Page 89 of Falling for Love

He became a steady light in my life. He made me laugh when I didn’t feel like laughing. He made me feel seen in a way Ihadn’t felt in years. And then there was Hayden, who had taken to Liam as if they’d known each other forever.

But this moment right here was exactly why I kept trying to keep him at arm’s length.

Now, all I could see was the mess ahead of me. Legal battles, stress, sleepless nights—dragging Liam into this chaos wasn't fair.

He deserved someone without the kind of baggage I carried, someone who didn’t have to fight tooth and nail just to keep their life from falling apart.

I closed the fridge and leaned against the counter.

My fingers tapped nervously on the surface, and I could already feel myself pulling back, retreating into the walls I’d built to protect myself and Hayden. It was instinctive and automatic.

I didn’t want to let Liam go. But how could I ask him to stay?

Hayden's laughter in the other room pulled me out of my thoughts. I peeked around the corner to see him carefully balancing the last piece of his tower, his face glowing with pride.

“It’s done!” he shouted, throwing his hands up in victory.

“Let’s see!” I said, forcing a smile as I walked over to admire his work.

The tower was a little lopsided but undeniably impressive for a seven-year-old.

“That’s amazing, Hayden. You’re an architect in the making.”

“Can we leave it up for a while?”

“Of course,” I said, ruffling his hair. “It’s a masterpiece.”

As he turned back to admire his creation, I couldn’t help but think about the future. What would Hayden’s world look like a year from now? Would it still be just the two of us, or would Kyle find a way to force himself into our lives? Would Liam still be here, or would I have pushed him away by then?

The uncertainty was crushing.

But one thing was clear.

I had to protect Hayden. No matter what it took or how hard it got, I had to fight for him. And if that meant keeping Liam at arm’s length, so be it. He didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire of my past.

“Mom?” Hayden’s voice broke through my thoughts again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I blinked, realizing I’d been staring into space.

“Yeah, sweetie. I’m fine.”

“You look sad.”

I crouched down to his level and took his hands in mine. “I’m not sad. Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you.”

He gave me a big, toothy grin. “I’m lucky to have you, too.”

Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away, pulling him into another hug.

“Alright, go wash up for dinner. I’ll get it ready.”

As he ran off to the bathroom, I stood in the quiet of the kitchen. My heart ached for the life I wanted, for the happiness that felt so close but just out of reach.

And for Liam.

The man who made me believe, for a fleeting moment, that maybe, just maybe, I could have more than this quiet little home.

But tonight, I couldn’t let myself dream. Tonight, I had to focus on what mattered most: keeping my son safe.

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