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Paige had prepared herself for this type of rejection, but it still stung to be treated like an outsider when Love had been her home for so many years. Over the course of the past two years she had missed it like crazy. The villagers. Her friends. The sights, sounds and smells. And the Prescotts, who had made her an honorary member of their family. And most of all, she had missed Cameron and the loving relationship they’d shared.
Just at that moment Emma walked back to their table, with Hazel right on her heels. She had a sweet smile on her face as she toddled up to Paige with her arms outstretched.
Paige reached down and lifted Emma up into her lap. Emma grinned at her, revealing her two front teeth. They’d come in a few months ago, giving both mother and daughter many a sleepless night due to teething pain. Cameron reached over and tickled Emma under her chin. In response, she let loose with a high-pitched squeal. The look on Jasper’s face didn’t escape Paige’s notice. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Emma. Jasper Prescott was a man who valued family ties and legacy and connections. It would be only a matter of time before her daughter won him over.
“If it’s all right with you, Paige, I was going to get Emma a glass of apple juice and some cheese crackers for a snack.” Hazel’s eyes oozed affection. Her tone was conciliatory.
“Sure,” Paige said with a smile. “She would love that. Let me get her sippy cup.” Paige reached down, and after rooting around in her diaper bag for the cup, she handed it to Hazel.
“Coming right up,” Hazel chirped as she walked off toward the kitchen. It seemed that Hazel’s heart had been softened by Emma, Paige realized. Relief flooded her. It was so much nicer to have Hazel treating her with warmth rather than censure.
“We’re having a town meeting on Wednesday night,” Boone said, returning to the issue at hand. “Perhaps this is something we should address with the council. It’s worth exploring, especially now that Operation Love is shining a spotlight on our village.”
Jasper sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He locked gazes with her. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, especially now that you’ve brought my sweet great-granddaughter back to her roots, but I’m not sure this town would ever want you at the helm of any business deal.”
“Why not?” Paige asked in a slightly defiant tone. “I have a business degree and I know everything there is to know about the cannery deal.”
Jasper let out a hoot. “Why not? What a question. The sins of the father are often visited on the child. Small towns have a habit of holding grudges.”
Ca
meron folded his arms on the table. He scowled at Jasper. “Small towns? Or small-town mayors?”
Jasper slammed his palm down on the table. “Don’t act all high and mighty with me! You weren’t exactly protesting Paige’s innocence two years ago, now were you?”
A shocked silence descended on the table. Cameron glowered at Jasper. Boone looked at their grandfather and shook his head disapprovingly. Paige held tightly on to Emma and prayed her daughter wouldn’t pick up on the tension at the table.
“You’re right, Jasper,” Cameron conceded. “I thought Paige was somehow involved in what happened.”
Paige winced at Cameron’s blunt statement. It burned her insides every time the knowledge washed over her that he didn’t believe in her. It was yet another reason that she had doubts about living in Love. There was no way she wanted Emma to grow up knowing her own father doubted the integrity of her mother.
“I would hope that Emma doesn’t have to bear the brunt of any sins committed by Cameron or myself or her grandfather,” Paige said in a cool, calm tone. “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
The air hung thick with discord. Out of nowhere Emma reached out and tugged hard at Jasper’s beard. She let out a wild cackle.
Jasper’s face held a stunned expression. His ice-blue eyes widened. Seconds later his shoulders began to shake, followed by his belly. He threw his head back as chortles of laughter rumbled through him. He swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Bless her little heart. I think she’s defending her mama. Okay, Little Miss Emma Prescott. I get your message loud and clear.”
Cameron looked over at Paige and grinned at her. He reached out and smoothed his palm across Emma’s cheek. His smile had a powerful impact on her. It nestled right inside her and yanked at the feelings she had buried a long time ago. Her heart began to flutter and she found herself feeling flushed, even though the temperature was quite comfortable inside the café.
“Let’s introduce this at the town meeting. It’s open to the public, so there would be immediate feedback,” Cameron suggested. He pointed in the direction of the check sitting on the table. “Jasper, you can present the check and open up the topic of how to best use the funds.” He narrowed his gaze. “You could also make it clear that Paige returned to Love in order to return the money Robert stole.”
Hazel appeared at the table and placed Emma’s sippy cup in front of her. “That would endear her to a lot of folks,” Hazel said. “And drive home the point that she’s willing to move forward to help this town.” She looked down at Paige, raw emotion shimmering in her eyes.
Jasper snorted. “The last time I checked, I’m still the mayor of this town. I’ll decide how to address this at the town meeting.” He jumped to his feet. “I need to get back to my office. Hazel, can you whip me up one of those turkey-and-avocado sandwiches to go?”
Without even saying a proper goodbye, Jasper reached for the check and stuffed it into his shirt pocket. He walked over to the counter with Hazel, his thoughts having presumably shifted to his lunch and away from the town’s fiscal concerns. Paige shook her head at his abrupt departure. Just as it seemed she was making a little headway, Jasper had taken his marbles and left.
Boone checked his watch and let out a groan. “Looks like I need to head back to work, as well. Seems like I’m taking my lunch to go also.” He nodded at Cameron, then Paige. He reached out his hand and stroked the top of Emma’s head. “I’ll be seeing you soon, cutie-pie. Can’t wait for Gracie to meet you.”
“He’s a happily married man now,” Cameron explained as Boone walked away. “In case you missed that telltale twinkle in his eye and the gushing tone in his voice.”
“I happened to see their wedding announcement online. Their love story made quite a stir,” she admitted, feeling a little sheepish about the fact that she’d been keeping tabs on the town. At the time she had felt happiness for Boone and sadness that she and Cameron hadn’t gone the distance. “They seem like a great couple.”
“They are,” Cameron said with a nod. “I’ve never seen Boone happier.”
“And how are Liam and Ruby? And Honor?” she asked. Although she felt as if she might be overstepping by posing the question, she was filled with curiosity about the remaining Prescott siblings. They had all been close once, and even though she had tried on numerous occasions, she couldn’t just shut off her feelings. She still cared deeply about them.
Cameron’s face blanched. All the light went out of his eyes. He began to stammer. “I—I can’t pretty this up, Paige. Ruby passed away a year and a half ago.”
