She had searched and searched for her beloved book. The one that had passed down from one Poppy to the next. The one truth in her life, the abundance of handwritten notes in the margins couldn’t have been forged. But she hadn’t been able to find it. Good thing she had the majority of it memorized.

Her shoulders drooped a little.

Only she didn’t want the memory, she wanted the real thing.

The sun dipped behind the horizon and she pulled her cardigan tighter around her middle.

In her purse she carried an envelope with a check, one that would ease her conscience and free her from Harrison’s hold. No matter what kind of deal Azalea had worked out with him, Rose wanted the loan to be paid in full. The legal way, the right way. Every way that neither of her parents had chosen to use.

She pushed the first door opened and entered the bank. This time she let a small smile push at the corners of her lips. More than a few patrons and employees actually smiled back. Her hands shook and her stomach cramped. Maybe Sasha and Skye had been right.

Her father’s secretary looked her over and rolled her eyes. “You have an appointment?”

Rose lifted her chin. “Don’t need one.” She went inside Harrison’s office, shutting the door behind her.

Harrison glanced up from his work. “I’d figured you’d come by sooner or later, sugar.”

“This is for you.” She dug in her purse, pulled out the envelope and set it on his desk. “It’s the balance of the loan.”

He didn’t pick it up, merely looked at her with his cold gray eyes. “Your momma—”

“I don’t care what kind of deal the two of you cooked up. I’m paying back the loan. It’s done,” she said with a firm nod, then turned to walk out the door.

“She wouldn’t marry me. Though I asked her at least a dozen times through the years.”

Her hand froze on the doorknob. “Why are you telling me this?”

He placed a hand on her shoulder and she fought the urge to shrug it away. “I loved your mother, but she wasn’t content with just me.”

“You expect me to feel sorry for you?” His hand fell away and she turned to face him.

“I was there when you were born,” he said. “She ever tell you that?”

No, her mother had never cast Harrison Collins in any kind of positive light, which had made Rose wonder why Azalea had insisted on Rose seeing him. “What do you think?” She reached for her throat. She couldn’t handle any more confessions.

He took off his glasses and tucked them into the front pocket of his shirt. “I’d like to start over with you, Rose. I’m man enough to admit I was wrong.” He sat down on the edge of his desk and looked up at her, his eyes filled with pain and regret. “It doesn’t have to be right away. You let me know when. This is on your terms.”

Rose grabbed the chair in front of her, her knees shaking. “Only in private?”

“You can tell the entire world, Rose.”

“I don’t understand. All these years you’ve insisted—”

“Wasn’t my idea.” Harrison’s jaw worked. “That was Azalea’s and it was the only way I could see you.”

“Why me and you?” She took a deep breath, then another. “Why not Skye and her dad?”

“To get back at me.”

“For what?” Rose clutched the top of the chair harder.

“Marrying Lorelei.”

“But you said she wouldn’t marry you.”

“Didn’t mean she wanted me to be with someone else.” He smiled sadly. “We’ve tried to get back at each other for years now and I’m done. I’m too old, too tired, and too damn sick of these games, because the only ones getting hurt are my girls.”

His girls? Rose wasn’t going to touch that last statement. No telling what she’d find out if she did. “Is that why you loaned me the money instead of giving it to me?”

“Would you have taken it?” A knowing look entered his eyes. “One thing you got from me and your momma is pride, honey. There’s not a damn thing wrong with wanting to do it your own way.”

“That’s why I’m paying it off.” She glanced around the room, noticing for the first time pictures of her and her sisters tucked into the shelves. “Those new?”

“I’m not ashamed of y’all.”

That part of her that wanted to stay forever angry at her dad twisted tight, like a wet cloth being wrung out. She didn’t know what to think. The mother who raised her, didn’t want her while the father who supposedly shunned her, wanted a relationship in public. But she didn’t quite trust him. “I don’t want you pushing Jason Everett on me again.”

“Insulting him in front of hundreds of people made your point.” Harrison frowned. “Did he do something to you?”

She had the absurd notion to tell him exactly what the asshole had done, so that he could wreak some kind of fatherly vengeance on Jason. “He’s not someone I would choose.”

“But Romanov is?”

She shrugged and moved to the door again.

“To think I believed Jason when he said the man was gay,” Harrison muttered.

“Jason says lots of things.” Rose turned the knob. “I’ll need a receipt to show that I’ve paid off my loan.”

“How about you come by tomorrow? I’ll take you to lunch, and give it to you then.”

“No.” She pulled open the door, then looked over her shoulder. Her father’s face had fallen, but her next words transformed it. “You can drop it off at Carolina Dreams later this afternoon. I’m trusting you to keep your word.” Then she walked slowly out of the bank, her head held high.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sleep hadn’t come easy to Rose for the past week. Her dreams had been filled with images of the crow that had invaded her room… and Sasha, with him needing her and she couldn’t shake them. For one horrible moment last night, she’d reached for her cell, then stopped in the nick of time. No good would come of it anyway.

She rolled over in bed and sighed, refusing to acknowledge that a new day had dawned. Yet another one without Sasha and without Ivy.

Heavy breathing and slobbery kisses made Rose’s eyes pop open. Warm brown eyes crinkled and a toothless mouth covered her nose.

“Ivy?”

Ivy babbled and grabbed Rose’s braid, jerking it around.

She caught the baby up in a hug. “How in the world did you get here?”

“She flew in on a magical carpet.”

Rose jumped. “How did you know I was here?” She untangled her hair from Ivy’s hand.

“Where else would you be?” Summer sat on the corner of the bed, eyes bloodshot while her make-up was flawless. She swung her tall black boots as she continued, ignoring Rose’s question. “She wouldn’t quit crying. She wouldn’t let me hold her, console her. I tried feeding her, but she refused to take the bottle until she was beyond hungry.”

