Page 62 of Seal of Approval

I loved how honest Ethan was. He didn’t hide the truth but delivered it with empathy. How did he learn that with such shit parents? Maybe his grandparents and brother. He didn’t speak about them much, perhaps because he missed them.

I turned to face them. “In the meantime, Ethan and I will protect you and Rose.”

Bailey’s serious brown gaze settled on me. “And Ethan will protect you, Mum.” He turned his attention to Ethan, searching his face.

Ethan nodded.

“You’re nothing like my dad,” Bailey said.

Ethan squeezed Bailey’s shoulder. Did he believe Bailey’s words? I did. I hoped he did too. He deserved to be free from his fears.

“I’m going to check on Rose.” Ethan stood, looking around us.

“Ask Rose to help you put up some signs around the widow maker,” I said.

“The what?” Ethan tilted his head.

I pointed to a eucalyptus tree. “They’re known to drop limbs. If you look up in the canopy, you can see dead branches. They weigh the other branches down and can fall in windy conditions. If you’re standing or camping underneath, it could kill you.”

Ethan craned his neck.

“The widow part,” I explained, “is because in the old days, most forestry workers were male. They die. They leave a widow.”

Ethan looked around at the other trees. “That makes sense.”

“We put signs around the ones we think might be a problem, so people stay away.”

Ethan nodded.

“The signs are in the back of the truck.”

He left us sitting together. I shuffled closer to Bailey and held his hand. “I want you to know I don’t blame you. I blame myself for not leaving earlier.”

“You were brave,” Bailey said.

“You were brave, too.” I gave him a fierce hug.

“We’re lucky to have Ethan now,” Bailey said.

“We are.” I stood. “Let’s get back to work.”

But did we truly have Ethan? In less than four months, he would be gone.

I never thought I’d trust or feel this way about another man after Max. Max had broken me in more than one way. I believed now that I was the person I was meant to be. And Ethan never tried to take that away from me.

I trusted him. And I wanted him.

CHAPTER FORTY

Ethan

Jasmine and I sat on the porch together after the children were in bed. All was quiet except for the leaves rustling in the sea breeze.

She reached over and took my hand. “Thank you for speaking to Bailey today.”

“You’re welcome.”

“He trusts you.”

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