Page 29 of Her Righteous Protector

“How long was she sick?” Max asked quietly.

“Almost a year and a half,” the woman spoke up for the first time. Max’s entire attention turned to her.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Meghan’s best friend. I mean I was. My name is Hannah Woods.” Her lower lip trembled. “I’ve been living with and taking care of Meghan and Zephyr for the last year.” Her big green eyes were filled with tears.

“Where’s Zephyr now?” Max demanded to know.

“My mom is babysitting him.”

Max stood up straight and glared down at her. “I want to see him,” he demanded.

“Sit down, young man, we’re not done.” Max turned to look at Elias, ready to do battle.

“We have things to iron out before you can run off half-cocked. You’re a military man, you understand that certain protocols are necessary.”

Max did understand. He considered the man’s words.

“You need more information. Sit down.”

He sat down.

Elias shoved his glasses up his nose and looked down at the papers in front of him. “As I was saying, most of Meghan’s assets, including most of the equity in her home, has been depleted paying her medical costs, but not all. As Zephyr’s legal and financial guardian, you’re going to have to sort that out.”

Dazed, Max nodded.

“However, Meghan was a smart girl, and she took out a million-dollar life insurance policy when Zephyr was born and named him the beneficiary. This cannot be touched by the medical bills. Again, as his guardian, Mr. Hogan, you will be responsible for administering all of Zephyr’s assets.”

Max nodded.

“Hannah, even though you were not named as a beneficiary in the will, Meghan wrote this letter for you.” Elias nudged a smaller envelope to her. “She and I talked a long time about how deeply you love Zephyr and she spent a lot of time wavering over whether she should appoint you as Zephyr’s legal guardian.”

Max’s body locked up at the thought of this woman cutting him out of his son’s life.

Elias continued. “But Meghan knew that you had felt strongly that Zephyr needed to know his father. One of the final things she told me is that she hopes that you and Maxwell here, will be able to work together to transition things for Zephyr.”

Max watched as Hannah leaned forward and picked up the envelope.

“Is there anything else?” Max bit out the question.

“No, that is the end. I will work with you to get the paperwork done to petition the courts to legally instate you as Zephyr’s legal father.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Peterson,” Max said as he stood up. “But my first order of business is to meet my son.”

10

Hannah stood up, shoving the letter into her purse, and doing her best to ignore the man who was a carbon copy of the little boy who she loved with all of her heart. She fumbled with the bigger envelope, trying to push that into her purse as well as Max Hogan held the door open for her. She kept her eyes on the carpet as she stepped by him.

I knew this could happen.

I knew this could happen.

Her purse dropped from her frozen fingers and a large masculine hand was there, handing it back to her. Helplessly, she looked up into determined gray eyes.

“Hannah—” he started.

She whirled away from him and turned to the red-haired secretary. “Where’s the ladies’ room?”