AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Now she had a family she could be a part of, and it felt almost alien in a way. But building a family of herown? With children. Choosing to bring them into the world, making that unspoken promise from their moment of first breath to alwaysprotectthem. To love them completely.
Was she brave enough to do that?
It had been different with Pen. She hadn’t made the choice to bring Pen into the world.
But there hadn’t been anything she wouldn’t willingly do or provide for her sister if she’d needed it. Because she had loved her. Pen was her child in every way that mattered.
She could love children of her own. Zoey knew that.
That wasn’t the part that scared her at all. It was themaninvolved in building a family that terrified her. She’d screwed up the only real romantic relationship she’d ever had. And made damned stupid mistakes with the first man she had ever let touch her.
She was terrified of making those kinds of mistakes again.
Maybe at heart she didn’t trust herself to know if she couldtrusta man deeply enough to build a future together.
She was terrified. Ofhim.
Murdoch.
She was using her search as a way to hide from what scared her most. Murdoch Michael Lake, and just what that man actually wanted from her after all.
She had never been more afraid of a man in her life.
Because this thing with him felt different. In a way she wasn’t ready to explain, even to herself, just yet.
She was hours’ deep in tracing every name found on a very sparse, very suspicious file—Rafe’s—when someone knocked on her door. Zoey answered.
Sydney walked in, a bit faster than the girl should have been moving. “Well, I like what you’ve done with the place. The boxes just really offset the lack of curtains.”
“I’ll unpack later. I’m taking my time, making certain everything goes in the right place.” She hadn’t unpacked yet because this brand-new house-palace didn’t feel likehome.
“Sure. That’s it. I think you just keep getting distracted by hot, blond sheriff guys. Pen said he’s moving to Major Crimes. Going to be living right here in Finley Creek. Close, and lonely. Needing a woman to show him around. I think you should be that woman.”
“Camping with his brother at his brother’s new place in Value, I believe.”
“Wonderful. I’m going to seduce his twin, after all. Once I can move without hurting. I’ve always wanted to live in Value. Although, I think I’ll homeschool after what happened at the elementary school there. Bad memories and all.”
“Fourteen years older.”
“So? Not out of the realm of possibility. Eleven between Rafe and Jillian, and Brynna and Chance, remember? I want a man withmaturity.Think Murdoch will set me up?”
“Probably. So what do you need over here, except to talk about my practically nonexistent love life again?”
“I wouldn’t call taking off your shirt with hot guys named Murdochnonexistent. But who am I to give love advice? My one and only time in the sack turned out badder than a made-for-TV movie.”
Well, there was that. “Well, my first when I was around Pen’s age didn’t bother to tell me he had a wife andfive kids.I discovered it after the so-called great event. I don’t think he was so impressed with the fist I put in his nose after I found out.”
“Ouch.” Sydney sighed, then sank onto the brand-new couch. “Why are guys such man dogs?”
“Not all of them are. I learned that with my second. I was just too busy raising an emotionally needy bratty genius twelve-year-old and couldn’t give him the time he deserved. Even though I think he would have understood. Would have helped. He is a good man. I’m the one who panicked and ran.” Hindsight was twenty-twenty, after all. She’d made mistakes back then. No denying it. Enough to know…fear was a primary motivator for her far too often.
“I suppose you’re right. I can think of half a dozen men that I know who aren’t man dogs.” Sydney just shook her head. “But how is a smart girl supposed to tell the difference? Before she takes her clothes off?”
“If I ever figure that out, I’ll let you know. I am starting to realize that it all boils down to trust, Sydney Faith. Trust. I took my shirt off with a man recently. Would have done a lot more. Probably because at heart, I’d trust him with me. And more—I’d trust him to take care of the people I love. Especially Pen. Maybe that’s it. When you trust someone withwhomatters most?”
“You are quite wise, old one. Now, why I am here?”
“Please, Sydney the Ferret of All Things Information, step into my office.” Zoey gave her a hand, helped the younger woman to her feet. She watched Sydney closely for a moment—she should still be taking it easy. But Zoey understood; she’d had to do something when she’d been hurt, too. To chase the fears away.
