a daddy.”
“Well, you could have fooled me. You should have seen how he hovered over Piper on Saturday night,” her mother said with a firm nod of her head.
“That was just one night, Mama,” she said. “He may be thinking he’s not ready to take us on a full-time basis,” Stacey said. “I can’t really blame him. A lot of men wouldn’t want to father someone else’s child.”
“You can’t possibly believe that,” her mother said. “Colton Foster is a good man. He would always do what’s right.”
“But how is it right for him to take on the responsibility for a child that isn’t his?” Stacey countered. “How is it fair?”
Her mother frowned. “I think you may be jumping the gun. You need to give Colton a little time.”
“I’m trying not to pressure him, but everyone we run into seems to want to make a comment or give advice about us seeing each other. I don’t know,” she said, shrugging even though she was miserable. “Plus, I haven’t told you, but there’s a terrible rumor going around about us. Some people seem to think that the only reason I’ve started spending time with Colton is to get back at Joe.”
“Well, that’s a complete fabrication. How would Joe even know that you’re seeing Colton since he hasn’t bothered to check on you or his baby?” her mother asked, indignantly. “If I were a lesser person, I could wish some bad things on that boy. Leaving you in the lurch like that. With a note, no less. Thinking about it still makes my blood boil.”
Stacey knotted her fingers together, then pulled them apart and knotted them again. “This is turning into a big mess. I think I’d better give Colton some space.”
* * *
Jeanne Marie Fortune Jones stepped in line at the tiny Horseback Hollow post office. Her mind hopped and skipped to different issues weighing on her—Stacey’s romantic predicament and her troubled son Christopher—as she patiently waited her turn.
“Hello, Jeanne. Good to see you,” Olive Foster said as she got in line behind her neighbor. “How are you?”
“Good, thank you. I see you have packages,” Jeanne said. “Christmas gifts you need to return?”
Olive nodded. “I overdid it this year, and my husband, Frank, can be so hard to please,” she said with a heavy sigh. “What about you?”
“I’m sending a letter to my—” She broke off and smiled. “My sister in England, and another to my brother James. I know everyone uses email these days, but I thought both of them might enjoy a letter.”
“That’s nice of you. Are you still getting used to being a Fortune?” Olive asked.
Jeanne nodded and stepped forward. “It’s still hard to believe, but it’s wonderful having brothers and a sister and all these new nieces and nephews.”
“I think it’s so sweet that your children added the Fortune name,” Olive said. “It shows a lot of family unity.”
“Not all of them have,” Jeanne said, thinking of Liam. “But they’re all adults and it would be wrong for me to push them. They should make this decision on their own. It’s not a perfect situation, but I’m glad most of them are interested in getting to know their new family.” Jeanne thought, too, of her son Chris and the resentment he held against the Fortunes and their wealth. She wished he could let go of his ill feelings, because she knew he would be much happier if he did.
“How is Stacey doing? I heard she got sick the other night,” Olive said.
“Yes, she did, but she’s much better now. Colton took care of the baby during the worst part of it. You’ve raised a fine young man.”
Olive beamed with pride. “Thank you. We’re very blessed with both our children,” she said.
Jeanne hesitated, wondering if she should say anything else. “I know that Stacey has enjoyed spending time with him lately.”
“Yes, we are pleased about that. Stacey’s a wonderful young lady.”
Silence stretched for a long moment between them. “Of course, I understand if things don’t work out. They’ve just started seeing each other, and we don’t know what will happen in the long run.”
Olive looked pensive and stepped closer to Jeanne. “It’s none of my business, but is something wrong between them?” she asked in a lowered voice. “Colton hasn’t said a word about her the past few days, and he seems a bit withdrawn.”
“Well, I have to confess I’ve been concerned lately, too. Even though I love Colton, I told Stacey to be careful about getting involved again. She didn’t seem to appreciate me giving my opinion,” Jeanne said. “It’s hard to hold your tongue when you worry about your children.”
“I know what you’re saying. I hate to admit it, but I asked my husband to speak to Colton about spending time with Stacey. I wanted it made clear that he shouldn’t take advantage of her.” Olive winced. “I wonder if I should have kept my thoughts to myself.”
“They’re adults and very responsible,” Jeanne said. “I’d hate to think I helped to mess up anything by sticking my nose in their business.”
“Me, too,” Olive said miserably. “I suppose it wouldn’t help to bring it up to Colton in casual conversation.”
“Probably not,” Jeanne said.
Olive sighed. “I guess we’ll just have to do what we should have done from the beginning. Be quiet and hope for the best.”
Jeanne nodded in agreement, but she worried about her daughter. Stacey had already been hurt enough. “Please don’t tell anyone, but someone has started a terrible rumor,” she confided to Olive.
“About Stacey and Colton?” Olive asked in surprise.
“Yes. Someone, and we don’t know who, has been saying that the only reason Stacey has been spending time with Colton was to get back at Joe because he left her. The reason I’m telling you is because I want you to know that is absolutely not true. I think Stacey has fallen for your son, but she feels as if she needs to back off and give him some breathing room.”
Olive frowned and shook her head. “Why is it that people find it necessary to gossip about people who are just trying to do their best? If someone is stupid enough to repeat that rumor to me, I’ll set them straight. You can count on it.”
Jeanne felt a surge of gratitude inside her at Olive’s protectiveness of Stacey. “You’ve always been the best neighbors we could have. I would love it if we could be in-laws,” Jeanne said. “I’ll be saying my prayers and crossing my fingers that our children will work this out.”
Chapter Eleven
Piper had lost her favorite binky. Or, someone had lost Piper’s favorite pacifier. Perhaps her father’s hunting dog had eaten it. The who didn’t matter. The fact was that Stacey needed to get a replica of the favorite binky immediately. As Stacey headed out the door on a cold, rainy winter night, Jude called out, “Hey, do you mind picking up a burger for me from
