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“Yes” I nodded, thinking back “His name was Peter He and his wife, Sandy, were an older couple I stayed with them for six months I was around twelve years old and more jaded than any twelve-year-old should’ve been But Peter taught ht of those sixskills He’d then take me out for ice cream each week and talk to me about life and stuff”

“What’s one of the best things he’d ever told you?”

My brows knitted “That I was good enough”

“Did you believe him then?”

“No”

“Do you believe him now?”

I sh response for her

Stella’s hands landed against ainst h, Damian”

I sighed softly, feeling a wave of eh?”

“More than,” she repeated

My eyes closed as I held her close “I’ood enough for them, for you I’m scared that my past will mess this up for us”

“I don’t think that’s just you I’m terrified, too I think all parents are scared at first”

“You’re going to be the best mom ever”

She smiled “I hope so I came from the best one ever”

Stella didn’t speak much about her own mother, but I wanted to knowthat made Stella into the woman she was

“Tell me more about her?” I asked

And she did

Her name was Sophie, and she died in a car crash She’d raised Stella on her oith the help of her best friend—Kevin They’d known each other since elementary school Maple worked for Kevin’s farew up on the property where we live now Stella was a home birth, and Kevin cut the cord for his best friend They were always a platonic relationship, but Stella was almost certain they were soul mates