“I’ve been the person who hurt someone.” Her gaze went to where Luc was smiling at his playtime friend. He was heartbreakingly cute. His hair was darker, but those eyes were pure Guidry. What would Remy’s son look like? His baby girl? Her heart clenched at the thought of Remy having kids with someone else. Seraphina continued talking, her voice wistful. “I hurt the hell out of Luc’s daddy and I would do anything to make that up to him. I lie awake at night thinking about how good it would be to stand in front of him and drop to my knees and beg him to forgive me. Isn’t that funny? Getting to my knees and begging, oh that’s my sweet dream. Even when he doesn’t forgive me. Even when he turns me away, I wake up smiling.”

Tears blurred her eyes because there was only one reason Seraphina would smile at the thought of her lover rejecting her. “How did he die?”

Her nose had gone red, emotion taking over. “He joined the military after I broke his heart. He came from the richest family in town, so I know he definitely didn’t do it for money. It was to get away from me. I didn’t know I was pregnant when he left town. I didn’t try to call him when I figured out I was pregnant. I got angry with everyone. I told myself I was going to give myself time to figure out what I wanted to do, and that meant staying angry with him because he left me. Yes, I was at fault, but he walked away. He didn’t stay around, didn’t call to see how I was. He left and didn’t look back, and I thought love meant more than that. And then the soldiers came to his momma’s house. Not mine. I wasn’t his next of kin. I gave birth to his son and I still wasn’t Wesley’s kin.”

The young man who’d died in combat. He was Luc’s father. “Does his family know about Luc?”

Seraphina shook her head. “They don’t care. They didn’t even let me go to Wesley’s funeral. I’m not from the right people. Because I’m his momma, neither is Luc. They’ve never asked about him, never come to see him. It’s okay. I want it that way. I can’t imagine life without my baby, and they would definitely not want me around him if they accepted him as a legitimate Beaumont. Wesley’s got a brother so I’m sure they’ll pass everything on to his kids. I don’t need them.”