“Xavier,” she said, “take this plate over where Mindy’s sitting. I’ll be right there.”
As soon as Xavier left, she turned to Mr. Hinton, hands on hips. “Any issues you have with me, you’re welcome to tell me. But don’t involve my son. None of this is his fault, and he has a lot to deal with right now.”
Mr. Hinton narrowed his eyes at her. “Your son is part of the issue. Is he related to me?”
She cocked her head to one side.
“I mean, is my son his father?”
Light dawned. “No, of course not! Troy would never...” She trailed off. Mr. Hinton believed that, too? She’d known on some level that acquaintances like Nora might think Xavier was Troy’s son. But she was shocked to realize that his own father suspected it.
Keeping Xavier’s parentage a secret was hurting Troy. But revealing it would hurt Xavier.
Lou Ann’s words came back to her. As a Christian, she was supposed to be all about reconciliation.
She turned to Mr. Hinton, gently took his plate and put it down on the buffet table and nudged him off to the side, ignoring the raised eyebrows of family members and bystanders around them. She pulled him by the hand to a bench out of earshot of the crowd and sat down, patting the seat beside her.
He gave her a grouchy look and then sat.
Aware that she didn’t have long before he left in a hissy fit, she talked fast. “Look, I can understand why you’re upset with me. And I can understand why you want to know whether Xavier is a blood relative. The answer is no. He’s not.”
Mr. Hinton crossed his arms and glared at her. “All the more reason for me to be angry, then. Isn’t that right? Isn’t my son opening himself up to a lying, cheating woman by getting back together with you?”
His voice had risen and people were staring; conversations in the area had died down. She’d thought this area was secluded enough to keep their conversation private, but apparently, with the volume of Mr. Hinton’s hard-of-hearing voice, it wasn’t.
It was her worst nightmare come true: she was a spectacle at the country club, looked down on by the other guests.
What’s the right thing to do, Lord? The prayer shot straight up through the tears that she couldn’t keep from forming in her eyes.
An arm came around her shoulder, and Troy sat beside her, pulling her to his side. His strength held her up where she felt like collapsing.
“Dad,” Daisy said as she hurried over to clutch her father’s shoulder, leaning over him from the other side. “Why are you making a scene? You know this isn’t right.”
“No.” Angelica straightened her spine, pulled away from Troy, and stood. “He’s not doing anything but protecting his son. That’s totally understandable.”
“Thank you!” Mr. Hinton’s exasperated words almost made her smile.
“But, Mr. Hinton,” she said, reaching out to clasp his arm. “That’s what I need to do, too. Xavier’s story is his own to tell, and he’s too young to understand it and share it yet. So I’m just going to have to ask you to take it on faith that, when the time is right, you’ll know the right amount about his parentage.”
“That’s about as convoluted as a story can get,” Mr. Hinton complained, but his voice wasn’t as loud and angry as it had been before.
“Dad. I know enough to understand what happened,” Troy said. “None of it is Angelica’s fault, and I’d just ask you to accept Xavier without any questions right now. That’s what I’m planning to do.”
“And that’s what this family is about,” Daisy said firmly. “We accept kids. All kids.”
Angelica took deep breaths and shot up a prayer of thanks. Troy had supported her. And it looked as though Daisy was coming around to her side, too.
Mr. Hinton was a tougher case, but he was just trying to protect his child and his family. That was something she could understand.
“Come on,” she said, and took the risk of clasping his hand. “Let’s go get back in line before the food’s all gone.”
He cleared his throat. “Finally somebody said something that makes sense.” As they walked together to the line, he leaned down to mutter in her ear, “You tell Lou Ann that nothing on the dessert table here holds a candle to her zucchini bread.”
“Wait. You’ve been sampling dessert already?”
“Life’s short. Eat dessert first. Right?”
“I think I’m going to follow that philosophy,” Angelica said, grabbing a big piece of chocolate cake.
