Page 31 of Her Righteous Protector

She considered his question. Had anyone ever asked that before?

“Are you offering to drive?” she asked.

“Yeah. It looks like you could use a break.” His smile was compassionate.

How come he’s not the one in shock? Oh yeah, he won. He got Zephyr.

“Do you know your way around Chicago?” she asked.

“I’ll manage. Give me the keys.”

She handed them to him, then he surprised her by opening the passenger door for her. She got in and rested her head against the headrest. She was so tired.

They made it to her mother’s little house in Buffalo Grove where Hannah had grown up. She directed Max to park in the driveway, and just let herself in the front door.

“Why isn’t it locked?” Max demanded to know.

“I don’t know, it never is,” Hannah said. She yelled up the stairs. “Mom, I’m home. I’ve got a visitor.”

Her mother rushed down the stairs in her pink capri pants and yellow sweater. “Don’t yell, Zephyr is taking his nap,” she admonished her daughter, then she stopped dead.

“So this is him?”

Hannah slumped. “Yes.”

She took the final two steps down the stairs and took Hannah into her arms. She looked over her daughter’s shoulder and whimpered. “Zephyr is his spitting image.”

Hannah nodded, then turned around and gave Max a weak smile.

“Max Hogan, this is my mother, Julie Woods.”

She stepped around her daughter, keeping her arm around her waist. “It’s nice to meet you.” Trust her mother to keep up the Midwestern politeness no matter what the situation, but then she looked up at Hannah. “Are you okay, Honey?”

“I’ll get there,” Hannah said as she gave her mother a wan smile.

“We had an idea of how the reading of the will would go,” her mother admitted as she gestured toward the kitchen. “Would you like something to eat or drink while we wait for Zephyr to wake up from his nap?”

“When will that be?” Max asked anxiously, not making a move.

Julie looked confused as she turned to her daughter.

“Mom, when did you put Zeph down?”

“He went to sleep maybe ten minutes ago,” she answered.

Hannah turned to Max. “He usually sleeps for at least an hour. Let’s talk in the kitchen over something to drink, okay?” She knew she sounded pitiful, but she needed something to do, she needed a respite.

Max looked up the stairs, then turned and smiled at Hannah and her mom. “Okay,” he said as he followed the two women into the spacious kitchen that was filled with top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances.

“Max, what would you like to drink? We have all kinds of juices, and my husband keeps the refrigerator filled with a plethora of different types of beers,” Julie said as she motioned to the kitchen table.

“Water’s fine.”

“Sparkling or plain?” Julie asked.

“Plain water is fine by me.”

Hannah watched Max’s expression as her mother pulled out a pitcher filled with ice and limes to pour him a glass of water. Most of her friends looked startled, but Max seemed to take it in stride.