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Paige let out a gasp. Shock roared straight through her. Beautiful, strong Ruby. Everyone’s friend. Wise sage. Warrior. Nurturer. “No! What happened? Was she ill?”
Cameron released a ragged breath. “She was killed in an avalanche search and rescue in Colorado. You know how Ruby was about saving lives. If there was an opportunity to help, she was there.”
“I can’t believe it.” She choked out the words. Tears slid down her cheeks. She swiped them away with the back of her hand. Although she had kept tabs on the town, there had been a period of time after Emma’s birth that she had been too occupied with her newborn baby to keep up with the major goings-on in Love. “I’m so sorry, Cam. For all of you, but especially for Liam and Aidan. I had no idea!” Impulsively, she reached out and clasped Cameron’s hand. Seconds after making contact, she realized that touching Cameron hadn’t been a good idea. Goose bumps had popped up on her forearms. For a moment tension hummed and buzzed in the air around them as they locked gazes.
“She died the way she lived. Heroically. Not that it eases the pain for Liam, but Ruby was a rock star as a search-and-rescue team member. My dad worked that rescue operation right alongside her. He said she saved several lives that day.”
Paige remembered how Ruby had emailed her after she’d left Love. She’d been the one person who had attempted to reach out to her in kindness and friendship. They’d kept up communication until the emails had abruptly stopped on Ruby’s end. It was devastating to realize that her friend’s tragic death had been the reason for the lack of response to her messages. Paige had believed that Ruby’s silence had indicated she no longer believed in her innocence.
“Losing someone without any kind of warning is so devastating,” Paige said. Her father’s terminal illness had been a terrible blow, but at least she’d had weeks and months to say goodbye to him. It had allowed her to process the loss as her father became sicker and sicker. She hadn’t been completely blindsided. Ruby’s tragic accident had been like a tsunami sweeping over the Prescott family. No warning. No chance to say goodbye. Just unimaginable loss.
“Liam is still struggling to get his life back. Aidan is still as sweet as ever. And Honor just graduated with her master’s in wildlife conservation. She’s back home now.”
Paige shook her head, overwhelmed by how the wheels of life had kept moving in her absence. “It’s amazing how much things can change in two years,” she said.
Cameron darted a look at Emma, who was stuffing a portion of a cheese cracker in her mouth. “Tell me about it. This little one here drives that point home.”
“Thank you,” Paige said, trying to ignore the painful lump in her throat. Between the news about Ruby and Cameron’s behavior earlier, she found herself becoming emotional.
Cameron drew his brows together. “For what?”
“For stepping in to plead my case with Jasper.” She jiggled Emma on her lap. She hadn’t expected him to be so solidly in her corner during the conversation with Jasper and Boone about the cannery. “For having my back even though I know you still have questions about my involvement with my father’s crimes. And I know you must still be reeling from the news about Emma.”
He shrugged. “Honestly, I wasn’t pleading on your behalf. I was making a case for what’s in the best interest of the tow
n.” He held her gaze. “You’re the mother of my child, Paige. That in itself means we share an amazing connection, one that will last our whole lives. Lord knows we’ve had our differences, but going forward we have to present a united front for Emma. That’s what parents do.” His eyes hardened. “Does that mean all is forgiven or forgotten? No, of course not. I still question whether I can ever trust you.”
She sucked in a deep breath. Despite already knowing he didn’t trust her, his words hurt.
“You’re right about focusing on Emma. That’s what matters most.” She looked down at her daughter and touched her curls. “I’d like to have Emma call you Daddy, if that’s okay with you.”
Cameron’s eyes widened. His mouth swung open. “Of course it’s all right. I—I’d be mighty proud to have her call me that,” he said, his voice sounding husky. He reached for Emma’s hand and brought it to his lips. “I’ll see you later, princess. I need to get back to work before Hazel and Sophie get in the weeds with all these customers.”
Paige tried to hide the disappointment that slithered through her. It had been so nice to spend time with Cameron, even if the majority of the time they had been discussing the cannery and the check she’d handed over to Jasper. She had missed having him in her life, plain and simple. It was obvious that Cameron was still holding her at arm’s length even though he hadn’t allowed his grandfather to run roughshod over her.
Baby steps, she reminded herself. One day soon Cameron would realize that he’d misjudged her.
“I should get going also. It’s almost nap time,” she said smoothly. She stood up and placed Emma on her hip while she reached for her purse.
“Let me help you,” Cameron said, reaching for the diaper bag. He pretended to stagger under the weight of it. “You sure travel with a lot of stuff.” He pulled out a stuffed elephant that was poking out of the bag. “Who’s this guy?” he asked with a grin.
“Mine,” Emma said, reaching for the stuffed animal. She pressed it against her chest. Her lip stuck out as she looked at Cameron with mistrust.
Paige and Cameron both began to chuckle at the ferocity with which Emma took ownership of her toy and her fierce expression. “She’s very possessive of Mr. Snuggles and her stuffed bear, Lola. She doesn’t even like to part with them when it’s time for them to hit the washing machine,” she teased, earning herself a grin in return.
“I’d like to spend some quality time with Emma. That way she can get used to me being around.” He rubbed his chin. “I know it’ll take some time, but I want her to know me. It’s important that she recognizes me as her father.”
“Of course,” she said with a nod.
“I could take her to the upcoming spring festival. There’s always something fun to do there.”
“That should be fine,” she said. “I’ll be in touch.” She took the diaper bag from Cameron’s hand and slung it over her shoulder. After making sure Emma was fully bundled up in her coat and hat, she headed to the door. Once again, curious stares seemed to greet her as she walked out of the Moose Café. Let them stare! All they cared about was town gossip and rumors. They had no idea that she was back in town with a purpose. Her love for her father dictated that she uphold his dying wish of redemption. And her newfound faith had shown her that separating a man from his child was wrong.
A sliver of fear crept down her spine. Although it had been one of her goals to introduce Cameron to his daughter in the hopes that they would forge a relationship, the idea of Emma and Cameron bonding made her feel vulnerable. She had always been the custodial parent, the one who did all the nurturing and heavy lifting. Emma was all she had in the world. What might happen if Cameron got married and decided he wanted to raise Emma? What would she do if Emma decided down the road that she wanted to be a part of the big, bustling Prescott family? All she had to offer her daughter was herself. There was no one else. No uncles or aunts. Or grandparents. No bells or whistles. In many ways, Cameron could offer Emma a much fuller life than she ever could.
Paige knew her feelings were selfish, but she couldn’t control the growing tide of anxiety. As a single mother, she had always felt vulnerable. Giving her daughter a full, richly textured life was essential to Emma’s well-being. It was something she’d prayed over on many occasions. That God would allow Emma to be loved abundantly. Now all her fears were rising to the surface and bubbling over. The truth was hard to ignore. It caused her stomach to get all tied up in knots. If she lost her precious Emma, she wouldn’t have a single thing left in her world. She would be completely and utterly alone.
Chapter Five
