped. "Girl, you look amazing lately! Your skin's glowing! So dewy and fresh. What are you using-some new skincare brand? Or is it the glow of romance?" Clara smiled to herself. Nope. This glow wasn't from love-it was from freedom. ---- And oddly enough, after that, even Aaron didn't look quite so annoying anymore. Maybe it was all the time he'd spent with Leo, but his face seemed... softer. Less rigid. And Clara wasn't as uptight around him anymore either. Things felt more natural. Less forced. By mid-October, the weather in Greystone had started to cool down. Mornings and nights were getting chilly, and Clara figured it was time to pick up a light jacket for Leo after dinner. "Leo, wanna go shopping with Mommy?" "Yes, yes! I really wanna go!" Aaron chimed in, "T'll drive you guys." Clara waved him off. "Nah, we don't know how long we'll be. You've got your own stuff." But Aaron either didn't hear the subtext-or didn't care. He said sincerely, "I'm not busy." And even if he was, he'd just move it to later. Right now, he just wanted to be part of Leo's life-every moment of it. With Aaron's natural air of quiet authority, Clara suddenly found herself unable to say no. So, for the very first time, the three of them went out ---- asa family. Clara and Leo sat in the back of Aaron's sleek black Cayenne as they headed for the biggest mall in the area. Aaron handled the steering wheel like a pro-smooth and steady, not too fast, not too slow. He caught a glimpse of the two chatting happily in the rearview mirror, and a rare smile tugged at his lips. His mood lifted for no reason at all. He asked Clara, "You have a license?" "Yeah, but I barely drive. I'm not very confident on the road." Aaron said, "This car just sits in the garage anyway. I barely use it. If you need it, it's yours. The keys are on top of the shoe cabinet." Clara declined. "Nah, I don't need it. Work's close." Honestly, she just didn't want their lives getting too tangled. The messier the ties, the harder the fallout. She hadn't even touched the black card he gave her last time-not once. Aaron didn't love how distant she was being, but he didn't press. They arrived at the mall, and Leo's excitement hit the ---- roof. It had been a while since his last outing, and everything felt new and magical. He took pictures with a costumed mascot, rode the little indoor train, darted from store to store... Four-year-olds had limitless energy. Aaron used to hear that shopping with women was exhausting. Now he knew the truth: shopping with a child was the real endurance test. Watching Clara-slim, graceful, and patient-he couldn't help but feel a wave of admiration. Whatever reasons she had for raising Leo on her own, she'd clearly sacrificed a lot. And she'd done a damn. good job. She was a rock-solid mom. Eventually, Clara checked the time and practically dragged Leo-who was still buzzing with energy-over to the kids' clothing section. They tried on several jackets, compared fabric and price, and finally picked out a sky-blue lightweight trench coat. Perfect for those chilly mornings. She also grabbed a thin puffer jacket-Leo would probably need that next month when it got even colder.