“We don’t have to roll everything out at once. If Noah’s mature enough to understand why we never married, he’s certainly mature enough to understand that we never will. We’ll still be a family. It’ll just look different.”

“And you hope Kimba will be part of this new family you’re dreaming of?” Mona snorts. “Based on what I’ve seen of Kimba, a white picket fence might feel like a cage. She’s gunning for the nation’s next hottest campaign, and she’s coming off the last one. Take what you can get, but don’t expect everything from her, okay?”

I’m still turning her words over in my head, figuring out what’s true and what I can “settle” for from Kimba, when Mona yawns.

“Busting up your little love nest has worn me out,” she says, heading for the back door. “I’m going home.”

I walk with her into the yard. She waves to Kimba, who still sits on the edge of the trampoline and waves back with a small smile, her attention obviously on the phone call. I check the garden, a cover for the fact that I want to be nearby when Kimba finishes her call.

“Okay, Piers,” she finally says. “Keep me posted, and thanks.”

I cut through the squash and string beans to reach the trampoline. She extends her hand, a worried look on her face. I walk over, climb up onto the trampoline and pull her inside the net covering with me. I lay us both down and tuck her into my side, pushing the hair away from her face.

“Everything okay?” I ask after a few silent seconds.

She shakes her head and wraps an arm around my waist, squeezing tight. Angling my head down to see the frown on her face, I lift her chin with my index finger. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Piers, a guy from my team who always has his ear to the ground for me, heard something…disturbing.”

“What’d he hear?”

“He found out someone’s written an unauthorized biography about my father.”

“He was a great man. Lots of public figures have biographies written about them. Is there something bad in it? Lies?”

“Definitely lies.” She pulls away and slants a searching look up at me. “This author alleges my father had an affair.”

“What? Who do they say he had an affair with?”

“Your mother,” Kimba says, her voice quiet and questioning. “That’s ridiculous, right? My dad would never…your mom…it makes no sense.”