Three Makes a Family--A Clean Romance Cari Webb (short books for teens txt) 📖

photo with Drew. Several weeks ago, Hazel had taken a picture with the Easter bunny too. Hazel would have a collection of these fun photos from her childhood to look back on. And her daughter could believe in Santa, the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny for as long as she wanted. Molly was desperate that Hazel should be a kid and not grow up too fast. That meant having a house to decorate and celebrate in every holiday from Easter to Christmas to New Years. Giving Hazel a home mattered.

Concentrating on memories and revisiting her onetime attraction to Drew put her no closer to her goals. After all, Molly was a single mom now, not a single-minded college student. “Are you going to tell me what this is all about?”

Drew rearranged Hazel’s blanket as if he needed a moment to arrange his own thoughts. “I’ll take you to see the apartment if you’ll reconsider representing me.”

We’ve exhausted all your options. That had been her real-estate agent’s text to Molly on her way back from the laundromat this afternoon. Her realtor had canceled tomorrow morning’s meet-up unless Molly was willing to put in an offer on a place they’d already visited. Those places were overpriced in not-so-good neighborhoods. She wanted the perfect home and refused to settle. Now Drew had an available apartment. But at what cost?

She dropped Hazel’s flower power onesie on the table. “Why have you reconsidered hiring me? At the gala, you claimed you didn’t need more time. Your decision was final.” What was she doing? She should be shouting, I accept!

“There are things about this case I haven’t told anyone.” He continued his slow side-to-side sway, yet his gaze remained fixed on Molly.

“But you’ve decided to tell me.” She failed to keep the sarcasm from her words.

“I don’t trust anyone outside my own family and friends.” He stilled for a beat and stared at her. “I can’t trust anyone else. I also can’t do this alone either.”

The fear in his voice made Molly pull back and really consider him. Not the excuses he’d given her earlier. But the man before her. The one unable to mask the distress thinning his mouth or the unease reflected in his gaze. “Are you guilty?”

“I will enter a plea of not guilty, Counselor.” His voice was firm. Certain. “I also know I wasn’t the initial person working on the Van Solis murder case.”

The Van Solis murder trial was the very one that had instigated the charges against Drew. After the key witness in the murder trial recanted his testimony two weeks ago. “Who was the first one working on the trial?”

“Cory Vinson.” He watched her as if waiting for her recognition to flare and ignite the room.

Molly frowned, nothing more. Despite the quick race of her pulse and her whirling mind. “You’re talking about Cory Vinson, the city’s current district attorney.”

Drew nodded. “The same one who is up for reelection this fall.”

Molly stood, clasped her hands behind her back and paced around the suite. She’d trained herself to remain neutral, unaffected no matter what her clients disclosed to her. She leaned into that side of herself now. For her sake and for Drew’s. “Then you’re suggesting Cory Vinson is setting you up as the fall guy.”

He never hesitated. Never disputed her claim. Never retreated. “I just can’t prove it. I haven’t found the evidence yet.”

“Why are you telling me this?” She set her hands on her hips, fighting to remain impassive.

“If you’re going to be my counsel, you need to know everything.”

“I never agreed to be your lawyer.” She watched him. “More importantly, we haven’t signed an attorney–client contract.” Which meant whatever Drew said to her before that could be used against him later, if she ever chose to reveal it.

“You also haven’t kicked me out and it’s been way more than five minutes.” A small grin lifted the corners of his mouth. Drew tucked Hazel’s tiny hand under the blanket, then tipped his head at Molly. “You always were fearless. I don’t believe you’ve lost that,” he whispered.

Ten years had passed since she’d last seen him. Yet he looked at her as if he knew her even better now. Impossible.

Still, she felt compelled to prove herself. Taking on Drew as a client would allow her to do just that. She asked, “Are you still cautious and overprotective?”

“Whoever wants to ruin my career has pivoted to include hurting my family.” His voice was grim. “You’re going to be in their line of sight too, if you represent me. You need to understand that.”

She stiffened and pushed her shoulders back. Her gaze fell on her daughter. “I understand the stakes. I’ve taken cases before with higher risks.”

“But you didn’t have Hazel then.” He set his hand on Hazel’s back as if shielding her. “You didn’t have a daughter to look out for.”

The intensity in his gaze, the honesty in his tone made her heart flutter. Drew held Hazel like a father would, looking out for his little girl. It was all Molly had ever wanted from her ex. Instead, Derrick had told Molly he’d never wanted children with her when Molly had revealed her pregnancy. After Molly had ended things, Derrick had promptly returned to his ex-wife and his former life as if Molly and their relationship hadn’t ever existed. Hadn’t ever mattered. She’d been wondering if she’d expected too much of Derrick. Now she knew. She hadn’t expected enough from Derrick or their relationship.

Now she had to fill the role of two parents for Hazel. She couldn’t and wouldn’t fail her daughter.

Drew Harrington’s case would get her noticed in the San Francisco legal community. Clearing Drew of the charges against him would establish her credibility among her peers and her skill in the courtroom. Winning created a solid foundation to build her new practice on.

And that solid foundation ensured she had the stability she wanted to provide for her daughter. “It’s because of Hazel I have to do this. I