Different industry.
Same tone.
The voice of someone apologizing for having a human life.
The man looked up and saw Maggie.
He ended the call.
“Maggie, honey, I told you to stay where I could see you.”
“I did.”
“You walked across the park.”
“You could see across the park.”
He exhaled.
Then he noticed Claire.
His expression turned careful.
“Maggie, were you bothering this lady?”
“No. She laughed.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Claire stepped in.
“She wasn’t bothering me.”
The man stood.
Up close, he looked more tired than Claire had realized.
Kind eyes.
Messy dark hair.
A face that probably looked younger after eight hours of sleep.
“Sorry,” he said. “She talks to everybody.”
“Not everybody,” Maggie said. “Just people who look lonely.”
His eyes widened.
“Maggie.”
“What? She said she was.”
Claire lifted a hand.
“It’s okay.”
The man gave her an embarrassed smile.
“I’m Ethan Mercer.”
“Claire Bennett.”
They shook hands.
Maggie immediately tugged on Ethan’s sleeve.
“Tell her yes.”
Ethan frowned.
“To what?”
“My mom day.”
His face changed.
“Maggie.”
“I asked Claire if she could be my mom for one day.”
Ethan looked at Claire so quickly she almost took a step backward.
“She asked what?”
“Not a real mom,” Maggie explained impatiently. “A mom day.”
