Page 67 of Seaside Cowboy's Marriage of Convenience

Not really.

“Yes.” Kennedy took off after the red light. True to her word, she’d flown in two prominent doctors for Mrs. Dixon, and the prognosis had become much better. Kennedy tried to be a better person, and there was no time to start like now. And okay, by forgiving that woman for what had happened that horrible day, maybe Kennedy could finally forgive herself, as well.

“All right. As per your request, I showed her photos of you as a child, one of them taken the morning Zoey disappeared. You were right.” Marina paused. “She snatched the wrong child.”

Yup. Mrs. Dixon meant it when she’d lamented her horrible mistake, but she’d meant taking the wrong person.

Kennedy eased up on the gas, going back in time. “We were cousins, but we resembled each other like sisters. I’d spilled chocolate milk on my blue dress, and Auntie let me wear one of Zoey’s, a beige one. So in return, I gave Zoey my blue ribbons for her hair. A little fashionista, she decided to wear an aquamarine-blue dress to match them. Mrs. Dixon snatched the wrong girl.” Guilt slammed into her again. She ground her teeth as she turned to the left.

“Yes. Mrs. Dixon didn’t expect two girls to be there, and Zoey looked somewhat like the girl in the photo. Blue dress, blue ribbons and all.”

Kennedy rubbed her forehead. “But Auntie wouldn’t order that kidnapping. I was no use to her.” She realized it especially sharply now.

The dogs in the back seat barked as if voicing their support or because they were dogs and barking was what they did.

“Zoey’s mother might be throwing off the blame, but she says it was your father who ordered your kidnapping.” Marina’s voice was sad and cautious as if she walked on thin ice.

Kennedy would’ve slammed on the brakes if, deep inside, she hadn’t suspected something like that. “But why?” Her father hadn’t seemed to love her much, but would he hate her enough to order a kidnapping?

“We might never know exactly. It’s all speculation now. My guess is he found out his wife was unfaithful and thought you might not be his daughter. That might be the reason he neglected you. Sorry, Kennedy. DNA tests weren’t as easy to do back then.”

Strangely enough, it became easier to breathe the air scented with a sweet vanilla fragrance from the air freshener. Thoughts that she’d done something wrong for her dad not to love her had locked her in the house of guilt. Austin’s words in the castle and now Marina’s on the phone were opening the door for her to step outside. “What did dear Auntie say? How did he explain my kidnapping to her?”

“She said that, on the day of the kidnapping, he came to her, terrified and desperate for help. He cried and said it was all a horrible mistake and to forgive him and that he’d return her daughter if she helped cover up what happened. She was furious at first, but then saw her opportunity.”

Kennedy made a turn again, rearranging memories in her brain like new parts of the puzzle. “I remembered Auntie visiting a lot, but was shethatclose with my father? He took a huge risk by coming to her for help in such a situation.”

“She says that, though nothing inappropriate happened between them, they became close based on the common ground of being unhappy in their marriages but unable to leave. Plus, he thought he had leverage to make her cooperate—after all, he had Zoey.” Marina cleared her throat. “I didn’t answer the question why. She says he wanted to make your mother suffer. Even if she didn’t show it much, she cared about you deep down.”

“Must beverydeep down. And he wanted to hurt her by kidnapping me?” Kennedy’s voice rose, making the dogs bark again.

“She says he got drunk and made a horrible decision. And eventually, years later when you were a teenager he wanted to confess to the police, but—”

“My parents’ accident wasn’t an accident.” Breathing became difficult again, and Kennedy squeezed the steering wheel so much her knuckles whitened. She pulled into the vet clinic’s parking lot, gasping for air.

“He called her and gave her the chance to come clean, as well. But he didn’t realize what she was capable of. She chose a different route. I’m sorry, Kennedy.”

“Not your fault. And thank you for getting all this information. Closure is closure. I’m grateful to have it.” Kennedy parked and turned off the engine. Being with Austin taught her that one couldn’t change the past. But she could change what she did about it.

“You’re starting a totally different life with a totally different kind of family.” The sad tones vanished as Marina spoke. “A happy one.”

“I’m not sure about that. If Austin is happy with me, I mean. He still hasn’t said he loves me.” Kennedy’s rib cage tightened.

“Iam sure about it. Believe me, Austin loves you as much as Kai loves me, and that’s saying something.” Marina’s voice warmed. “Okay, I hear you arrived at your destination. I’ll talk to you soon.”

After disconnecting, Kennedy got the dogs and carried them inside because she didn’t trust them not to dart away. Austin was wonderful, but a few vet visits hadn’t been exactly painless for the dogs. Her heart shifted in her chest as she approached the wall where Skylar had long ago painted a playful kitten and puppy. Kennedy had a lot of unpleasant, even traumatic surprises lately. She hoped this would be a pleasant one.

She wasn’t sure how she’d open the front door, but someone opened it for her. The moment she stepped inside, she nearly dropped both dogs.

Thankfully, she held onto them, but her jaw did drop. Bright balloons filled the hall near the ceiling so the pets couldn’t reach them, though a few tried.

She placed Caramel and Smiley on the floor as she took everything in.

Her uncle was standing close to her mother-in-law, and both of them were smiling ear to ear. Huh. While Austin’s mother smiled a lot, that wasn’t the case for Uncle, and Kennedy suspected it wasn’t just because his health prognosis was much better now. Her lips widened, as well. Could she hope an unlikely romance was blooming between two people she adored and who’d become like parents to her?

Dallas and Skylar were there with their golden retriever near them. Then Kai and Marina with Caramel’s sister and Kai’s parrot. And Rachel—though petless—and almost all of Austin’s brothers with a puppy each. As well as several of his patients and even Saylor with a cat that must’ve belonged to a patient. Each human was holding a sign with a letter.

Together, the letters read:

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