“Have you heard the saying Love doesn’t divide, it multiplies?”

I blink back the tears.

“My precious daughter, how do you think God can love every single person on this earth? I’m sharing my life with Deedy, but the love I have for you and Sydney can never be shared. Not with each other and not with Deedy.”

I set a few tears free.

“And I’m not giving Deedy the love I had and will always have for your mom.”

“Bethanne said you were lonely.”

He gives me a small smile. “I was but that’s life. Peaks and valleys. I thanked God for my life, and I even thanked him for the years I’ve had by myself to reflect on my life—the love and loss. Then I asked him for … something.”

He rubs his thumbs over my wet cheeks. “I didn’t even know what that was until a friend of mine told me about the church chatroom.”

“Anthony cheated on me.” A sob breaks free. I’ve been waiting to say those words that have been locked up in a prison of denial for days. “And he’s taking away the spa. Now I don’t have a job. And my hand may never be the same. A-and … and I’m almost thirty with no direction, no other skills.”

“Oh, Avery, Avery, Avery …” He pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head. “Have faith. Embrace this time in your life and be open to the lessons life has to teach you.”

“I am. I’ve learned to hate all men except you.”

He chuckles. “I fear you’re distracted by the little details and therefore missing the bigger picture. Be open to let miracles grace your life.”

“Jake’s here,” Deedy calls from the living room.

I fish a tissue from my purse. “My makeup …”

“Go do your thing in the bathroom. We’ll get your stuff loaded up, and I’ll make sure Swarley is ready to go too.”

I kiss my dad on the cheek. “Thank you.”

After fixing my smeared makeup and using the bathroom one last time, I grab my handbag and meet everyone in the driveway. Jake scratches his head while staring at my luggage, one hand planted on his hip.

“Hi.”

He looks up at me with slightly narrowed eyes. My gaze drops to his T-shirt with a duct tape X over the front of it.

Silence is Golden

Duct Tape is Silver

“In case you needed a reminder.” He grins.

I frown. “That’s a red pickup truck.”

“Sorry, did you request a different color?” Jake slips his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

“Where’s the RV?”

“RV?”

“Recreational vehicle.”

He shakes his head. “I know what it stands for. I just don’t know why you’re talking about it.”

“Because you said we’re going to camp along the way.”