Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 240

“Yes, that’s it. If you keep your knees tight, the ball won’t fall so easily…”

Robert was still teaching Ruby how to hold the ball between her knees when a shadow fell beside them. Daniel crouched down in front of Ruby. “Ruby, where’s your mom?”

Ruby tilted her head, surprised that this man knew her name.

She glanced at Daniel, then at James standing next to him. “Are you here with James for the field day, sir?”

Daniel ignored her question and asked again, “Where’s your mom?”

Robert took the rubber ball from Ruby and answered, “Amelia had something to take care of, so I brought Ruby today.”

Daniel’s head snapped toward him, his eyes cold and sharp. “And who gave you that right?”

A family sports day. If Amelia couldn’t make it, shouldn’t she have asked him? Why would she reach out to some random guy? Was he dead or something?

Robert straightened up calmly, his smile mild and polite. “She asked me to help. That’s all.”

Daniel rose to his full height, just a tad taller than Robert, but with a presence that seemed to press down on the space between them.

The two men stared at each other, neither backing down, the tension so thick it seemed to hum in the air.

Children, somehow always attuned to these strange adult silences, seemed to sense it too. Ruby looked up at the two towering men and tugged at Daniel’s sleeve.

“Do you know Uncle Robert, sir?”

Her sweet, piping voice broke the taut silence. Robert was the first to step back, extending a hand to Daniel. “We haven’t met officially. I’m Robert, a friend of Amelia’s.”

“Daniel.” Daniel shook his hand, making a point to add, “Amelia’s husband.”

He paused, then frowned. “Sorry, what did you say your name was?”

“Robert Rubin.”

Daniel felt like someone had shoved a jagged block of ice into his chest—painful and numbing all at once.

Amelia had a talent for it—coming back after three years, bringing “surprises” one after another.

Parents and children were now streaming into the gym, the air buzzing with cheerful music, and the field day was about to begin.

Daniel looked down at Ruby for a few seconds, then scooped her up in his arms.

“Let’s make a deal.” He addressed Robert, his tone even and reasonable. “I’m Amelia’s husband, so shouldn’t I be the one to bring Ruby? It only makes sense. So—”

He nodded at James. “You take James instead. Let’s swap.”

Robert: “…”

James, utterly lost: “…”