CHAPTER FIVE

      PANIC SHADOWED GINNY’S EYES as she shrugged off his arms and stepped back, bumping into the counter. Parker had heard the door and immediately gave her some space.

      “Tilda?” Ginny’s voice broke. “What are you doing here?”

      “Um...” The girl entered the kitchen and slowed to a stop when she saw Parker. “I live here?”

      “You’re supposed to be camping. Why aren’t you with Kaley and her family?”

      The teen was tall and slim, her long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail that fell past her shoulders. Her big brown eyes went wide with surprise as her gaze bounced from Ginny to Parker. “Kaley’s brother had an allergic reaction to something and had to go to urgent care.”

      “So the trip is canceled?”

      “No. That happened yesterday. We’re on our way to Sunset Pond now.” She blinked at Parker, then gave him a little smile. “Hi.”

      Ginny cleared her throat. “Oh, Parker, this is my daughter. Tilda, this is Parker Nolan.”

      “Any relationship to Meg?”

      He offered her his hand, which she shook with a firm grip. “I’m her brother.”

      Tilda’s grin widened. “I haven’t gotten to meet her yet, but Mom talks about her a lot. And she has tons of pictures of them from high school...” She trailed off, frowning, and turned to Ginny. “Did Meg make it for the reunion?”

      Ginny shook her head.

      “I was hoping she might be here, so I figured I’d show up and surprise her,” Parker said with a shrug, wondering how much Ginny had told her daughter. “Guess the joke’s on me.”

      Tilda gave him a closer look. “Did you go to Roger Williams too?”

      He almost smiled at her lack of subtlety. And here he’d even shaved. “Nope.”

      The girl was quite a bit older than she was in the picture he’d seen in the living room. Fifteen maybe? No, she had to be younger since Ginny—

      His chest tightened. He studied Tilda more intently. She didn’t resemble Ginny, which didn’t necessarily mean anything. She didn’t look like him either, though her crooked smile reminded him of Meg. But that was really reaching. The math though. Numbers didn’t lie.

      To have a kid this age meant Ginny would have been with someone else shortly after Parker left. He’d never seen her as the type to do something like that, but then they hadn’t known each other long. He hated to think it might have been a rebound mistake.

      “I still don’t know why you’re here,” Ginny said, just as he’d been about to ask Tilda her age.

      “I forgot something.”

      “Ah, what a surprise.” Ginny seemed jumpy, fisting the front of her shabby robe. Being caught in their semicompromising situation could account for her nerves. But her face should’ve been pink, not ashen.

      Tilda’s gaze settled on Ginny’s hand, then lowered all the way down her robe. “Mom!” She moved closer to Ginny. “Are you serious?” she said, her hushed voice loud enough for Parker to hear.

      He might’ve laughed if his mind hadn’t been racing in several directions at once.

      A horn honked.

      They both glanced toward the window. Then Ginny gave her daughter a stern look. “Are Kaley and her mom waiting in the car for you?”

      “Oops.” Tilda backed up. “I need to get my phone charger, then I’m outta here.” She sent her mom an eye signal that had something to do with the ugly robe, then she smiled at Parker. “Nice meeting you,” she said and took off.

      “I can’t believe the time.” Ginny’s gaze lingered on the wall clock long enough for him to know she was avoiding him. “At the risk of sounding rude, I’ve got to get moving. I’m already late and I still need to get dressed.”

      “No problem. I didn’t mean to keep you.” He retrieved his cup from the table and took it to the sink.

      “Oh, please, leave it. I feel terrible rushing you as it is. It’s just that we have a few scheduled events and I haven’t seen my old gang for ages. Anyway, I’m sure you’re anxious to be on your way.” She was rushing her words, clearly eager for him to leave, and that made him suspicious. “I don’t know if you heard about the storm headed up the coast. You know how awful the winds can be this time of year. I’d hate to see you stranded because your flight was canceled.”

      Parker knew about the storm. If it hit land this far north, and that was a big if, the weather bureau predicted it wouldn’t happen until next week.

      “Thanks for your concern,” he said, “but I’m in no hurry. Besides, what about having that drink we talked about?”

      “Did we?”

      Parker smiled. “Tell you what, your friends will only be here for...what...two more days? You go have fun with them. I’ll entertain myself, visit some of my old haunts, then we can meet up after everyone’s left. How does that sound?”

      “I work for a living. It was hard squeezing in the reunion. I can’t just—”

      “That sounds like a great idea.” Tilda stuck her head into the kitchen. “She never goes out. Ever. Okay, I’ve got my charger and we’re off. See you on Monday.”

      Ginny’s glare included both of them.

      Parker waited until he heard the front door close. “Tilda’s a smart kid. Very pretty too.”

      Avoiding his eyes, Ginny opened the dishwasher, forcing him to back up. She put both cups on the top rack and closed it.

      “How old is she?”

      After washing her hands and drying them, she muttered, “Thirteen.”

      He watched her hang up the towel, her hand trembling, and in that moment he knew. “Is she mine?”

      Ginny straightened and faced him. Her eyes and voice clear as could be. “No. She isn’t.”

      “You expect me to believe that?”

      “What you believe is irrelevant. It’s the truth.”

      If he hadn’t seen the girl and then Ginny’s reaction with his own eyes, he probably would’ve believed her. “Is she really thirteen?”

      Ginny let out a sigh. “No. Fourteen. I lied because I knew you’d think exactly what you’re thinking, which would turn into a big hassle for nothing.” She shook her head. “I swear to you, Tilda isn’t yours.”

      Parker frowned. They’d used protection, he’d made sure of that. But something wasn’t adding up here. Before he could open his mouth, she walked past him toward the hallway.

      She stopped, looked back. “By the way, this doesn’t give you the right to ask any personal questions about my dating history after you left town. Now, I really do need to get going and so do you.”

      He had to admit, she was being calm now. But he sure hadn’t imagined her nervousness earlier. “So I’m supposed to just take your word for it?”

      “Yes.”

      “Mind if I see her birth certificate?”

      She