“Hadley does not have bad radar. I think it’s just the opposite. She loves Jett, and he’s the best man I know,” Tegan said. “Remember when we were painting your apartment, and I was telling you guys about me and Jett getting together? Everyone else said he’d never settle down, but, Daphne, you told me that you thought there was a great guy under all the cold-shouldering he used to do. You said you wouldn’t blame me for falling for him. Well, you were right, so I think Hadley is spot-on with her male radar. I’ve known Jock for a long time, and beneath all of his cold-shouldering toward little ones lies a great man, too.”
“And you’re an amazing mom, Daphne,” Desiree said as she began nursing Aaron. “Don’t ever doubt that. You’re not doing something wrong just because Hadley runs to Jock. He won’t come near Aaron, either. He said he’s uncomfortable around babies, and I don’t think that’s all that strange. Not everyone is good with kids.”
“I know. I get the whole not being good with kids thing. But it’s not easy to watch my little girl begging for his attention and having her tiny heart broken. Jett said something this morning that made me think there’s more to Jock’s aversion to kids than just disliking them.” Daphne bit into a croissant and looked at Tegan. “Do you know if there is?”
All eyes turned to Tegan, and she said, “He doesn’t dislike children.” She lowered her eyes and pushed food around on her plate.
“Spill it, chick,” Emery said.
Tegan’s brows knitted. “Okay, yes. There’s more to it, but it’s not my story to tell. He didn’t even tell me about it until I’d known him for a few years.”
“I respect your loyalty, but Daphne is our girl,” Chloe said firmly.
“I know. I’m sorry, Daph, but I can’t breach his trust,” Tegan said. “What I can tell you is that I think he’s still having a hard time with Harvey’s death, which is understandable. Imagine caring for someone twenty-four-seven for your entire adult life, and then suddenly they’re gone and you’re alone.”
“It’s been a year,” Daphne said carefully. “I haven’t dealt with losing someone I loved, but you seem okay and he was your relative.”
“I am okay, but I didn’t live with my great-uncle day in and day out for years on end. You have to understand, Jock left his entire life behind when he came to live with Harvey. His world revolved around my uncle because of his poor health, and despite their age difference, they were best friends. Jock’s starting over. He was a brilliant writer, but he hasn’t written in more than a decade. I was hoping that all the traveling he did would help him find his muse and work through his troubles. But I don’t think it did because he put all that time into helping me with the theater, which I love, but it tells me he’s not putting words on the page.”
“That’s the other thing I’m wondering about. When your uncle ran the theater, it was solely a children’s theater. You said Harvey went to nearly every show, and Jock had to be with him, right?” Daphne asked.
“I know what you’re getting at,” Tegan said. “You want to know how Jock could be around all those kids and not freeze up or walk away. I asked him about that a few weeks ago, and he said the kids were there for the shows and for Harvey. They never tried to connect with Jock. He said he felt invisible to them. But I know firsthand that he created those barriers. He was standoffish during the shows and made it clear that he was there for Harvey and nothing would take his attention away from him. Believe me, plenty of single moms tried to change that. I saw it when I visited, and I used to tease him about it. Harvey did, too. But it was like Jock had blinders on. I’m sorry he has a tough time with young kids, and I can’t imagine how hard it is to see him react that way to Hadley, but he’s a good man and he’s worth being patient with.”
“It’s not like that between us. I was just curious, but I appreciate your insight.” Daphne saw Hadley toddling toward Aaron and Desiree. She hurried around the table and said, “I have to get Had’s hands washed before she gets puppy germs all over Aaron.”
She scooped up her daughter and took her inside to wash her hands. When they came back out, Hadley went straight to Desiree and stroked Aaron’s head as Desiree nursed him. “I love my baby.”
“Aaron loves you, too, sweetie,” Desiree said. Her love of Hadley was as tangible as her love for her own son.
“I kiss him?” Hadley asked.
“She’s so precious,” Chloe said quietly.
Desiree nodded. “Yes, you can kiss him.”
Hadley kissed Aaron’s head, and Daphne’s heart melted. Hadley’s gushing over the baby was bittersweet. Daphne had always wanted a big family. But the way her life was going, there would be no siblings in Hadley’s world for a very long time, if ever.
“Awwon eating?” Hadley asked.
“He is. Do you want some breakfast?” Desiree asked.
Hadley scowled, vehemently shaking her head. “I big guul.”
“She thinks you want to nurse her.” Daphne patted the chair beside her and said, “You are a big girl, and Mommy’s got your breakfast right here. We need to eat pretty quickly to get to school.”
Daphne had heard horror stories about children crying when they were dropped off at preschool. She’d decided early on to call daycare school in the hopes that when Hadley started preschool next week, she wouldn’t be one of those crying children.
“I’m totally stealing your use of school when Aaron gets bigger,” Desiree said as Hadley climbed onto the chair beside Daphne.
“Let’s hope it works,” Daphne said.
They chatted as they ate, and Daphne tried to keep up, but her thoughts kept trickling back to Jock’s continual dismissal of her daughter and Tegan’s private knowledge of whatever was behind it.
“Hello?” Chloe waved her hand in front of Daphne.
“Sorry. I must have zoned out.” She blinked several times to clear her head and glanced at Hadley, who was devouring blueberries.
“We’re all getting together for a bonfire on the beach Friday night. Can you make it?” Chloe asked.
“Let me check my very busy social calendar.” Daphne laughed and said, “Oh yeah, I don’t have one. Of course Hadley and I can make it.”
“Good.” Chloe finished her juice and said, “I was also wondering if you had any thoughts on where we should hold the next book club meeting.”
Daphne and Chloe ran an online erotic romance book club with members all over the world. Although most of the discussions took place on the forum, every month a member was chosen at random to select the next month’s book and the location of the in-person meeting. Members who couldn’t make it to the meeting were invited to join them via video chat. Daphne, Chloe, Tegan, and a handful of other members from the Cape got together for their own monthly meetings. This month a member in Nebraska had chosen the book His Surrender and a location that was near her home.
“How about Nauset Light Beach?” Daphne suggested. Her parents had a standing date with Hadley the nights of Daphne’s monthly book club meetings, and even though they kept her overnight every few weeks, they were always eager for more.