“We covered that,” Clare said with mounting desperation. “My sister and her husband are willing to be appointed his legal guardians, if need be.”

“I know, and I think it’s a perfect solution, but unfortunately it’s not my decision. I get so many applications from people who’re borderline cases. Half the time, I wonder if they aren’t in it for the tiny bit of state aid they get when they adopt a child out of foster care. Then I have one like you—educated with a beautiful home, plenty of money, impeccable references, and lots of love to give a child, yet you get turned down.”

“It’s not fair.”

“You’re right. It’s not fair, but the system is there to protect the children, and flawed or not, it’s the only system we have.”

“Does he have so many better options?”

Janice shook her head. “He’s in foster care with little hope for adoption because he’s biracial and no longer an infant.”

“Maybe I’d have better luck with a private adoption.”

“It’s likely you’d encounter many of the same obstacles.”

Clare had already lost Aidan, and now there would be no child, either.

“I’m so sorry, Clare,” Janice said when Clare walked her to the door. “If anything changes, be sure to let me know.”

“Thanks for all you did.”

“I wish it could’ve been more.”

Crushed, Clare closed the door and leaned against it. Now what?

Clare spent a week in Nashville with Kate, who was in final preparations for her tour with Buddy and Taylor. They were all riding high on the success of Kate’s first single, “I Thought I Knew,” which debuted at number five on the country charts and sailed straight to number one, where it remained three weeks later. Clare and Kate had dinner one night with the two superstars, and once she got over being star struck, Clare found them to be down to earth and fun. She was relieved that such good people were guiding Kate’s career.

During her week with Kate, there’d been no mention of Reid. Clare didn’t ask, and Kate didn’t offer, so Clare was cautiously optimistic that something had happened between them. Recalling Aidan’s advice to play it cool, she held her tongue on the subject.

Once she returned home, though, Clare had to admit she was adrift. Ever since the state denied her petition to adopt a month ago, she’d been trying to figure out what to do next and was thinking about getting a job to pass the long, empty days when the girls weren’t around.

She’d been home from Nashville for a week when she received a frantic call from Jack, telling her Maggie had been hurt in an accident.

“What happened?” Clare cried.