“Ivy likes it a little hotter than lukewarm, but make sure you test it first,” Rose said, then looked down at the baby in her arms, feeling guilty and happy when Ivy’s eyes crinkled at her like they always did when she was happy.

“See, that’s something a mother should know, and I’m not cut out to be one—just like mine.”

Rose leaned forward, wanting to take Summer’s hand, but something in her sister’s face stopped her. “Yes, you are. It takes time to learn what to do.”

“No.” Summer stood and moved to the fireplace. “Gabriel told me that if I really wanted what was best for Ivy that I should let you adopt her.”

“He said that?” Stunned, Rose stared at her sister. Summer was going to let her adopt Ivy? She forced down the hope that dared to take flight in her body. This had to be a dream.

“Among other things.” Summer crossed her arms, a frown marring her face. “I think he’s half in love with you.”

Rose shook her head. “No, he’s not.”

“He’s all the way then.”

“Summer, he’s not the one for me and you know it,” Rose reminded her.

Her sister lifted her nose a little. “Zoe Ambrose?”

“Oh, honey, you know they weren’t meant to be. It’s not your fault he didn’t listen.”

“That’s because she said it was right. She was the one who claimed they belonged together and I—”

“Momma got most things right,” Rose said. “There are plenty of people in this town who—”

“Stop defending her.” Summer banged her fist on the mantle and the fire roared to life. “She left you Rose. She left you, me and Skye to fend for ourselves.”

“I know, but she paid off the back taxes, and gave us Strawberry Grove.” The look on Summer’s face kept her from sharing the conversation Rose had had with Azalea.

“Don’t let her fool you. She’s still the same woman.”

Rose couldn’t agree more. Azalea was the woman who’d raised her, Summer and Skye, but in the end, Azalea had chosen a new life. One that didn’t include any of them, no matter what kind of business deals they did in the future.

Ivy toppled over to one side and Rose grabbed a pillow, placing it beside the baby. Summer placed another one on the opposite side.

“Where’s her rabbit?” Rose asked, trying to dispel the tension.

“Diaper bag.” Summer moved to the dresser, rummaged through the bag and threw the stuffed animal into her lap.

Ivy began babbling and Rose handed it to her. The stuffed animal went straight into the baby’s mouth.

“Gabriel said he knows a lawyer in Wilmington that can help us get through the adoption paperwork. He said the guy’s decent and to leave him alone.” The mattress dipped slightly under her sister’s weight.

“Gabriel or the lawyer?”

Chipped black and red fingernails drew a pattern on the pillow beside Ivy. “I think it’s all-encompassing. Don’t get too close to the decent ones, they might dump Mary Sue Perfect and where would she be?”

Sympathy for her sister flooded her body. Summer had never had it easy. She had taken on the role of the most popular Holland. Until this moment, Rose thought her sister had enjoyed it. But the bitterness infusing her tone was telling. “Who wants Ms. Perfect?”

Summer flashed her a little smile. “Yeah. I need to get going.”

“You’re welcome to stay here with me and Ivy.” Rose meant it. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her sisters.

“There’s nothing for me in Holland Springs.”

Rose thought of the woman she’d seen in her mind’s eye while talking with Gabriel. “Don’t be too sure about that.”

“I’ll have my lawyer contact you.”

Enormous relief filled her, hope tangling with it and making her insides dance joyously. Ivy was going to be hers. Forever. Tears spilled over and she didn’t bother to hide them. “Thank you. I’ll take such good care of her,” she managed to choke out. Then a smidgen of guilt pricked her heart. “You sure about this?”

“Do you really think I would’ve driven Gabriel’s truck back to Holland Springs if I wasn’t?”

“You stole his truck!” Rose’s mouth fell open, then she shut it and wiped the wetness off her cheeks.

Summer gave her a look. “The keys were in the ignition and the tank was full. He went inside to pay for the gas and took too long. Don’t worry, I’ll give it back. Eventually.”

There was really nothing she could do to change her sister’s ways and there were many ways about Summer that she had no desire to change. Shaking her head, Rose scooped up Ivy. “Want to kiss her good-bye? Not that you’re not welcome to visit.”

Summer leaned forward and ruffled the curls on the baby’s head. “Send me pictures, okay?”

Ivy latched onto Rose’s thumb. “Love you, Summer Rain.”

Her sister stood and blew her a kiss. “You, too, Rosebud.” She started for the door, then paused. “It wasn’t Alexander’s fault.”

“What?”

Summer turned to face her. “He didn’t have anything to do with the fire—that was his uncle. Someone working for him approached me and I needed the money. I made sure everyone was safe before I did it.”

Rose’s hands began to shake. Relief and hope giving way to rage and fury. The wind began to blow, shaking the walls. Thunder boomed. “You purposefully ruined my life?”

Defiant to the end, Summer tipped her nose in the air. “I set you free.”

“I didn’t want to be free,” Rose shot back, then shook her head. “I mean, I’m not a prisoner. I can leave at whenever I want.”

“But you won’t. If I couldn’t dynamite your ass away from here, what chance does anyone else have?” Summer gave her a side-eyed glance and frowned. “He asked you to go away with him and you said no.”

“He said he owed me,” Rose pointed out as the wind settled down. “It was his only reason for asking me to go with him.”

“Owed, loved…same thing in my book.” Summer strode from the room, closing the door behind her.

***

Much to Rose’s shock (and chagrin at lumping everyone together), over the coming weeks people were still stopping by Carolina Dreams, but not to buy her products (which most did anyway). Couples she helped “push” together brought her homemade casseroles, baby furniture and clothes for Ivy; they brought her thank you cards and cheesecake (once word got around from Daisy).