“You’re not my favorite person in the world,” Mr. Hinton said to her. “But I reckon I can back off of hassling you. Xavier’s not accountable for your problems. And come to think of it, you’re not accountable for your grandfather’s.”
Angelica gave the old man a sidearm hug and then sidled away before he could either embrace her or reject her.
“Humph.” He glared at her and bustled off.
It wasn’t a warm welcome, but Angelica felt that progress had been made. And she shot up a prayer of thanks and wonder to God, who was clearly the author of the peace and reconciliation she’d just felt.
Chapter Thirteen
After dinner, they all moved over to sit near the band. Xavier was fighting tiredness, but losing the battle, so Angelica talked him into lying down for a little rest on the blanket beside her. He resisted, but in minutes, he was asleep.
The gentle music prompted a few older couples onto the makeshift dance floor, where moonlight illuminated them in a soft glow. Most of the younger kids were quieting down or already asleep, while the teenagers paired off at the edges of the crowd. Nearby, most of the Hintons were spreading blankets and settling in to listen to the music.
She wanted this for Xavier. She wanted the community and the family and the security represented by life here.
She’d never thought she could have it. When she left seven years ago, running scared, she’d thought her connection with this community was severed. Now she had a chance to regain it, stronger than when she was young, to regain it as part of a connected, loving family.
She wanted it so badly, but was she just setting herself up for disappointment?
“Aw, he’s so sweet,” Daisy said, coming over to settle in the grass beside her. “He got along really well with everyone, didn’t he?”
“I was pleased. But he’s a great kid that way. He’s always had an ease and charm with people that I can only envy.”
Daisy cocked her head to one side, studying Xavier. “I wonder where he gets that.”
The comment echoed in Angelica’s head. Where did Xavier get his charm and people skills?
The thought pushed her toward his genetics, toward Jeremy and his superficial charm, but she shoved that idea away. “My aunt helped out with him so much when he was small. She was an amazing woman, and I’m sure he picked up some of her better traits.”
“I’m sure he’s picked up some of your great traits,” Daisy said, patting her knee. “I really admire what you’ve done, raising him even though...” She stopped.
“Even thought what?”
“Look,” Daisy said, “I’m guessing Xavier is the product of some kind of an assault. Remember, I’m a social worker. I see stuff like this all the time. I can tell you’re wary of men in a way that suggests you’ve been treated badly, and I know you didn’t use to be like that, so...” She spread her hands expressively.
Angelica stared at the woman, feeling defeated. Daisy had guessed most of the story of her past. As much as Angelica wanted to hide it, it was written and apparent in the existence of Xavier.
“I’m sorry.” Daisy patted Angelica’s arm. “There I go blurting stuff out again. I should learn to put a sock in it.”
Angelica let out a rueful sigh. “For sure, I don’t want to talk about my past troubles. But am I going to be abl
e to escape it? Is it wrong for me to want to keep it all private?”
“From me, it’s okay,” Daisy said. “I have no right to your private information. But I would think that Troy would want to know whatever information is available about Xavier’s father.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Troy was the last person she wanted to tell. The trust developing between them was a beautiful thing, but fragile. Revealing the name of her attacker might downright destroy it. After all, Troy had looked up to Jeremy. Would he believe that a guy he admired, a guy who’d mentored him, who’d been a town athletic star, had done something so awful to Angelica?
Or would he turn on her instead?
“But maybe not,” Daisy went on, lying back to stare up at the emerging stars. “Maybe he won’t need to know. Troy is a rescuer at heart. He’s taken in animals since he was a little kid, and in those cases you don’t know what happened. But you deal with the results.”
“Gee, thanks, Daisy.” She whacked the woman on the calf, welcoming the distraction from her own uneasy thoughts. “Did you just compare me to a rescue dog?”
Daisy grinned. “If the shoe fits...”
