Page 57 of In this Moment

He gripped the table and coughed hard before taking a few gulps of hot coffee. Finally, the bun dislodged and he recovered enough to speak. “What?”

“You heard me, Dec. I’m not stupid. I knew there was something up the minute you announced this engagement.” She stared straight into his eyes. “I’ve been trying to figure it out since you’re obviously so smitten with her. Why would you pretend to be engaged to a woman you’re in love with? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Inlove?”

Declan’s mind spun. He was only just realizing this truth on his own. How could his mother know what he’d only barely started feeling himself? That’s what didn’t make sense.

“Yes, Declan. Love. It’s not hard tosee.”

“It must be.” He shook his head. “Because I’mnot—”

“Engaged? Or in love?” She tipped her head and narrowed hereyes.

Caught in his own lie, Declan knew there was no point carrying on with the story. He shrugged and smiled wryly. “Okay,” he admitted. “The engagement is a sham, but you can’t say anything.” He looked around quickly but the coffee shop was relatively empty and the few customers there weren’t paying any attention to them. “It’s important to Evie for her custody arrangement. I promised to helpher.”

Maureen nodded slowly. “Okay. But that’s not the real question here, isit?”

“Whatis?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Why are you only pretending, Dec? You obviously loveher.”

“Ido?”

She shot him alook.

“Okay, I do. I love Evie Rose.” It felt good to say. Better than he thought it would. A smile spread over his face. “I really do.” He chuckled and looked down at his coffee. “I can’t even believe it myself, but I do. She’s just so…she’s everything, Mom. Every time I’m with her, she just makes me feel so good and I’m happy. She makes me smile and laugh and…Jonah. He’s just amazing too. I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone else. Let alone a family.”

His mother smiled and reached across the table. “Oh, Declan.” She took his hand. “Of course you were going to fall in love one day. Just because you saw what happened between your father and I doesn’t mean that love doesn’t exist. It does. And I’m glad you’ve finally opened your eyes toit.”

That was it. His mother had nailed it. He’d seen the pain she’d gone through when he was just a teenager and her own love dissolved around her. He’d witnessed how hurt she was and how it had cost her everything to keep going and build a life for them after what his father had done. Declan had sworn he’d never put himself in a position where he’d ever have to feel that way, or make someone feel that way. He’d sworn to neverlove.

And he hadn’t.

UntilEvie.

“But what if…” He dropped his head. “What if I hurt her, Mom? What if I can’t love her the way she needs to be loved? The way she deserves to be loved. Whatif…”

“Whatif?”

“But she has Jonah.”

“She does.” Maureen smiled. “He’s a greatkid.”

Declan nodded in agreement. “He is. But…what if I hurt him the way that Dad hurt me?” The minute the words were out of his mouth, he felt both a sense of relief and a sense of pain so deep, he’d managed to hide it for almost ten years.

She squeezed his hand. “You won’t.”

“You don’t knowthat.”

“I do,” she said. “Declan, you are not your father. You are a different man. A kind man. A good man. You have so much to offer to a family. Not only are you not going to break Evie and Jonah’s hearts, you’re going to heal them. And they will heal you. All three of you will grow and love and be better together. The only thing that would hurt the two of them would be if you closed your eyes to everything that is right in front of your eyes and walked away from the best thing you’ve everhad.”

Declan let that sink in for a moment and finally he nodded. “You’re right.”

She laughed. “Of course I’m right, Dec. I’m yourmom.”

“Thank you.” He squeezed her hand but it wasn’t enough, so he got out of his chair and gave her a tight hug. “But I have to know one thing.”

“What’sthat?”

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