When she returned to the table, everyone stared, first at her, then at each other. Cord noticed that several young people at a nearby booth were exchanging nudges and whispers, pointing at Carly, some even checking their cell phones. Rude, he thought, wondering whether she’d noticed. But the evening was over, and their group prepared to leave. Both he and Shallie congratulated Carly on her performance as she got into Tina and Mitch’s car. Carly thanked them but remained impassive.

Back at the house, Cord suggested another drink—tea, wine, beer—and some conversation. They sat on the porch with the dogs, she with her spritzer, he with a beer, and talked about their astonishment at Carly’s talent. “Did she get that from her mother?” Had Reba been able to sing? They tried to remember and agreed it wasn’t something she did often, but she’d had the ability. It only happened occasionally, like the time she’d sung “Piece of My Heart” to Cord, with his arms around her, on another one of those campfire nights. She’d stopped abruptly when she became aware of the attention she was attracting. From Shallie among others…

“‘Piece of My Heart,’” Shallie said now, speaking quietly. Yes, she’d been there that night. He recalled, however faintly, the look on her face back then. A look he hadn’t quite been able to interpret. Disgust? Anger? Confusion? The only reason he remembered it at all was the difference between her reaction and everyone else’s. The others who’d been there had either laughed or cheered them on.

He wondered how Shallie felt about that memory—especially since he’d begun to question how he felt.

After a few minutes’ silence, she asked, “How would you feel if it turns out you’re Carly’s father?”

“Fine—but there are other possibilities.”

“Yeah, two of them. It’s ultimately going to be about the DNA.”

He sighed. “Do you have any sense of her willingness to go through a test like that?”

“We haven’t discussed it yet. I didn’t find the right opportunity today, and you haven’t given me the questions yet. But I promise I’ll talk to her. If you’re sure you can’t do it?”

“I’m sorry. I’d rather you had that conversation with her. This time, anyway. Like I told you, I’m really not comfortable with it, and I’m not convinced she would be, either.”

“I want whatever’s best for Carly. And,” she added, “for you.”

He nodded his thanks, so moved by her simple statement he could barely speak. Her next remark changed the mood.

“But don’t forget you, Eli and J.P. have to do the test, too.”

“There isn’t, shall we say, universal acceptance of that plan. They don’t seem ready to find out, one way or the other.”