She nodded slowly. After all that had happened, she hid nothing from her parents.
“Everything,” was all she said, turning her gaze away from him.
“Words will never express how sorry I truly am.”
Guilt gnawed. She could let him drown in blame for a choice he thought she’d made, or she could choose honesty.
On one hand, she could choose to potentially jeopardize her daughter by cluing him in on her very existence or protect her by keeping her mouth closed.
Daisy was unclear. Her heart told her one thing, while her head told her another. The choice seemed so easy yet so difficult at the same time.
“I like this,” he expressed.
She followed his gaze to another canvas of their child: a small girl sprinting through a sunflower field, hair wild, spirit free. It was the epitome of Amelia.
“Tell me about it,” he said.
Make a choice, her brain screamed so loud she almost shuddered.Choose now!
But Daisy never had to decide because her choice solidified the moment she heard the trill of an angelic voice. It was as if the picture had come alive.
“Mommy!”
The voice rang like a bell. Somehow it cut through the party’s noise and landed neatly in Daisy’s chest. Jameson heard it, too. They turned at the same time.
There she was, red nose, a pretty blue dress, skipping toward Daisy with reckless joy. Behind her, Philip and Dena hurried, both wearing matching expressions of concern.
Daisy’s heart broke and lifted at once. She bent as Amelia barreled into her.
“Hi, sweet stuff,” she managed.
Amelia squeezed hard and coughed into Daisy’s shoulder. Daisy pulled back, scanning her face. Bright, despite the bug that lingered. “What are you doing here?”
“You said if I felt better, I could come. So here I am.”
Daisy flicked her eyes to her mother, who looked like a deer in headlights, shocked at who stood next to her daughter.
Later, questions. For now, she had to hold it together.
Amelia’s gaze slid past Daisy and landed on the tall man beside her. She tipped her head back, squinting. “And who the heck are you, dude?”
“Amelia Elizabeth,” Daisy warned. “Cool it.”
“What? I was just asking. He’s standing there like a big ol’ gnome.”
Daisy bit her lip hard. Out of the corner of her eye, she checked Jameson. Not angry. Not hurt. Just… confused, like the picture hadn’t quite snapped into focus.
Please don’t. Not here.
“I’m Jameson.” He cocked his head to the side. “Who the heck are you?”
Amelia giggled and spun, skirt flaring. “I’m Amelia Elizabeth Daniels.”
He offered his hand, and she shook it.
“Pleased to meet you. How do you know Daisy here?”
“She’s my mom, silly. Didn’t you hear me yelling? How do you know her?”
