Later, she’d have to think about that but for now she directed her newfound courage into her smile. “It’s good to see you, too, Nate.”

She’d thought that seeing him might feel like closure, but it didn’t. It felt like a beginning.

Unsettled by that, she took Ashley’s hand and walked with her to the deck.

14

Ashley

“Those were the best pancakes.” Ashley looked with some surprise at her empty plate. It was the first time since the accident that she’d eaten food and enjoyed it.

“It’s good to see you eat. I was starting to worry.” Joanna had barely touched her own food.

Was she finding it stressful?

Ashley knew all about stress. “I don’t think there was room inside me for food, anxiety and the baby.” The knot in her stomach that had been there since she’d climbed into the car with Cliff, maybe even before that, had gone. She felt—safe? No, it was more than that. She felt as if she mattered. As if people cared. Greg, Nate and Mel had cared, even though they were strangers. Most importantly of all, Joanna cared. Joanna had come after her. Joanna had been sick with worry. When had anyone last worried about her? “I couldn’t believe it when you walked into that room. I didn’t think I’d see you again. I thought you’d be relieved to find me gone.”

“Relieved? Your note scared me to death. I kept imagining terrible things happening to you.”

Ashley looked at her. Laughter bubbled up. “Joanna, my mom died, I got pregnant, I found out Cliff Whitman was my dad and whatever you say I’m sure I played a part in killing him, I was in a car wreck, the media think I’m a scheming blackmailer and on top of that I dragged you into my whole sorry life so now I have that on my conscience. How much worse could it be?” She saw Joanna’s gaze flicker around the deck nervously. “Sorry. I should have used an indoor voice.”

“Why? We’re not hiding. And when you put it like that—” Joanna gave an awkward laugh. “You’re right. It’s been bad. But for what it’s worth, you don’t need to have me on your conscience. I’m happy fate brought us together.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. Where were you going, anyway?”

Ashley shrugged. Was it embarrassing to admit she hadn’t even thought that far? “I was going to head back home and maybe crash with a friend for a while until I figure out what to do. I’m going to have to get a job. Find somewhere to live, try and pay off those hospital bills.” Her insides tightened as anxiety returned. A mountain of problems and challenges lay ahead, and she wasn’t sure how to tackle them.