“A Frito-dog?” David read the list of ingredients and frowned. “They come with onions and jalapeños. You don’t like either of those.”

A pleading look blanketed Brynn’s face. “They can leave them off. I’m sure they would, if you ask nicely.”

David rocked back on his heels. Hot dogs weren’t the most nutritious of foods. Wasn’t part of a father’s job making sure his child ate well?

The trouble was, other than the vegetarian truck—which Brynn had turned up her nose at—most carried items with no better nutritional value than the Frito-dog.

“It’s only once a year.”

David turned. Prim, Max and their two boys stood behind them in line. “Is that your subtle way of telling me I should let her have the Frito-dog?”

Max grinned.

“We’re having one,” Connor, one of the twins, announced.

“Maybe two.” His brother, Callum, cast a speculative look in his mother’s direction.

“One is enough.” Prim offered David a warm smile before shifting her attention to his daughter. “Hello, Brynn.”

For the first time, David noticed the baby clasped to Prim’s chest in some kind of wrap. He started to ask about it when he realized he’d lost her attention.

Seconds later, her gaze returned to him. “Where’s Hadley?”

David had known someone would ask. It was inevitable. These Friday events leading up to Founder’s Day were big deals in Good Hope. A man would be expected to bring the woman he was dating.

“Hadley is baking,” Brynn piped up, and her smile faded. “That’s why she’s not with us.”

David had been glad for an excuse he could give his daughter.

“I stopped by Ami’s house earlier, and Hadley was there. The house smelled wonderful.” Prim smiled at Brynn. “She and I enjoyed some of the cookies she baked this morning. They were—”

“What kind of cookies?” Callum stepped close, crowding his mother, an accusing look in his eyes. “We didn’t get any cookies.”

The boy glanced at his twin, who confirmed the oversight with a head shake.

“Why didn’t you bring—?”

His father’s hand on the boy’s shoulder stopped Callum midsentence. “We’ve spoken about this before. You don’t interrupt adults when they’re having a conversation. And you never speak to your mother in that tone.”

Connor gave his brother a you’re so busted smirk.

“What do you say to your mother?”

Apparently familiar with the drill, the child didn’t hesitate. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

Prim tousled his hair, then turned back to Brynn. “I’m sure Hadley would be here if she could.”

David and Brynn ate at a picnic table with the Brody family. For all their high jinks, Brynn appeared to genuinely enjoy being around the boys. When Adelyn woke up, Brynn sang silly songs to the baby, who watched her intently.

The boys were more interested in trying to shove each other off the bench than in their sister. After the third time of reprimanding them, Max announced they would be skipping dessert and the climbing wall.

“Not listening and acting up is a sign you need some quiet time at home.” He silenced the boys’ pleading with one glance before his gaze shifted to David. “Are you coming to Jeremy’s on Sunday?”

David lifted his hands. “I’m not sure a croquet tournament is my thing.”

“Fin wants us there. As many people as we can manage to round up.” Prim shot a pointed glance at her husband, clearly wanting him to give a little push.

“Fin is considering having Good Hope host a vintage croquet tournament around the May Day festivities next year. Sort of like what we do with the baseball game around the Fourth.” Max’s tone turned persuasive. “It should be fun. Who doesn’t like hitting a ball with a mallet?”

The desire to decline brought an excuse quickly to David’s lips, but he swallowed the refusal. Keeping busy might be a good thing. “What about Brynn?”

“Kids are welcome.” Prim smiled at Brynn. “Fin has hired Dakota and a couple other college girls to entertain the younger ones.”

Prim’s gaze shifted to her sons, who stood kicking the ground with the tips of their sneakers. “Rumor is the climbing wall will be moving to Rakes Farm after tonight.”

Like hunting dogs that had caught a scent, the boys froze at attention. “Will we get to climb the wall?”

Prim’s gaze softened. “Probably.”

“It sounds like fun.” Brynn tugged on David’s hand. “I bet a lot of my friends will be there.”

David nodded to Max and Prim. “We’ll be there.”

Once the Brody family disappeared from sight, Brynn wanted to check out the climbing wall. They were standing in line when Brynn squeezed his hand. “You know what will make Sunday absolutely, positively perfect?”

“No rain?”

