She’d never understood this about children before Alexander had been born. Raven had always tended to avoid them before that. But when he’d come along, she’d fallen in love nearly instantly.

Alexander, like his mother, was simply impossible not to love. And so she’d given up trying to keep any walls around her heart and it had been one of the best decisions she’d ever made.

Being with Alexander was always so awesome because he accepted her. The way she was. Not the way he thought she should be. There was something comforting in that.

She thanked her client, a guy she’d done work on for nearly ten years, and moved to where Brody had intercepted Alexander, swinging him up high and then bringing him in close for a hug.

He giggled, joy simply radiating from him. “Bo, Bo, Bo! Yo.”

Raven laughed at what a big old softie Brody was.

Erin grinned up at her brother, watching the way Alexander crawled up that chest with absolutely no fear.

“He’s going to give me a heart attack. He’s not afraid of anything.”

Brody snorted. “Welcome to my world. You and Adrian aged me at least fifteen years, and you’re both still around today. Uncle Brody isn’t going to drop this kiddo.”

“No way, Bo!” Alexander kissed his uncle’s chin, tugging his beard.

He wouldn’t, Raven knew. He was just that sort of man.

“It’s probably also that his dads are so gigantic he has no idea that’s not the norm.” Raven put her head on Erin’s shoulder a moment as they watched Alexander.

“Could be. How are things?”

“Not bad at all. Seems to be my week for visits from people at the shop, so I can’t complain. You?”

“Groovy. Want to come to Red Mill with me and the young master? He sat straight up in bed this morning and shouted, ‘Rings!’ I took that as a suggestion we come grab you for a lunch date.”

Brody handed him over to Raven and he latched on, hugging her neck and giving her sloppy kisses. She squeezed him back, loving his weight and the way he trusted her to hold and not let go.

Erin kissed his elbow. “What say you, baby? Can Auntie come along for burgers and rings?”

He let go enough to lean back and look up into Raven’s face. He grinned, showing a neat row of straight white teeth. “Sure. Yes!”

“Awesome. It’s a date then.” She swung him to her hip and he held on, playing with her hair as she checked her appointments. “I’m free for another few hours.”

“I wish it wasn’t so cold already or we could make a picnic of it.”

“Ah well, it’s always a picnic when we’re together.” She kissed Alexander’s forehead.

They walked, as it wasn’t raining and they weren’t in a hurry. Once she put him down, Alexander held her hand on one side and his mom’s on the other.

“How’d it go? With Jonah, I mean.”

Raven rolled her eyes at Erin’s failure to sound so casual when she was really just digging for info.

“He came in to take me to lunch yesterday. I’m starting his tat tomorrow night actually. You should see his house. View of the lake. Huge. Lots of art all over the place. He can cook pretty well too.”

Well aware of Alexander’s awesome ability to mimic and repeat any and all manner of things, Raven knew Erin was dying to ask about sexytimes but couldn’t. This amused her greatly.

“Gillian says he asked about you. Through Daisy and Levi, of course. It was nice, don’t get that look.”

“He’s the type who wants to know everything.”

Erin laughed. “He’s going to be so frustrated with you. Then again, I’m going to bet he finds the mystery hot.”

“He’s bossy. I’m sure he thinks it’s simply his due to know everything about me.”

Erin sent one raised brow as Raven opened the door at Red Mill.

“Rings. Rings. Rings!” Alexander did a little dance as they waited in line.

“I feel you, kid.” She gave her order quickly and efficiently. They didn’t mess around at Red Mill. You didn’t talk on your cell phone when you got to the counter or they’d send you to the end of the line. They didn’t have a twenty-eight-page menu. But everything they did, they did to perfection, including the green chili chicken sandwich and rings she was going to stuff down her gullet in just a few minutes.

It was late enough that they found a table and squeezed in. Alexander tapped and sang as Erin blew on the freshly made rings so he wouldn’t burn his tongue.

Her friend was an awesome mother. Alexander would never have even a moment in his childhood when he doubted how much he was loved. It meant a lot to Raven to know that on his behalf. Meant a lot to know that Alexander would grow up to be an adult who lavished love and attention on his children too.

And it also meant a lot to Raven to know she could love this child and prove to herself that she wasn’t so broken she was incapable of being a mother herself. If she ever wanted to, which she wasn’t sure about.

But Alexander helped her put a lot of perspective between herself and her history.

“You’re coming for Thanksgiving, right?”

Raven sighed. “I don’t know, Erin. I usually travel at the holidays.”

“But things have changed now.” Erin tipped her chin in Alexander’s direction.

“Will Adrian be there?”

“Gillian will. And Poppy. And Miles and Rennie and Martine. And Alexander.”