“You were what?”

She held up her hands. “Nothing happened. Jeremy saved me. I know I told you we met through a mutual friend, but that wasn’t really true. He rescued me from an assault.”

Mitch’s mouth went dry. His baby girl attacked? “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She hesitated. “I shouldn’t have been walking alone. I wanted to pretend it never happened.”

Anger and regret rolled around in his mouth like a pinch of chew from a Skoal can. “You should be able to walk wherever you want.” His fists clenched. “Did he hurt you?”

“No. It just . . .”

“Just what?”

“Scared me.”

He shook out his hands. Took a deep breath. He hadn’t been there to protect her. “Jeremy saved you?”

She nodded.

“And you’re okay?”

She nodded again. “I promise.”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. He wrapped his arms around her, knowing it was like trying to grasp a snowflake in his hand. “I’m so sorry.”

She submitted to the hug for a moment, then pulled away. “It was Jeremy’s idea to take a break from school for a little while. He knew how much I was struggling.”

Jeremy knew. Mitch hung his head. He hadn’t known. He’d been too buried under his own grief. Too unbending in his expectations. Too quick to judge. “I’m glad you did.”

She gave him a skeptical look. “You are?”

“You guys were right to make that decision together. That’s how it should be.”

It had been easy for him to question Jeremy’s place in Bea’s life—to want to always be the one she turned to in times of trouble—but he knew what Caroline would do if she were here. She’d hum Bob Carlisle’s “Butterfly Kisses,” pat his cheek, and tell him to get over it.

His voice was thick. “Your mother would be proud of you.”

“I miss her so much.”

“Me too.”

“I wish we could talk about her.”

“We will.” He’d thought holding the pain and memories inside, keeping them to himself, would prevent Caroline from slowly fading away. But all it had done was put up a wall. “From now on, we can talk about her anytime you want.”

Bea nodded. “Okay.”

He put a hand on her shoulder, and for a moment they stood together, remembering. Then a low rumble caught his attention.

Bea put a hand on her stomach. “Can we eat lunch now? The baby’s hungry.”

Mitch studied his daughter. Marge had been right. This baby was coming whether the ideal situation ever did or not. “I can’t wait to meet this baby.”

Bea’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“He’s going to take after his grandpa, I bet.” Mitch grinned and held out his arm. “Right this way to the kitchen.”

They found Jeremy there, pulling items from the fridge to make sandwiches. Mitch caught his eye and nodded.