Page 27 of All You Need Is Love

“I saw you slip back this way.” He paused. “Are you okay?”

“No. No, I’m not.” Then tears came again and she pulled her knees to her chest and dropped her face into her palms.

Okay, that was it. Marshall sat next to her, draping his arm around her shoulders. “Whatever it is, it’ll be all right.”

“N-no, it w-won’t.” Her breaths shuddered in and out. “I f-failed him.”

“Failed who?”

“N-Noah.” Then she turned and buried her face in Marshall’s chest. He wrapped his arms fully around her and let her cry, running his hands lightly down her back in the soothing way his mom used to do when he was sick. Marshall stroked her hair and—oh man—it was softer than he’d even imagined.

Stop thinking about how good this feels and stay focused on her, you idiot.

When she’d finally calmed a bit, he couldn’t help but place the whisper of a kiss against her hair. “Wanna talk about it?”

At first, she remained silent. But then, the whole story spilled from her. The interview. The way the social worker had despised her from the beginning. The moron. The family of origin questions that had rocked her. “I mean, it’s like he knew exactly what to ask to tear open my heart.”

Marshall didn’t pry. If she wanted to tell him more, she would.

Shannon pulled back, her eyes swollen, nose red. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to …”

But he tightened his grip around her, keeping her firmly entrenched in his embrace. “Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry you had to go through that alone.” Stupid Mr. Peters, making Shannon feel bad for being single and wanting to foster a child. He’d better hope Marshall never got a few minutes alone with him. “Maybe you could call his superior and complain about his unprofessionalism.”

“Oh no, I’m sure it was my fault. I was tired and not thinking straight.” Gently, she scooted a few inches away from Marshall’s arms and back toward her dog, who lay on her other side. Shannon stared out at the horizon. “His job is to make sure foster kids are placed in good homes, with parents who have their own lives together enough to take care of someone else. And even though I want that more than anything, maybe …”

“Hey, look at me.”

A tick flickered on her jaw, but after a few beats, she did.

“Don’t let his lies infect you. You will be an amazing mother, and anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”

Her lips crinkled at the edges, like she didn’t believe him. “You’re sweet.”

“I’m serious. The thing you want more than anything in the world is to give Noah a home. That’s an amazing dream, and it is proof of how incredible you are.”

She certainly had him beat. Marshall’s biggest dream in life was a promotion. A promotion that, apparently, meant so much that he’d been willing to lie to this beautiful woman in front of him.

And he couldn’t do it anymore.

“Shannon …” Marshall touched her hand.

But she slipped it out of his reach. “Thank you for the shoulder to cry on and the sweet words, Marshall. But I should be going.” Snagging Lucky’s leash, Shannon stood.

“Wait.” Scrambling up, Marshall found himself toe to toe with her. He reached out and held fast to the leash. “I need to tell you something.”

“I can’t, Marshall. This …” Shannon shook her head. “I appreciate your friendship, I really do, but …”

She probably considered him a cad. Well, he might be, but not for the reasons she thought. “Shannon, I know you’re probably going to hate me when I say this, but—”

“Then don’t say it … because I don’t want to hate you.”

No way she’d ever forgive him after this, but he had to tell her the truth. Just blurt it out. “I’m not really Quinn’s boyfriend.”

She dropped Lucky’s leash. “What?” Her eyes belied her confusion.

“I’m just a coworker she convinced at the last minute to come here and pretend to be in a relationship with her.” The words tumbled from his lips faster than a ten-car pileup.

Turning, Shannon ran both of her hands over her forehead and through her hair. “But why would she …?”

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