Page 58 of Her Righteous Protector

“Yeah, well, ask all you want, I’m not drinking any alcohol around you,” Hannah promised them both.

“I’m thinking gorilla sex,” Julie said primly as she cut into the pie.

“I swear to God,” Hannah huffed as she slapped the slice of lemon meringue pie onto the plate, “I will divorce you.”

“You can’t. It’s not allowed in the Buffalo Grove Country Club bylaws.” Julie smirked. Then her expression changed and she gave her daughter a serious look. “You haven’t talked to me alone yet, not even a phone call. What’s going on when it comes to potentially moving and Meghan’s parents?”

Hannah gave her mom a guilty look. “I am so sorry. I have the biggest commission of my life and…”

“Yeah,” Julie said wryly. “I know what the and is. I have one question, and it’s serious, Honey. Does this look like you two might be moving together to Virginia as a couple?”

Hannah walked over to the kitchen doorway and saw that her dad was keeping Max and Zephyr entertained. She walked back to her mother. “God, I hope so. I’m so in love with him, I’m cross-eyed. Mom, he’s as good a dad as Dad.”

Julie’s expression softened and she reached up and put her arm around Hannah’s shoulders. “You know that in my heart, Zephyr is my first grandchild, but I sure wouldn’t mind a couple more.”

Hannah gulped.

“He talked about that,” she whispered.

“I knew I liked that boy,” Julie said fiercely.

Hannah snorted. “Boy?”

“That’s what your father keeps calling him.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m impressed Max keeps a straight face.”

“One more reason I think he’s wonderful.” Julie dropped her arm and tidied up the pie that Hannah had messed up. “Okay, I think we can serve now.”

18

“So still no repercussions?” Max asked Kostya.

“None except a reporter who I’m tempted to block.”

Max chuckled. “Can I ask why?”

“Every damn time she hears about or reports on some humanitarian crisis, she has it in her head that my team is her personal Special Forces team to right the wrongs of the world.”

Max laughed again.

“Not funny, Hogan. I just don’t get it. I really don’t. She’s a smart, reasonable woman. She won a goddamn Pulitzer Prize for God’s sake. She knows the real world. She knows how things work. When did she become so idealistic?”

Max opened his mouth to respond, then shut it. He thought about what Kostya said, and his tone of voice. He was really upset with Lark. Hell, not upset, this was hurting him. Max was pretty sure it was because Kostya felt like he was letting her down.

Max knew how it was for him and his team, all of them. They all had to learn how to compartmentalize their feelings about the things they saw and did; otherwise, they wouldn’t survive. They were given orders and they had a job to do. They did the same thing that many front-line workers like doctors, the police, nurses, firefighters, and EMTs did. If they didn’t do this, they’d be eaten alive in a heartbeat and not able to do their job.

“You’re right, I’ve read Lark’s stuff,” Max agreed. “Hell, those reports of the people living in the shantytowns in Brazil were heartbreaking. Then add in how the gangs were targeting the kids? That stuff was raw.”

“So what the fuck is wrong with her?” Kostya demanded to know. “Why has she changed? And why the hell is it spilling all over me?”

Max hesitated to tell him. It was all well and good when Kane kicked his ass, but he didn’t know Kostya all that well. And what’s more, if he did tell him, he was pretty sure Kostya would block her number. Max kind of thought Lark was good for him.

“Have you thought about confronting her about it?” Max asked.

“Shit, Hogan, I don’t want another goddamn conversation with her. Another trip down another damn rabbit hole? I don’t think so.” Kostya sighed. “On another topic,” his voice changed and there was a smile in it. “I saw the picture of your kid on the group text. How’s that whole thing going? Did it blow your mind? What are you going to do?”

“Well, Kostya, I’m going to bring him home and raise him,” Max laughed. “Isn’t that what you would do?”