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“You’re welcome.” I turn to Troy. He’s talking to Kellan, Lucas, and Garrett. “I’ll be right back,” I tell the girls. “I just have to say hi to Joanne and give her these dessert bars.”
I walk toward the long table covered with a blue gingham tablecloth. Ian is standing at the open barbecue, a spatula in his hand. Troy’s mother is talking to a woman who’s maybe a little older than her.
Joanne’s gray-streaked brown hair brushes across her shoulders as she talks, her head bobbing animatedly. She picks up a plate laden with food and moves it to the other side of the table.
The other woman tucks her chin-length gray hair behind her ear and looks over her shoulder at something. She turns back to Joanne.
“I can’t understand how a mother could ever leave their daughter behind,” Joanne says as I approach them. “I mean, what kind of mother would do that to a child?”
Everything inside me turns into a pointy shard of ice, even though I have no idea the context of what she’s talking about.
I take an awkward step back. God, if she ever finds out my true identity, she’ll hate me. If she finds out my mother left me with my grandparents and never looked back, Joanne won’t want me in her son’s life. She’ll think I inherited my mother’s selfish gene when it comes to abandoning those we’re supposed to love.
If she finds out I have a daughter…
Joanne glances in my direction, and a grin spreads across her face. “Jessica!”
I fix on a smile that feels like a bra that’s too tight and approach the table. “Hi, Joanne. I brought some dessert bars.” I pass her the plate.
“Thank you. These look delicious.” She puts the plate down in an empty spot. “Have you met Tuuli?” She nods at the other woman.
I offer Tuuli a friendly smile that’s genuine. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Jessica is Troy’s girlfriend.” Joanne is now beaming.
“Ah, so you’re the infamous girlfriend I keep hearing about,” Tuuli says, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “You definitely couldn’t have done better than Troy. He’s as good as they come. As you no doubt know.”
I’m not sure how to respond, so I just nod.
She’s right. He is the best thing in my life right now. But Troy could still do a lot better than having me as his girlfriend—as his mother will attest to if she ever finds out the truth about my identity.
19
Troy
July, Present Day
Maple Ridge
* * *
Thursday afternoon, I enter the building for Bell Automotives and walk past several shiny antique cars on display.
A light-haired woman in her late fifties is sitting at the desk outside of Anthony Bell’s office. “I can fit you in on August sixth to see him,” she says into her headpiece. She looks at the computer screen in front of her. “That’s right.…No, it would have to be either ten a.m. or four p.m.…That’s right.…Okay, four p.m. it is.” She smiles, her gaze still on the screen. “You have a nice day too. Goodbye.”
She ends the call and looks up at me, her smile not fading. “Hello. How can I help you?”
“I have an appointment with Mr. Bell. I’m Troy Carson.”
“Thank you.” She types on her keyboard. “Troy Carson is here to see you.…Alright...” She nods. “I’ll send him in.” She returns her attention to me. “Just go on in, Troy. He’s leaving in about ten minutes, so he won’t be able to talk for long.”
She had mentioned that when I booked the appointment on Monday. The work he does on classic cars is in such high demand in Oregon and the surrounding states, I was lucky to even get this appointment. Otherwise, I would’ve had to wait another month to talk to him.
I enter his office.
Anthony is sitting behind his desk, studying something on his computer and wearing a dress shirt and green-striped tie. The man is in his late sixties, his hair completely white, but he’s in good shape for someone his age.
He shifts his gaze from the computer to me, and a smile appears on his face. “What can I do for you, Troy?” He stands and leans over his desk, offering his hand for me to shake. He’s not the only one dressed up. I don’t usually wear suits, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to wear one for this meeting.
