The Billionaire's Secret Star

The smell of sea salt always calms me—except this morning. I leaned back over the counter at the boutique, folding scarves that no one would probably ever buy. The waves crashed outside the window as they did every day, and little Noah sat in the back, humming quietly as he colored with broken crayons. Then I saw his face. A magazine lay on the counter, having been left behind by one of the tourists. I hadn't meant to look. But I did. And there he was. Aiden Stone. My secret. My heartbreak. My past. My hands were frozen in position. The title read, "Billionaire Aiden Stone to Expand Empire in Small Towns." I couldn't catch my breath for a second. His eyes didn't change—Icy blue, like they could freeze and thaw you at the same time. His smile? Fake. I knew. I'd kissed the real one before. I bapped the magazine closed and pushed it back under the register. Noah looked up. "Mommy?" I tried to will a smile onto my mouth. "Nothing, baby. Just. paper stuff." But inside, I was shaking. My chest hurt, like I'd swallowed rocks. Aiden was going to small towns. My small town? No way. He didn't even know there was such a place as Haven Cove. Or did he? The doorbell above the door jingled. I turned around, expecting a customer. I almost dropped everything. He stood there. Aiden. In real life. Taller than I'd remembered. With a black coat, slicked-back hair, hard and cold—just the way I'd left him two years ago. My heart flipped. My legs weakened. He gazed straight at me. And smiled. "Hello, Elena." His voice. Two years. No calls. No letters. No news he had a son. I grasped the counter so I wouldn't fall. This wasn't happening. "Why are you here?" I asked, my voice dwindling. He looked around the store like it was already dulling him. "Business. I'm buying this store." My stomach fell to the ground. He couldn't. This store was my world. My sanctuary. The only place I could work and still be able to go pick up Noah from school. "Since when do you care about small stores?" I asked, folding myself into my arms. He shrugged. "New plan. Local brands. Small towns. This town was on the list." Of all the small towns in the universe, this one? Aiden took a step closer. I caught a sniff of his cologne—fresh and pricey. His eyes drilled into mine. "Didn't figure to find you here." "Hey, shock," I snapped. My heart thudded so hard, I could feel sure he could hear it. "Haven Cove's where I ended up." His lips curled. "Go figure about life." I almost laughed. Hilarious? If only he knew. He had no clue, not half of it. Noah snickered behind me. I stiffened. Aiden tilted his head to one side. "Who is the kid?" I panicked. "Nephew. sister's boy. I sometimes babysit him," I uttered. Lies. They tumbled out too easily. My stomach turned sour. He brushed past me before I could grab him. "Hey buddy." Noah grinned up at him with his shiny brown eyes. "Hi!" he sang. Aiden knelt down. “What’s your name?” I almost shouted, Don’t answer! But Noah smiled and said, “Noah.” My heart cracked. Aiden smiled back. “Cool name.” Something in his eyes softened. Like he felt something he didn’t understand. Like he saw himself in Noah. No. That wasn’t possible. Not yet. “I should go,” Aiden said, standing up again. “We’ll talk later.” And just like that, he turned and walked out, the doorbell chiming behind him. I stood there, frozen. Noah tugged on my hand. "Mommy, who was that man?" I didn't answer. Couldn't. Because that man? Your father. And he just returned into our lives