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“I did,” she answered, and her gaze grew glassy. “I became Aria’s aunt. She’s a spitfire of a little thing. She’s got attitude for miles. She loves bonbons as much as I do, and she’s—”
“—a gifted musician,” Babs supplied.
Did her grandmother suddenly become a mind reader?
“How would you know that, Babs?”
“I met her.”
“When?”
“Three days ago. Aria finds it quite amusing that I play the harp, and your name is Harper, but you play the piano.”
That kid.
“Yeah, she’s funny like that.” She brushed a tear from her cheek. “I’m guessing Aria didn’t take a plane to New Mexico and track you down on her own.”
“No, she came with her uncle.”
“What did he say?”
“He apologized for marrying you without asking for my blessing.”
“To be fair, it happened quickly. We got double-dog—”
“—dared,” Babs said. “Yes, he showed me your wedding video and pictures from the event.”
“It was a unique ceremony.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Babs replied with a touch of amusement in her tone. “And I see you’re wearing your wedding shirt. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the same shirt you wore the week after you returned from Las Vegas.”
She looked down at the black T-shirt. “How many women can get this much wear out of their wedding dress?” she teased, but her grandmother saw through her attempt to make a joke out of the situation.
“Landon also said he’d upset you and let you down.”
Here it comes.
She folded her hands in her lap. “That’s one way to put it. I love him, Babs. I thought he believed in me—in my talent. But he just needs me to help him hide…”
“Behind a mask, like Bonbon Barbie?” the woman answered.
“Why would you say that?”
“That feathery thing you said you wanted to show Libby wasn’t just some random child’s costume item you found in the attic. You wore it to teach people how to read and write music.”
“But I wasn’t hiding, Babs,” she shot back. “Yes, I wore a mask, but I was open about being a neurodiverse learner. I didn’t want you or my friends to find out what I was doing because I knew—”
“You knew we wouldn’t let you carry the burden of the loan payment by yourself,” Babs finished.
“I wanted to take care of it on my own,” she answered as a tightness in her body took hold.
Her grandmother watched her closely. “You can stop trying to prove your worth to them, little miss.”
She stared at the woman. “Who are you talking about?”
Babs’ expression softened. “Your parents.”
Her parents?
