I knew she was right, but I wanted every reassurance I could get that I was doing all I could for Justin and Lyla. “I second-guess just about every choice I make for them.”

“I think that’s natural, too. But especially when they unexpectedly came into your care.”

“What about you and Cain? Any word from the foster-to-adopt program?” I couldn’t imagine two people who would make better parents to a child who needed a home. But they’d had the rug ripped out from under them more than once now.

Kennedy sighed, looking out at the water. “I really thought our last placement was it, but—” She wiped at her eyes.

“Oh, Kenz.” I leaned over and took her hand, squeezing. “You are going to find the babies that were meant for you. I have no doubt. You just have to keep pushing until you do.”

“It’s so much harder than I thought it would be. And every time I have to give them back because someone changed their mind or circumstances changed, it takes a piece of me.”

“I don’t think it could be any other way. Because you love so freely.” I envied Kennedy for her ability to do that. She didn’t hold back even one piece of herself. But I knew that gift came with pain and hardship.

She took a shaky breath. “The right pairing will come. It’s just going to take time. I hate it for Cain, though. You know him. He wants to shield me from all forms of pain, and this is one area he has no control over.”

Cain was another level of overprotective when it came to Kennedy, and I was honestly surprised he’d handled this process as well as he had. But being with Kenz had changed him, helped him let go a bit. “You’ve made him loosen his hold on the reins a bit.”

Kennedy snorted. “A little, but he still wishes he could plan for every possible outcome.”

“That’s not so bad.”

“No. And it can be pretty adorable at times.”

The soft smile that overtook her face made my heart clench. It was wistfulness of missing her man but also knowing he was wholly hers. I wanted that. It was as if I had Mason at my fingertips, but he wasn’t mine. I had to make that leap but doing so felt like I was launching myself at an unknown so terrifying it froze me to the spot. I’d promised myself a long time ago that I’d never put myself in the position to lay my heart in someone’s hands again.

“Anna?”

“Sorry, what?”

Kennedy’s brows pinched together. “Are you okay?”

“Fine. Just lost in thought.” More like a downward spiral of what-ifs. No matter what direction I moved, there would be pain.

“Mason?”

My gaze jumped to hers. “What makes you say that?”

“You have this look on your face...”