Page 49 of All You Need Is Love

“Yeah.” If she could even call it a relationship yet. “So it’s crazy to think long-term at this point, right?” Covering her eyes for a brief moment, Shannon shook her head.

“Not necessarily. Supposedly some people just know.” Jenna snorted. Guess she didn’t subscribe to that theory, but then again, Liam’s dad was a piece of work from what Shannon had heard. Abusive, in jail, and he’d left his teenage girlfriend high and dry when she got pregnant. “Just … be careful. I don’t want you getting hurt because you’ve built it up larger in your mind than he has in his.”

“I can’t help but think long term.” Shannon groaned. “All my favorite movies have ruined me for anything but a completely magical love story.”

Her friend patted her arm. “And you’ll have one. It just might not be with Marshall.”

“You’re right.” Sighing, Shannon frowned. “When I really think about what it would take for things to work out, there are some obstacles that seem insurmountable.”

“Like what?”

“Well, obviously he lives in New York. If I adopt Noah, I would never move him away from Mary, and I’m not sure Marshall would ever move here.” After what he’d told her about his family’s past, she could completely understand why he might be averse to the idea of living in a small town again—especially one in the same state as his father.

Most likely, she was getting ahead of herself anyway. Shannon was just a small-town girl with nothing but love to offer. Right now, Marshall seemed to want her in spite of that, but when he returned to the glamour of New York City, would he still?

“That is a big obstacle. But the most obvious one is that your entire family thinks he’s in love with your sister.”

“Yeah. Then there’s that.” And the complication of distance seemed like a tiny thing in comparison.

“Of course, if he just came clean …”

Shannon winced. “He kind of suggested it, but if we tell the truth, Quinn gets upset. And an angry Quinn isn’t an adversary I want.”

Squinting, she searched the clouds for a sign, a clue about her future—a fruitless effort. All she could make out was some sort of bird.

“And Marshall also doesn’t get his promotion if you out Quinn.”

“I don’t think that matters to him anymore.” At least, she really hoped it didn’t. He hadn’t said as much, but she also hadn’t asked.

That didn’t mean she didn’t wonder, deep down.

But she’d just have to trust him, trust what they had. “The problem is, if the truth comes out, Quinn all but threatened to tell the whole town I stole him from her and make sure it gets back to the foster care agency.”

“So much for sisterly affection and loyalty.” Jenna sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. “I’m sorry, Shannon.”

The bird in the sky sharpened, its head flattening and widening until it became very distinct—an owl. Wait, wasn’t that a bad omen or something? “Love isn’t supposed to be this complicated, is it?”

“You’re asking the wrong woman on that one. I haven’t dated since Brock.” Jenna’s lips flattened as she gazed out across the ocean. “But I will say this. You deserve a guy who is all in, Shannon. One who’s willing to sacrifice for you, who will stand up for you. You deserve someone who will fight for you.”

The owl in the sky lifted its wings, flapping once, twice in agreement.

Oh man, she was seeing things. Shannon blinked, and the figure dissolved into a blob of regular old cloud.

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