“If the dog coat fits...” Angelica played along. She was glad that she and Daisy could joke. But what the woman had said bothered her. Why did Troy want to be with her, anyway? Why was he willing to put up with not knowing Xavier’s background?
Was it because he saw her, not as an equal human being, but as a creature to be rescued?
* * *
“Today’s the day, buddy!” Troy turned in the passenger seat to give Xavier a high five. “I get my cast off, and you get to start playing soccer on the team.”
“Just to try it,” Angelica warned as she swung the truck around the corner. “Remember, when we go to your checkup on Thursday, Dr. Ravi is going to let us know if soccer is the right thing for you to do.”
Xavier’s jaw jutted out, and Troy could almost see his decision to ignore his mom. He looked down, grabbed the soccer ball from the seat beside him and clutched it to his chest. “Hey, Mr. Troy, do you think you could be one of the coaches?”
“I don’t know much about soccer, buddy.” But the idea tickled his fancy. What a great way that would be to connect with Xavier. And to help kids. Coaches had been a huge part of his own childhood, giving him the encouragement his dad hadn’t.
Xavier was bouncing up and down in the car seat. “You played football before. You could learn about soccer. Please?”
“We’ll see, buddy. I have to get the okay from my doctor. Just like you.”
“Really?” Xavier’s eyes went round as quarters. “I didn’t think grown-ups had any rules.”
Troy and Angelica exchanged amused glances, and Troy reached back to pat Xavier’s shoulder. “We have more rules than you know. And if we’re smart, we follow the rules. We listen to doctors.”
Xavier frowned and nodded, obviously thinking over this new concept.
Angelica flashed Troy a grateful smile as she pulled up to the door of the hospital. Thanks, she mouthed.
Looking at her made his heart catch fire. She was everything to him, and once he got this wretched cast off, he’d feel whole again and as if he could take control. She wouldn’t have to drive him and he would be able to be a full partner to her and Xavier. They’d be able to set a wedding date and move forward with their lives, with a real marriage.
“Let me know if you need a ride when you’re done.”
“This should be pretty quick. Afterward, I’ll just stroll over to the park and you guys should still be doing practice.”
He gave in to a sudden urge, leaned over and dropped a kiss on her cheek. Her hair’s fruity scent and the sound of her breathy little sigh made him want to linger, and only his awareness of Xavier in the backseat held him to propriety.
Especially when she didn’t pull back.
He felt ten feet tall. They were making real progress as a couple. What a great day.
“What was that for?” she asked while Xavier giggled from the backseat.
“Just feeling good about everything.”
He walked into the hospital easily, barely using his cane. After checking in and waiting impatiently in a roomful of people, the nurse put him in a room to wait for X-rays.
The technician came in and told Troy to hop up on the exam table. “First I’ll cut the cast off and then we’ll x-ray everything.” He was bent over an electronic tablet, recording and filling things in. Finally he looked up. “Hey, I know you.”
Troy studied the bearded man, who looked a little younger than Troy. “You do look a little familiar.” Then it clicked into place: this was the man they’d seen outside the Senior Towers, that day they’d done the weeding. The one Angelica hadn’t liked. His friend’s younger brother.
“I’m Logan Filmore.” He held out his name tag as if to prove it. “I was a couple years behind you in school, but I watched you play football with my brother.”
“Right, right!” Troy reached out, shook the man’s hand. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Logan’s brother had died in a car accident about five years ago. “The whole town came out for Jeremy’s funeral. What a loss.”
“Yeah.” Logan frowned as he positioned Troy on the x-ray table. “I keep hearing that from everyone now that I’ve moved back permanently.”
They made small talk as Logan took pictures of Troy’s leg in every position. When the ordeal seemed to be almost over, Logan looked at Troy with a serious expression. “I hate to bring this up, but I heard that you’re pretty intense with Angelica Camden. Is that true?”
“Yeah.” Troy smiled to remember their exchange in the car. “In fact, we’re getting married pretty soon.”
