She read the line again.
And again.
Her mother had cheated on her father. No, that wasn’t right. Her mother had cheated on her husband. On Jason Monroe. With a man named Dylan Quaid. A horse wrangler here on the ranch. Eden was the result.
She sat in Clark’s chair, reading the two lines that forever changed her world over and over again.
“Eden?” Clark’s voice was soft.
“Is this why you’re here?” she asked, not bothering to look at him. She didn’t need his answer. His briefcase sat on the ground by the box of letters. Two letters lay inside his briefcase. She stooped, placing the letters on her lap. “What were you planning to do with them?”
Clark didn’t say anything.
She stared up at him then. “Damn it, Clark, you owe me an explanation. What the hell is going on? Just the facts, nothing else. And I mean nothing.”
Clark sighed. “Your mom told your dad about this when he wouldn’t give her the divorce. Guess she hoped he’d give her the divorce if he knew the truth. Greg told me. He listened to the whole damn argument.”
“So everyone knows but me?” she asked, cradling the letters against her chest.
“No. Only Greg, your father and me. If your dad had it his way, no one else would ever know.” Clark shrugged.
“Why?” She lay back against the chair. “I’m sure he’s relieved I’m not his.”
“Her will. It specifically says her money is to be given to the father of Eden Jane Monroe, and the father of Gregory Ryan Monroe. Meaning he’d have to give half to your...dad.” Clark knelt beside her. “I’m sorry.”
Eden stared at him. Then past him.
The stars stretched out overhead, the only constant currently in Eden’s life. That, and she was alone. “What’s in this for you?”
“He didn’t want you to find out. Thought maybe you’d find something here to reveal the truth.”
“If I hadn’t found you tonight I would never have known.” She shook her head. “That’s terrifying. I would have kept trying and trying to win his love... Kept trying to figure out what was wrong with me. And you’d have let me.” She stooped, riffling through Clark’s briefcase.
“That’s all of them. Eden?”
“No more.” She stood, waving him away. She clutched the box of letters tight and pushed through the back door. Music was playing softly, the smell of popcorn scenting the air. Renata and Clara were talking, animated. But to Eden, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.
Renata and Clara stopped cleaning and froze, their expressions growing more alarmed with each passing second.
“Eden?” Renata asked.
“What happened?” Clara asked. “You’re so pale. Sit.”
Eden sat, still holding the box. She stared into the empty fireplace, imagining how cheery it would be during the winter months. She could imagine this place then, wrapped in lights and full of smiling faces.
“Drink this.” Renata pressed a glass into her hand.
Eden took a sip, wincing at the sting of whiskey. “Whoa.” She blinked, eyeing the glass. It burned all the way down to her belly, knocking the haze away and waking her up. “Thanks.”
Renata nodded. “You okay?”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
“You told him?” Clara asked. “What did he say?”
Eden glanced at Renata, embarrassed and ashamed.
“Oh, dad told me. I admit I was surprised, but I figured Archer would get over it when you told him you loved him.” Renata frowned. “Guess it didn’t go well?”