Brynn chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Hadley being there. She loves climbing as much as I do.”

* * *

Hadley didn’t accompany them to the party on Sunday. She’d still been baking when they left. Without a single glance in David’s direction, she’d promised Brynn she’d stop by Rakes Farm if she got the chance.

She never showed.

All afternoon, Brynn kept asking if he’d seen Hadley. After the third no, she quit asking. The pinched look on his daughter’s face reminded him of the way she’d often looked when Whitney hadn’t shown up for an event.

Though David felt bad for Brynn, it had been easier not having Hadley at the party. There was an uncomfortable tension between them. Until the DNA test results came back tomorrow, he didn’t have anything of substance to say to her.

Part of him trusted her. She was the woman he’d fallen for, the one who brought light into his life and made him believe in second chances. But the logical, rational part of his brain told him not to discuss anything of substance with her until the test results were in and he could be certain she was indeed Brynn’s birth mother.

He didn’t know why she would lie when the fact was so easily proven, but he had to know for certain.

David pulled into the driveway and just sat there for several long seconds. Hopefully by this time tomorrow night, he’d have some answers. After unlocking the front door, David stepped inside after Brynn.

Ruckus greeted them with enthusiastic barks, then went back to lie on the rug near the hearth.

“Hadley.” Brynn called out her name, but David wasn’t surprised when she didn’t answer. The house had an empty feel.

Surely, she wouldn’t have left without saying good-bye to Brynn. Unless she was worried what the results of the DNA tests would show…

A muscle jerked in his jaw.

Brynn’s brows pulled together in worry. “Where is she?”

“Probably out running a few errands.”

Hadley appeared in the doorway leading to the kitchen, and Ruckus offered a welcoming woof.

“Actually, I was on the back porch watering the plants.” Hadley’s gaze shifted from David to Brynn. “Did you have fun?”

Brynn lifted a shoulder, let it drop.

“They had the climbing wall up.” David filled the awkward silence. “Brynn made it all the way to the top. Twice.”

“Wow. Congrats.” Hadley moved to Brynn’s side, raised a hand for a fist bump, but lowered it when the girl only looked away.

When he stepped back, he noticed that the book Brynn had made for Hadley lay open on the coffee table. Without thinking, David scooped it up and began to read.

“We like to climb walls.” The childish penmanship made him smile, as did the picture of two blondes, one tiny, one tall, climbing and waving at each other from the top of a rock wall.

He flipped the page.

“We teach our dog tricks.” There was Ruckus sitting up while the small blond-haired girl handed him a dog cookie and the woman smiled.

“We defend ourselves against bad people.” This picture showed Hadley with her booted foot on Clive Gourley’s chest.

The other pages were more of the same. Hadley and Brynn reading to each other, cooking together, building sand castles…

“This is nice.” He smiled at Brynn.

“Nice and stupid.” Brynn snatched it from him. “I don’t even know why I made it.”

While Hadley watched in horror, Brynn tore up the book, tossing the bits of paper to the floor.

“Hey”—Hadley stepped forward—“that was mine, not yours.”

“You didn’t want it anyway. Just like you didn’t want to come to the party today. Or climb the rock wall with me.” Brynn’s blue eyes flashed. “You’d rather stay home and text your friends or play on the computer.”

Visibly startled by the vehemence in the girl’s tone, Hadley took a step back.

“I bet if you were my mom, you’d be too busy to help with my family-tree project, too.”

“Is that why your mom texted you this afternoon?” David gentled his tone. “To tell you she couldn’t help?”

“She’s too busy.” Brynn sneered the words, then shifted her gaze to Hadley. “Just like you. You promised you’d come.”

“I said I’d try—”

“You didn’t try, though, did you?” Brynn’s accusatory gaze pinned Hadley, who’d bent over to pick up the pieces of paper that had once been a book. “You never planned to come.”

Hadley’s fingers tightened around the paper scraps as she stood. “It didn’t work out for me to come today. I wish I could have been there.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Hadley’s face blanched as if she’d been slapped.

“Brynn.”

The child whirled on him, her eyes filled with accusation. “You made Mommy leave. Now you’re making Hadley leave. I hate you both.”

Stunned, David watched his daughter stalk down the hall.

