Page 101 of Falling for Love

I wrapped my hands around the warm cup, letting the steam rise to my face.

“It’s a lot,” I started, unsure of how to put everything into words.

“Start with the basics,” she said. “What’s weighing on you the most?”

I took a deep breath. “Hayden’s dad. He’s filed for custody.”

Abby’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t interrupt. She just nodded for me to keep going.

“I thought he was out of the picture for good,” I continued. “He made it clear when I was pregnant that he wanted nothing to do with Hayden. And now, all of a sudden, he’s back, throwing legal documents at me like he has any right to disrupt our lives.”

Abby let out a low whistle. “That’s heavy, Evie.”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “It’s terrifying. Hayden is my everything, Abby. I can’t lose him.”

“You’re not going to,” she said firmly. “But I get why you’re scared. That kind of thing shakes you to your core.”

I nodded, swallowing hard.

“And then there’s Liam.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Abby tilted her head.

“Ah, I see. So, Millie wasn’t wrong.”

My brows lifted. “Wasn’t wrong about what?”

“You two,” she said simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

I thought about Millie and the darn Sunshine Breakfast Club and smiled.

“So, what about Liam?”

“He wants to help,” I said, my fingers tightening around the cup. “He keeps saying he’s here for me, that he’s all in. But it’s... a lot. I don’t know if I can handle it. And what if he changes his mind when things get messy?”

Abby leaned closer, her expression softening.

“Evie, can I be honest with you?”

“Please.”

“You’ve been carrying this weight on your own for so long, you don’t know how to let anyone else in. But from everything I’ve seen, Liam doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who scares easily.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a hand to stop me.

“I’m not saying you should rush into anything,” she continued. “But don’t push him away just because you’re scared. He seems like he genuinely cares about you and Hayden. Maybe it’s worth giving him a chance to prove that.”

Her words hit me like a jolt of electricity.

She was right—I was scared. And maybe I was letting that fear get in the way of something good.

“You’re right.” I smiled and rolled my eyes. “Thanks for that.”

“Anytime,” she said, her smile warm. “Now, finish your latte. You’re going to need all the caffeine you can get if you’re dealing with custody battles and handsome men.”

I held up my index finger.

“One handsome man. That’s all I can handle.”

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