But if her father didn’t want to face the past, Caitlyn understood that.

On Sunday morning, the house phone was ringing before Caitlyn got out of bed. She stumbled to it.

“He’s horrible!”

It was a woman’s voice but Caitlyn didn’t recognize it.

“He was sullen and sulky. Never said a word but his eyes spoke volumes. All night long, he glowered at me. Like an evil cartoon character.”

“Heather,” Caitlyn said.

“Yes, it’s me. Your former friend. You wanted to get rid of him, didn’t you? He probably fixated on you, so you dumped him on us.”

“No!” Cait said. “That’s not true. Dr. Jones is a great guy.”

“You don’t even call him by his first name. Really, Cait, what you did is unforgivable. We trusted you. Believed you, and you dumped that sulking man on us. He made me feel awful, like I was ugly and stupid and a predator! I’m telling everyone what you did!”

“But I didn’t—” Heather had hung up.

“Trouble in paradise?” her father said, yawning.

“I’m going to kill him. Just plain rip him into pieces. He has ruined me in this town. I didn’t do anything to deserve this!”

“Except for pimping him out.”

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes at her father. “If you think—”

The front door opened and in came the uncles. Unlike Caitlyn and her dad, they were dressed in crisp, clean clothes, carrying a basket of bran muffins fresh out of the oven. “We saw your light on and thought you’d like these.”

Paul looked from one to the other. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” Cait snapped.

“Heather Winters called and she had a rotten date with the doc and now she’s mad at Cait,” Miguel said.

“But that girl is Mason cream,” Seth said. “I dated her mother for years. Although I thought we were friends but she threw me aside in a very unpleasant way.”

“Wonder why?” Miguel said under his breath.

Paul was looking at Caitlyn. “Your name won’t be fit to mention around this town.”

“Quite the pariah,” Seth said.

“I’m going to go over there and tell him what I think of him,” Cait said.

“Oh,” Seth said. “Take him some muffins.”

“I’d like to give him some big, perfect red apples. From the grocery!” She stomped down the hall to her room and slammed the door.

“Hmm,” Paul said. “The witch’s poisoned apples.”

Seth looked at Miguel. “Your daughter appears to be in love with the new vet.”

“Even I figured that one out.” Miguel yawned again.

“Does she know?” Paul asked.

“She hasn’t a clue.”

“I bet she thinks there’ll be nothing after Jared,” Seth said.

“Probably.”

“Have you tried talking to her?” Paul asked.

“No.”

“Think you could—?”

“No.”

“But it might help if you—”