Page 12 of Kansas Keeper
Once that is taken care of, we both hover in the living room. It’s obviously time for me to go back to my hotel, but I don’t want to. In fact, walking out of this home is the last thing I want to do.
I’m unsure if Beckett expects me to leave until he asks, “Glass of wine?”
“Absolutely,” I answer, thrilled by the prospect of staying longer.
Once he hands me my wine and settles on the sofa beside me, he says, “I have to ask… How did you find us? The adoption records were supposed to be sealed.”
I curl my feet up under me and take a sip of wine before answering, “The Life Chat data breach… Hackers offered me a look inside the digital files for a hefty fee, and I couldn’t resist.”
“Oh, I should have known.” After sipping his wine, he adds, “That data leak is ruining lives all over.”
After recoiling at his words, I try, but fail to keep the hurt feelings out of my tone when I ask, “Is my sudden appearance ruining your life?”
“No, of course not,” he answers immediately. After a moment of thought he adds, “In fact, it’s one of the only good things that has happened all year.”
His kind words make a rush of warmth pool in my belly.
“The rain interrupted us earlier before we had a chance to finish discussing your story. You said in your book that you went back to your hometown after you gave Embry up for adoption.”
I nod, already knowing where this is headed. “Yes, Embry’s biological father would have chased us to the ends of the earth if he thought she was alive, so I had to convince him that she died during childbirth and that I ran away for a bit out of devastation.”
“So, you put her up for adoption and went back to him?” Beckett asks, not sounding in the least bit judgmental.
“No, I guessed that he would lose all respect for me if he thought I had a stillbirth, and I was right about that. He blamed me for the loss and was disgusted by the sight of me.”
I say the words matter-of-factly because my ex no longer holds any power over me.
“I was so devastated over giving up my baby girl that the stillbirth story was believable. He didn’t want to deal with a heartbroken, ‘emotional’ female, so he broke things off with me and started dating the woman he was rumored to have cheated on me with.”
Staring down at the living room’s wood floor, I add, “I tried to warn her about him, but she didn’t want to hear it. Over the next several years, I watched the life slowly drain from her eyes, until she was just a shell of the person she had been before.”
When a tear breaches my lower lid and trails down my cheek, Beckett uses the back of his index finger to swipe it away as he says, “It’s not your fault. You tried to tell her.”
I nod, even though I wish that I’d found a way to do more.
“What has changed now?” Beckett asks me. “Aren’t you concerned that he’ll find out about Embry and try to make a custody claim?”
“Oh, he had a massive heart attack and died a few months ago. I never would have led him to her… not ever.” I say vehemently, turning to look into Beckett’s eyes.
His gaze softens as he says, “You’ll do anything to protect her, won’t you? Even if it means making your own life miserable?”
“Of course,” I answer, “She’s all that matters.”
“You know what you sound like?” Beckett asks, grinning down at me.
I shake my head, uncertain where he’s going with this,
He makes all of the sacrifice worth it when he answers, “A parent.”
13
BECKETT
Reading Mara’s book had helped me understand her situation and the decisions she made, but now that all of my questions have been answered, I am astounded by the woman’s bravery and selflessness.
“You did what you believed to be best for Embry, with no regard for how it would devastate your own life. I can’t imagine anything sexier than that.”
She wheels her head around and her gaze locks onto mine. She’s obviously as surprised by my bold proclamation as I am.
