Page 41 of Unforgiven in Cheshire Bay

“Do you want to know if I have judged you?”

I shook my head and focused out the windshield at the long, windy road ahead. “I don’t need you to confirm, I know you have. And I get it. There’s a not-so-nice title that comes along with the wordssingle mother. Trust me, I’ve heard them all. Small town, right? Everyone forms and vocalizes their opinion and for a while, it’s all anyone and everyone will discuss, but only until something new and exciting rolls in. Thankfully, my story wasn’t out for long. There’s always a bigger fish.”

“Whatisyour story? You never mention anyone else.” His gaze quickly jumped to my naked hand, before returning to the road.

“I come from a big family, two parents, four siblings. We all grew up in the area. I got pregnant with Vera and became a single mother. Started my own company, and well, here I am.”

“There’s more to you than that.”

“Nope.”

“No best friends?”

A weak smile surfaced, and I tore my gaze from the road and threw it to him. “Well, I’m not twelve, so I don’t actually classify anyone as my best friend. That just sounds like a lot of pressure to put on a person, but yes, I have some dear friends. You’ve met Libby and Francesca.”

“I stand corrected, and you know what, I take it back. The term best friends does have a childish sound to it.” He returned his focus to the road, gripping the wheel a little tighter.

“I have more friends though… There’s Mia. Plus, on occasion, I hang out with Summer, but mostly because she’s dating my brother, oh, and Chloe too.”

“Ah, yes, Dr. Tarkin.” The way he said her name, there was something there, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Hostility? Indifference? It was hard to tell.

“However, that’s about it in the friends department. My group isn’t large but they’re everything to me. So that’s about it for me.”

“Hmm…” His eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second. “I’m not buying it. There’s more to you than that, however, I’m interested in learning all about you, like your likes and dislikes. Do you like desserts?”

“Who doesn’t?”

He looked deep into my eyes. “My ex. She was afraid even the tiniest piece of chocolate cake would make her fat, so she never touched the stuff.”

“Wow. I just avoid it when I’m out because it’s pricey, and I can typically make it at home for much cheaper.”

“Have you always been frugal?”

I recoiled. “You say it like it’s a bad word.”

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry if that’s how it sounds. It wasn’t meant to. I just mean, have you always lived paycheque to paycheque?”

Obviously, it had been easy to see how he got to that assumption. My accommodation was average, and the furniture was second-hand.

“Yup. I have a slight petty cash fund for emergencies, but I don’t use it. Every activity is well planned out, however, I don’t want Vera to lack much.”

“You’re doing a great job.”

“Thank you. You really dazzled her with the rose and the ASL. She’ll remember that for a long time.”

The speedometer climbed slightly above the speed limit.

“Does her father see her often?”

I snorted and rolled my hands into tight fists as I watched the rush of trees zoom by. “He’s no longer allowed, and it’s going to stay that way.”

The last time I saw Quinn was at the courthouse in Victoria when Vera was still a newborn, and he’d signed over all his parental rights. As part of the hush deal, his family had also deposited a large sum into my bank account, for the express purpose of putting a down payment on a house, which I finally found a couple of years later. When Quinn and his family walked away, I flipped them all the bird. That was the last I’d ever seen of the Stephens family.

“Sorry for bringing it up.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be snappy, you didn’t know. The father figures in her life are my father, Adam, Mia’s boyfriend Zachary, and Harrison, whenever he decides to show up.” The joys of being a young adult with zero responsibilities.

“That’s your little brother?”

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