Page 30 of Already Home

Which was true but also surprising, considering Beth had alwaysstayed at home. Jenna had loved her mother and hadn’t been looking for a way torebel. Maybe she was just different.

“You’ll find your own happy ending,” Beth told her. “No onepath is right for everyone. We all make compromises.”

“You didn’t compromise. You wanted to be a wife and a motherand you are.”

“I wanted more children,” Beth said. “I wanted a bigfamily.”

Jenna had forgotten that. Beth had been in a bad horsebackriding accident when she’d been young. The resulting injuries and surgery hadleft her damaged enough that it was unlikely that she could ever have children.She’d explained her situation to Marshall on their third date and had bravelytold him she would understand if he didn’t want to see her again. A man like himwanted sons of his own.

Jenna had heard the story a dozen times. He’d dropped Beth offat her sorority house and had been back first thing in the morning. He’d takenher in his arms, brushed away her tears and told her he loved her. That theywould adopt. They’d started the process the day after they’d returned from theirhoneymoon.

Less than six months after their marriage, they’d been givenJenna.

“You should have adopted more,” she said gently, touching hermother’s arm.

“In hindsight, maybe. But I’d heard so many stories about womenwho adopted, then got pregnant.”

Which had happened, Jenna thought sadly. Beth’s body hadfigured out a way to get pregnant but carrying to term had been impossible.She’d miscarried half a dozen times over several years.

Beth and Marshall had then turned to adoption again, only tohave two pregnant teens change their minds at the last minute. From what Jennahad figured out, they’d stopped trying to adopt after that.

“We were grateful to get you,” Beth said. “We stopped withperfection.”

“I’m not perfect, Mom. You know that.”

“I disagree. You were never like other teenagers. You didn’ttalk back, or turn surly.”

“What about the year I refused to clean my room?”

“Easy stuff when compared to drugs or sleeping around.”

Jenna widened her eyes. “Mom, I slept with the entire footballteam. Didn’t you know?”

Beth grinned. “Uh-huh. I don’t think so.”

Her mother was right, Jenna thought. She’d loved her parents,had enjoyed her life. Only once had she acted out in teenage rebellion. It hadbeen because she’d been grounded for a weekend after breaking curfew. Sure her“real” parents would understand her better, she’d decided to find them.

Two days later, filled with guilt and remorse, she’d returnedto the agency and withdrawn her name from the registry.

Her mother hugged her. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted, sweetie.You know that, right?”

“Yes. I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too. Now think about getting a social life.”

Jenna shook her head. “You can’t ever stop trying to makethings better, can you?”

“No. It’s in my DNA. You’re going to have to suffer through myquest for you to be happy.”

“I will be,” Jenna said.

But when her mother had left, she stood alone in the store andwondered what was the next step toward happiness. She was making a success ofsomething that could have been a disaster. She was trying new things, makingreal connections with people. So why did she still feel a gnawing emptinessinside?

* * *

Violet hesitated outside of Wildfire. The restaurantlooked welcoming. There were just enough people to make her feel as if the foodwas good but not so many as to be intimidating. It was five after seven onTuesday—which made her fashionably late for her date.

She’d changed her mind about coming at least seventeen times inthe past two hours. Even as she’d dressed, done her makeup and driven to OldTown, she’d kept thinking it was a mistake. She wasn’t even sure she likedCliff. He wasn’t anything like the guys she usually dated, which was a point inhis favor. The actual paying job that included an office and business cards wasnew. He’d been nice. Not too pushy.

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