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“You just told me that he sat in our parents’ house and took them on. From the way Mom was fuming, I’d also say he put both of them in their place. He’s clearly fucking crazy about you. To walk into the snake’s pit and do that.”

“I’m trying,” I whisper.

“You trust me?”

“More than anyone.”

“Well, I’m telling you. Let him in, tell him what you went through, and give him a shot. You can’t close yourself off forever, Kate.”

Jensen might see straight through me and know the real Kate of today, but my brother knows my past. He knows what made me this way and why I closed off to those around me.

Standing in the tiny kitchenette and thousands of miles from my brother, I feel a lone tear trickle down my cheek. “I’m already scared I won’t be able to do this—to be a mom, East. Everything is spinning out of control and changing so rapidly. My life, my emotions, even my body.”

“Are you kidding me? You’re going to be the greatest mom there is. They’ll never take any shit, that’s for sure.”

“I wish you were here.” My voice cracks just as Felicity walks into the kitchenette and stops in her tracks at the sight of me crying in the office. I don’t think she’s ever seen me upset like this before, let alone at work. She’s seen me puke on myself but never cry.

“I know. Look, I have to go, but all I’m saying is, I’ve never met this guy, but a man who defends my sister like that is a man I want around her.”

“Yeah, he’s a good person.”

“Let him in, Kate. Talk soon. Love you lots.”

The call ends, and I look up to see my best friend hovering over me. “Was that Easton?”

Hearing his name and her concerned look is the final act that sends the walls of my dam tumbling. I lean into her, my head on her shoulder, as she takes my phone from my hand and sets it on the counter, wrapping her arms around me.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. It’s all okay.”

“Why is this so hard? No one ever told me this would be so hard,” I sob, knowing co-workers can probably hear me in the office.

“Being a mum is hard, babe, and from the moment you conceive, it feels like every day is a new challenge. But the way you’ve taken all this in stride, you should be so proud of yourself.”

“I hope I can be half the mom you are.”

“Oh, trust me; you’ll smash this whole thing out of the park.”

I pull back and look at her, mascara no doubt smeared around my eyes. “I really like him. But I’m scared. I have real feelings.”

Felicity strokes my hair and wipes under my eye. “I know you do; you have for a very long time, but you’re now only seeing them, and that’s okay. He’s waited for you. But it’s time to explore them.”

“How do I do that?”

“With how strong he feels, I don’t think you need to do much. Let him take control.”

I half scoff, half sob. “Ha, yeah, not sure I can do that.”

“This isn’t a legal case, babe. You can’t file it away. This is your heart, and it won’t relent until you give it what it wants.”

“And you think that’s JJ?”

“Yeah, it really is.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

KATE

Wow, that was stressful.