“Brynn Elizabeth.” Hadley’s voice sliced the air like a knife and had the child stilling. “Come back here. Right now.”

With chin jutted high and hands clenched at her sides, the girl returned to the room.

David could only stare. Never had he seen this behavior from his daughter.

“Do you think speaking to your father in such a manner is acceptable?” Hadley’s tone remained firm. “Is that how we speak to someone we love?”

Brynn shook her head, but her mouth remained sullen.

“What do you want to say to him?”

“I know she didn’t—” David began, but the look Hadley shot him had the rest of whatever he’d been about to say dying in his throat.

“I’m sorry, Daddy. I don’t hate you.” The quiver remained in the child’s voice when she turned to Hadley. “I’m sorry I tore up your book. I don’t want you to leave.”

“I’m not leaving.” Hadley dropped into a nearby chair. She gestured with one hand. “See? Not going anywhere.”

“My daddy is mad at you.”

Hadley’s expression gave nothing away. “Is that what he told you?”

Brynn shook her head. “I can just tell. He’s mad and you’re sad.”

David’s first instinct was to deny it. After all, he wasn’t really angry at Hadley. But before he could speak, Hadley responded.

“I am sad. I’ve really enjoyed our time together, and soon I’ll be back at the bakery and you’ll be in school all day. I’m going to miss you lots.”

“But I’ll still get to see you, won’t I?”

Hadley hesitated for a barely perceptible second. “Do you know where Blooms Bake Shop is?”

Brynn giggled, and the sound eased the tension in the room.

“Well, then you know where to find me.” Hadley’s tone softened. “Brynn, someone once told me that often, when we raise our voice and lash out, it isn’t really about the other person, it’s about something going on inside us.”

Tugging on Brynn’s hand, Hadley pulled the child onto her lap. “Will you tell me what’s troubling you?”

Brynn rested her head against Hadley’s, their blond strands a perfect match. “Mommy said she can’t help me with my Founder’s Day project. She says she’s too busy, but she isn’t. She just doesn’t want to help me.”

“We don’t know that, Sweet Pea.” David chose his words carefully. “Your mother hasn’t been feeling well lately. That might be why she can’t help.”

“Is she okay?” Brynn’s eyes went wide.

“Far as I know. And I’m happy to help you with the project.” David glanced at Hadley. “I know Hadley will do what she can to help you, too.”

Brynn turned eager eyes to Hadley. “You’ll help me?”

“Absolutely.” Hadley brushed Brynn’s hair back from her face with a gentle hand. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing.”

His daughter flung her arms around Hadley and buried her face in her neck. “I love you.”

Over Brynn’s head, Hadley’s eyes met his.

In that moment, David realized Hadley was more of a mother to Brynn than Whitney had ever been.

It was clear his daughter loved Hadley. And Hadley loved Brynn.

Brynn had nailed it. He had been “mad” at Hadley, but the anger had been mixed with a large dose of hurt. She’d betrayed his trust. His knee-jerk assumption had been that she’d used him to get close to Brynn. On closer examination, that theory didn’t hold water, as he was the one who’d approached her about being Brynn’s temporary live-in nanny.

The problem was, he’d started to dream of a future with her and now felt like a fool. Today, listening to Max and Beck talk about family had made him think of the dreams he’d once shared with Whitney.

While there was no denying his wife hadn’t put one hundred percent effort into the relationship, neither had he. Not in the last few years, that was for sure. It had been easier to simply not say anything whenever she planned another trip with her friends.

Another trip without him.

Without Brynn.

He’d told himself he’d remained silent because of Brynn. He hadn’t wanted his daughter caught in the middle of her parents’ turmoil. Now he could see that all he’d accomplished was letting his marriage slip away.

There had been little emotional intimacy between them. Other than early on when she’d told him about her father’s tragic death from Huntington’s, she’d rarely shared her thoughts or fears.

Each time he’d attempted to bring it up, she’d shut down the discussion. By the time they split, he hadn’t had a clue what was going on in her head.

He’d let her push him away.

Now, he was pushing Hadley away.

Just until he got the test results, David told himself. Once he had those in hand, he and Hadley could work on rebuilding their relationship.

As long as it wasn’t too late.