Leonardo's POV
I trailed Mindy into the restaurant and called out, "Miss Fischer!"
She spun around at the sound of her name. The moment she spotted me, her pulse quickened visibly.
"Mr. Nelson?"
"What are the odds? Grabbing dinner too?"
I kept my tone casual, though my heart was hammering.
"Yes! Such a coincidence - are you dining here as well?"
"Meeting some friends," I replied.
My gaze drifted to the little girl whose hand Mindy held. I forced myself to sound nonchalant. "Is this... your daughter?"
Mindy rushed to explain, "Oh no, no - she's my niece, not my daughter."
"I think I spotted her at a fashion show, doing the finale walk. Pretty impressive for someone so young - real stage presence. What's her name?"
I fought to keep my excitement in check, desperate for a clearer view of her face. That mask hid most of her features, but what I could see of her mouth looked achingly familiar. Those lips - they mirrored mine, and my sons' too.
"Her name's Annick."
