Page 120 of Simon Says

“No.” Dakota shook her head. “Like you said, Barnaby isn’t the fatherly sort. He’s barely the human sort.”

“Agreed.”

“That’s why I already told Simon to forget about the whole thing.”

“He mentioned that you had.”

“From the beginning, I figured Barnaby planned to use Simon somehow. And still I tried to manipulate Simon into agreeing. If I tell him everything now, he’ll think I’m awful, worse than Bonnie.”

“No way. You’re nothing like her and Simon knows it.” Barber tapped his fingers on the tabletop. “So what happens to the letters since Simon won’t see Barnaby?”

“They’ll be destroyed.” Before Barber could work himself into another fit, Dakota tried to reassure him. “Hey, don’t sweat it. I’ve decided I don’t care anymore.”

“Don’t bullshit me.”

“No, I won’t. I’m not sure I could.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she struggled to find the right words. “Maybe Mom wrote me something nice.” She looked up at Barber. “But maybe she didn’t. Maybe she was still mad and wanted me to know how she resented my behavior. Whatever the letters say, they won’t change anything, so in the long run, it doesn’t matter if I see them or not. From here on, I’m moving forward and forgetting the past.”

Measuring her resolve, Barber said, “I hope you mean that, considering you and Simon have something going on. A bona fide relationship. Maybe a future together.”

She wanted to believe that. “With Simon so busy making his comeback, who knows if things between us will go anywhere?”

Barber looked at her with sober intensity. “I’d say you two were in love, but I don’t want you to keel over on me.”

Dakota ducked her head. This time, the “L” word didn’t rattle her quite as much. “I’d already decided to tell Simon about Barnaby. Not about the letters or any of that, but I’ll fess up to the fact that Barnaby was my stepfather until my mother’s death.”

“Why do I feel a big ‘but’ coming on?”

“I was just thinking…it might not be so bad if I go to see Barnaby first. Like you said, he’s a liar. I could feel him out a little, try to figure out why he wants to see Simon so badly.”

With every word she spoke, Barber looked more apprehensive. “Okay, hold up. Before you start talking up a visit with Barnaby, can I tell you what I think you should do?”

Dakota snorted. “Like I could stop you?”

He drew a calming breath. “I know it’s not your strong suit and with good reason, but you should try a little trust. That’s always a good first step, and for a guy like Simon, trust will be top of his list.”

“I trust you.”

His expression left a twinge in her heart. “I know, and I love you for it. But Simon’s the one, so you gotta extend the trust to him, too. Tell himeverything, hon, and then if you have to go see Barnaby, see him with Simon, not on your own.”

She picked at her French fries while thinking that over. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I do trust Simon—I think I always have. I can’t explain it, but from the day I met him, I felt like I knew him. And for some reason, he’s the only man I’ve been attracted tothatway, too, if you catch my drift.”

“I catch it. And that’s another reason to clear the air and get rid of the lies.”

Seeing the mess she’d made of a fry, Dakota wiped the salt off her hands and covered the plate with her napkin. “In the short time we’ve known each other, Simon’s had too much of my drama dumped over his head. He made it clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with Barnaby. But if I tell him about the letters, he might go see him for me. I don’t want that responsibility.”

“What if Simon is right about Marvin and Barnaby working together?”

Dakota didn’t know what to think. “I talked with Barnaby earlier. I even accused him of sending Marvin here.”

“You didwhat?”

“He denied it, and I dunno, Barber. I think I believe him.”

“I don’t fucking believe this.”

Lifting her brows, Dakota said, “What?”

Face furious, he leaned closer. “It’s like poking a bear with a stick. Do you want Barnaby to get pissed?”

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