“That’s great.” Logan moved the X-ray machine to another position. “Now, lie still for this one. It’s a full 360 and takes a few minutes to get warmed up.” He made a tiny adjustment to Troy’s leg. “So, you feel okay about everything that happened before?”
Something in the man’s tone made Troy’s stomach clench. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, about her leaving town pregnant, staying away. You...” He shook his head. “I don’t know if I could do that, raise another man’s child.”
Heat rose inside Troy but he tamped it down. “That’s between me and Angelica. And anyway, a kid’s a kid.”
Logan took a step back, palms out like stop signs. “For sure. Didn’t mean anything by it.”
“No problem.” He’d have to learn to deal with nosy people. It came with the territory of marrying a woman with a kid and a bit of mystery in her past.
“Anyway, I’m glad to see my nephew get a good home. After Jeremy passed, I always thought I should do something, but since Jeremy said she didn’t want it...”
His nephew? Icy shock froze Troy’s body. “Want what?”
“Well, any help with the baby. I guess she felt like, since it was just a one-night stand, he didn’t owe her anything.”
“Just a one-night stand.” Troy repeated the words parrotlike, feeling about as dumb as an animal. “What do you mean? Are you saying Xavier is Jeremy’s son?”
“Yeah. Oh man, didn’t you know?” Logan’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought sure she would’ve told you. Or you would’ve asked.” He slapped the heel of his hand to his forehead. “Man, I feel like a fool. I’m sorry. What a way to find out.”
Troy just lay there on his back under a giant machine, his heart pounding like sledgehammer blows, sweat dripping from his face into his ears. He was the one who felt like a fool.
“Okay, ready? Lie still now.”
Troy forced himself to obey while the machine moved its slow path up and down his leg. Inside, anger licked slow flames through his body. It took massive self-control not to jump up and slug Logan, though none of this was his fault.
<
br /> It wasn’t Troy’s fault, either, nor Xavier’s.
It was Angelica’s fault. Angelica, and the guy Troy had always looked up to, the guy who’d stayed after practice to help him when he was a scrawny freshman, the guy who’d argued his case when the coach thought Troy was too focused on his studies to play first string.
Troy’s mind reeled. Angelica had called it a rape, and he’d 99 percent believed her. So why did Logan think Jeremy was Xavier’s dad?
And why did he have details about Angelica not wanting Jeremy’s help? Wouldn’t she have wanted it?
Well, but if it had been a one-night stand...
Because Jeremy wouldn’t rape anyone. Would he?
He felt as if a million little dwarves were hammering at his brain. He wanted out of this conversation. This room. This whole wretched situation.
“Why do you think Xavier is Jeremy’s child?” he ground out after the infernal machine had done its work and Logan was back in the room, a sheaf of X-rays in hand.
“Because he told me.” Logan crossed his arms over his chest, looking off into space. “Man, that was one of the last times I saw my brother, right before I went overseas. We were out drinking one night and got to talking. He told me they’d hooked up.” Logan’s gaze flickered down, and he must have seen the turmoil on Troy’s face. “Oh man, I’m sorry to break that news. Especially to a guy who’s having this kind of trouble with his leg.”
“What?” What did his leg have to do with anything? Who cared about his leg now?
“Here, sit up. Take a look.” Logan pinned Troy’s X-rays up on a light board and pointed. “That didn’t heal worth nothing, man. It’s all wrong. I don’t know if they’ll rebreak it or just leave it.” He studied the light board, cocking his head to one side. “I don’t think I ever saw a break heal that bad before, dude. My sympathy.” He went to the door. “Sit tight. Doc will be in any minute. And hey, sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”
* * *
Angelica sat on the grass watching Xavier joyously joining in the soccer practice. She still felt a little out of place with the other parents, all of whom seemed to have known each other for years. People were friendly, but Angelica knew she was still an outsider. Had always been an outsider, even when she was a kid.
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