Fall Into Temptation (Blue Moon Book #2)(47)

“Okay. Let’s get you inside.” Beckett took the key from her and let them in.

He put her bag on the floor by the door and pulled out a chair from her dining room table. “Come here, Red.”

He sat and pulled her into his lap.

Sitting stiffly against him, she sniffled. “That was a really nice thing to say, rather than calling me flighty and scatterbrained or stupid,” she sniffled.

“Gianna, anyone who would call you stupid is a f*cking idiot.” He stroked a hand down her back.

She laughed.

“Now, talk. What’s wrong?”

As the tears came back she sank into him. Beckett grabbed the tissue box off the table and handed it to her.

She buried her face in a tissue and took a shaky breath.

“It’s mostly good. Mostly happy tears,” she sniffled.

“Tell me.”

She rested her head against his chest and hiccupped. “Evan’s teacher emailed me at lunch. She said there’s a new girl in his class who’s been having a hard time at home and today Evan brought her flowers and a homemade card to cheer her up. And then he and his friends invited her to sit with them at lunch.”

She ended her explanation on something close to a wail.

Beckett continued to stroke her back. “That’s very thoughtful and considerate.”

Gianna nodded against his jacket. “You’d better check your mums. I think I have a feeling I know where he got the flowers.”

Beckett chuckled.

“To know that the boy I’m raising has that much compassion and empathy is just incredible. He’s going to grow up to be such a good man. Despite everything.”

“It’s not despite everything, it’s because of how you’re raising him,” Beckett said softly.

“Just when I think I’m doing everything wrong and turning them into monsters, they go and do stuff like this. And just when they go all awesome on me, I fail them spectacularly.”

“How did you fail?” He let his hand slide up to the back of her neck where he gently rubbed.

“Paul called. Said he’s losing his job. Again. He asked if I could put Evan on my health insurance.” Gianna hiccupped again.

“But because he’s not your biological son …” Beckett filled in.

“Exactly. And even if he was, the premiums are astronomical. I need to think about a part-time job. The studio is too new to start pulling money out of it.”

Beckett frowned. Gianna was the hardest working businesswoman and mom he knew. She didn’t have enough hours in the day to do it all alone.

“What about your ex? Can’t he contribute?”

Gianna wiped her eyes. “He’s not exactly reliable. The support he’s supposed to pay for the kids is either late or light. And now that he doesn’t have a job, I don’t see how I can count on him for help. Not that it even matters since Evan isn’t technically mine. He should have been. I asked Paul about adopting him when we found out his mother died. But I just let it go when Paul said he’d look into it. So stupid.”

“Now that I can help you with.”

She dabbed at her eyes. “Really? How?”

“Do you think Paul would be open to making you Evan’s legal guardian?”

She frowned, considering. “Would he have to give up his parental rights?”

Beckett shook his head. “A legal guardian is kind of an additional ‘parent’ in the eyes of the courts. It can be a tricky process, especially if the biological parents aren’t open to the idea,” he cautioned. “But it would allow you to put Evan on your insurance and make schooling and medical decisions for him.”

Gianna perked up. “That sounds perfect! I can’t see why Paul wouldn’t go for it.”

“Some parents aren’t open to other people being legally responsible for their kids,” Beckett warned. “Even though they still have rights, it can get sticky. And if he fights it, the courts often side with the biological parent. If he is on your side, it would make the whole process a lot easier.”

“What do I have to do to start the guardianship process?”

“Talk to your ex first and talk to Evan, too. Make sure he understands that his dad isn’t just signing him over to you. Then come see me and I’ll get started with the paperwork.”

She reached up and held his face in her hands. “Beckett, I don’t know what to say. This would mean so much to me.”

Her tear-stained face was doing something to his chest. Something painful. He shoved her head back down against his shoulder so he didn’t have to look into those watery green eyes.

“Are you and the kids going to the Halloween carnival tonight?” he asked, changing the subject.

She nodded against him. “Will you be there?” Her fingers were toying with the lapel of his jacket.

He dropped his chin to the top of her head. “I’ll be there. As mayor it’s my duty to judge the parade floats.”

“Are you dressing up?”

He heard the smile in her voice.

“I am not.”

“Party pooper. Aurora will be devastated.”

“I take it that means you’ll be in costume?”

“One cannot escort a doctor and a ninja to a carnival in regular everyday clothes,” she told him.