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48
BRYNN
Brynn slipped two pieces of bread into the toaster for Dani’s breakfast. Her gaze roamed the cute apartment Pippa had let her and Dani rent above the bookstore until she found something else. It was much nicer than the one she’d rented before, and despite Pippa’s urging, Brynn paid rent. Because of her savings, she could afford it, at least for a little while. It only had one bedroom, but she and Dani would make do.
She placed the plate of eggs in front of a solemn Dani at the table. “The toast will be ready soon.”
Dani picked up her fork and silently shoveled a bite into her mouth.
“Do you have all your homework done?”
Dani nodded, her mouth still set in a grim line.
“Are you excited about the science fair coming up?”
Another dismal shake of her head. Worry slithered around Brynn’s rib cage, squeezing tight. Brynn sat across from her at the small table.
She set her hand atop Dani’s. “Are you doing okay?”
Her daughter still wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“You haven’t been yourself lately.”
Finally, Dani looked up, angry defiance in her eyes. “I miss Aaron and my friends at Hope.”
It had only been a week, but Brynn, too, had felt the loss. “You knew it was temporary. It was all supposed to be pretend.” Supposed to, but in the end she’d developed real feelings for the man. “I won’t let us be trapped again.”
The toast popped up.
Dani dropped her fork. “How were we trapped?”
Brynn sighed and stood, checking on the toast.
“In the compound, you couldn’t use cars. Aaron gave you the keys and taught you how to drive.”
“Danielle—”
“I heard him on the phone with the dealership before you went for your test. He asked them about safety; he wanted you to have the best.”
Brynn slashed the butter knife over the bread, accidentally tearing a hole in it due to her anger. “He lied to me.”
“Or he knew you wouldn’t be able to afford it and he saved your pride by arranging it all.”
Brynn gasped and spun around. “My pride?” Her brows drew together. Was she a prideful person?
“Aaron married you so I could get the treatment I needed, Mom. He married you. He actually listens and spends time with me. No one but you has ever done that. And he did it even before you guys were married. He never changed. Aaron only got better as we got to know him.”
“Yes, he did something amazing for us, and I will be forever grateful. But he . . .” Some of the steam left her. He had done all those things. And what had he asked her for in return? “But he lied to me.”
“You lied to people too. You let everyone believe your marriage was real from the start,” Dani pointed out.
Brynn carried the rest of her daughter’s breakfast over to her and set it on her plate before sitting across from her once again. “That was for a good reason.” For Dani.
“How is that different than why he didn’t tell you about the car?”
It’s not. “How did you grow up so fast?” Here she was getting admonished—by her fourteen-year-old.
“Aaron loves you.”
