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“I’m grabbing some coffee before we begin. Do you want to come in?”

I glance at him from the side, and he shakes his head with eyes comically wide.

“Absolutely not,” he whispers. “I want no part of the drama…however, I wish you luck.”

“Gee, thanks.”

He turns and strides toward the barn, and I continue toward the house until I reach the back deck. Opening the back door of the house, I step inside, using my hands to dust off my riding pants. I always make sure not to drag any horsehair into the immaculate home.

Stepping into the warmth of the kitchen, I spot my mother’s private chef standing by the oven, mixing something up that smells delicious. She offers me a sweet smile as I grab a mug and fill it with freshly brewed coffee. The house is eerily quiet today. Maybe I got lucky and my mother isn’t home. I move into the living room to scope out the situation.

Townsend Manor is pristine as always, but it’s extra pretty in the fall when the grass is green and the sky is clouded. Fresh eucalyptus leaves are draped across the hearth, the large windows bring in natural light, and pottery is artfully placed around the fireplace to add charm. Two leather couches sit across from each other in front of the crackling fire, and a marble coffee table sits in the middle. A fresh floral arrangement of white roses and more eucalyptus rests on the table.

My feet skid to a halt when I see Raymond sitting on one couch, sipping from a mug, with a newspaper open on his lap. His eyes stay on his paper as I enter the room and sit on the couch across from him. He feels like even more of a stranger to me than ever before. I wonder if I should let him know I’ve decided to meet my biological father. I wonder if he’d even care.

I’m just sinking into the couch cushions with a sigh when I hear footsteps approaching. My body tenses, and my skin prickles in awareness of who’s there without even seeing her.

Mother sweeps into the living room, and I sit perfectly still, hoping she doesn’t notice me. Raymond closes his eyes, as if pretending she’s not there.

My sentiments exactly.

Mother comes to stand in front of the sofas, wringing her hands and taking a deep breath. “Harriet, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve given you space, but I think it’s time we sit down and talk this out like adults.”

She eyes me warily, and I note she looks tired and unkempt. I’ve never seen Kimball Townsend unkempt. Never. Her hair is messy, like she just woke up; she’s not wearing any makeup, and she has purple slashes under her eyes, which tells me she hasn’t been sleeping well since I told her about the DNA test. Her clothing, usually perfectly tailored, seems to hang from her slim frame like she’s lost weight.

A prickle of guilt courses through me, but then I remind myself that none of this is my fault. She’s the one who cheated on her then-fiancé now-husband, got pregnant, and hid the truth.

“Hattie,” Mother says, using my nickname even though she prefers my formal name.

I can feel her eyes on me, but I stare blankly at the cold fireplace to avoid her. The sofa droops beside me as she sits down.

“Will you listen, please?” my mother says.

I tense at her nearness. My body wants to stand and flee. But my heart is softer, and it begs me to hear her out, to mend our relationship. I finally look over at her.

“Let me tell you the whole story, okay?” She glances at Raymond. “Could we get a moment alone, please?”

Raymond looks at his expensive wristwatch. “I have a tee time, anyway.” He stands and unceremoniously strides from the room.

Once he’s gone, my mother sighs. “You’re being awfully hard on me.” She tosses a hand in the air. “You’re angry about something I did over twenty-five years ago.”

She’s making this all about her, as usual. Refusing to acknowledge her mistake.

“Mother, you’ve lied to me my whole life.” I blink. “This isn’t just a small mistake.”

Mother purses her lips. “You’re right; but let me explain.” She places her hands in her lap and twiddles her fingers nervously as she continues. “Growing up, my parents had certain…expectations. Raymond and I were together forever. Everyone knew we’d end up married. Our fathers were business partners. We grew up together, went to college together…and it made sense. Honestly, I’d never considered being with anyone else…but then I visited Whispering Pines with my father. Hank Daniels was so different from Raymond. He was…rugged.” She winces at her own words. “I was only with him once, and it seemed like a harmless one last hurrah before getting married.” A tear streams down her face. “Then I discovered I was pregnant. Raymond was hurt but agreed to go through with the wedding.” She clears her throat. “It was two weeks before our wedding when I took a pregnancy test… and I wanted the life I’d always pictured with Raymond. He and I agreed that the two of us were the only ones who ever needed to know about my stupid mistake.”

I huff a laugh through my nose, trying to distract myself from the knife that her words stab through my chest. That one stupid mistake led to me.

She looks at me with her lips pursed in a hard line. “I knew I’d never see Hank again. It seemed easy enough to bend the truth.”

“Just stop.” I hold my hand up. “I appreciate your honesty, but this fixes nothing. My biological father doesn’t even know I exist. Do you understand how monumental that is?” I blow out a frustrated breath. “For just a second, try to think how this affects anyone but yourself.”

I glance over at her just in time to see a tear stream down her face. I withhold an eye roll. No amount of tears will erase the fact that she lied, and now there’s a man out there who doesn’t know he has a daughter. Or that the man I grew up with always looked at me like I was a Picasso painting—impossible to comprehend, and slightly offensive.

“I’m sorry for having one moment of confusion in my youth,” Mother spits the passive-aggressive comment with her nose in the air and her chin wobbling with emotion.

I swear she practiced the chin wobble in the mirror before coming over here.