they weren’t the best role models. Trust me when I tell you that having no parents at all is better than bad parents.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“I turned out okay. I ended up with some great foster parents, and they loved me. I had security and stability and got to see what it was like to have a family. And now I have love and a family who means the world to me. And someday I’ll have kids, and they’ll know what it’s like to feel safe and loved every day of their lives.”
“That’s pretty awesome, Becks. A lot of people don’t come through what you experienced without scars.”
She shrugged. “You can either take it with you or you can leave it behind. I faced all my demons a long time ago and left them in the past. I refuse to continue to relive it when I have so much awesomeness ahead of me.”
“That’s a good philosophy. I should probably work on doing the same thing.”
Becks studied her, then asked, “Still leery about relationships?”
“You could say that. I mean, I get that not every guy is going to be like my ex. But I have Oliver to think about. The last thing he needs is for some man I decide I’m in love with to suddenly not be there for him. It would break his heart.”
“And yet you’ve let Kal into Oliver’s life.”
Hannah’s gaze drifted toward the back door where Kal and Jackson were talking and laughing. “Yes, I know.”
“Regrets about that?”
She returned her attention to Becks. “I don’t know. I guess I’m letting things happen organically. I can’t control everything that happens.”
“And maybe you can’t protect Oliver from everything that happens, either.” Becks took a sip of wine and laid the glass on the kitchen island. “Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen with the two of you. I don’t know where you are in your relationship. I know the two of you have a past that I know nothing about, and that’s not my business. But I can tell you that Kal’s a good guy. He cares about children. He wouldn’t intentionally hurt Oliver.”
Hannah nodded. “I know that. I see that and I feel it whenever he’s with Oliver.”
Becks reached out and laid her hand over Hannah’s. “None of us can predict the future. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. And maybe a little bit of your heart.”
Hannah drew in a deep breath, realizing that what Becks had said made a lot of sense. “You’re right.”
Then again, logic had never failed her. That’s how she had gotten out of her marriage. She’d been rational, had thought it all out and had made a sensible decision. She’d done her best to keep emotion out of the equation and had done what was best for both her and Oliver.
It was whenever she’d let emotion in that things became messy.
But she also liked spending time with Kal, and logic had nothing to do with that.
The door opened, and Kal came in bearing a plate full of delicious-smelling food. And speaking of delicious, she realized that whenever she caught sight of him, her entire body nearly vibrated.
That was a physical response, so she couldn’t even call that emotion.
She sighed.
See? Complicated.
But not all bad, either.
After Kal washed his hands, he came over and threaded his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. Sensation traveled down her body like a slow-moving river, giving her goose bumps and endorphins and making her smile.
“Wait ’til you taste these.”
She tilted her head back to look at him. “You were taste testing outside?”
“Someone had to make sure the chicken was done.”
She reached up to smooth her hand over his square jaw, drinking in the way his gaze caught and held hers, as if he was looking inside of her, could see all her secrets, could feel how she felt.
That part was definitely emotion, and she needed to brush it away, so instead, she said, “Good of you to take one for the team.”
“That’s me, babe. Always one to sacrifice.”
“Okay, you two,” Becks said. “Enough with the romance. Time to set the table, because I’m hungry.”
They grabbed the food and plates and placed everything up on the table, then they sat and dived into the food. From the utter silence and groans of pleasure, it appeared that everyone must have been hungry.
“This is so good,” Hannah finally managed in between bites of food and sips of