A Daughter's Redemption. Georgiana Daniels

under any other circumstances. “Are you giving me the brush-off? I have to warn you—” she leaned in close “—I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

      His heart skidded. The fact that she wasn’t going to be easy to get rid of—and that her shimmering eyes and easygoing confidence were already wearing down his protective wall—was precisely the problem.

      Chapter Three

      Robyn spent the better part of the next morning trying not to notice Caleb, who was clad in a fitted white T-shirt and baggy jeans. As he fixed the leak under the kitchen sink, he finally appeared to relax and carry his end of the conversation, though he still seemed reluctant to venture beyond talk about plumbing and floorboards. She wondered if Brad and Abby had gotten to him with negative comments about her before she arrived.

      Since she hadn’t found Ginger Hanson the day before, she headed into town while Caleb sawed wood for the porch. She made a mental note to swing by the grocery store since she’d had to skimp by on stale crackers and tuna she’d found in a cupboard. At least Brad and Abby had left something.

      Seeing Ginger for the first time brought back a rush of memories, as did the windy stroll through the town square where the women stopped at a coffee cart.

      Iced mochas in hand, Ginger launched into the conversation as though not even a year had passed, much less a decade. “The news about your dad was a shock. I didn’t find out until I got back from vacation. I was hoping to see you, but I figured you’d be gone by the time I got back.” She gently laid her hand on Robyn’s arm.

      “It looks like I’ll be stuck here for a while.” As they walked, Robyn sipped her mocha and soaked in the sights of the lazy, secluded town. The Tasty Pastry, the ice cream parlor and the pizza joint hadn’t changed a bit. Across the road sat a new bookstore and a youth center to complete the town square. Several people milled about the courthouse lawn, despite the storm looming overhead. She’d forgotten how quickly the weather changed during monsoon season.

      “Stuck? How so?” Ginger’s jet-black hair fluttered in the wind.

      “Believe it or not, Dad left the cabins to me, and they’re in pretty bad shape. I was surprised to be named in the will. I figured everything would go to Brad and Abby since I haven’t seen or heard from any of them in over a decade. Actually, I think they were more surprised than I was.” Robyn hadn’t a clue why her father had picked her over the children he’d raised at Lakeside with his wife. As a real family. She refused to dwell on the past or the fact she’d faced some of the hardest years of her life without a father and with the constant reminder she was the product of an illegitimate relationship.

      Ginger’s gaze penetrated Robyn’s thoughts. “He was your father, too. Of course he’d leave you something.”

      “Still surprising. Anyway, I was sad to see how they’d been let go. I remember Lakeside being alive with guests, but now it’s like a ghost town.” Robyn veered down a path that bisected the courthouse lawn. “When I saw Abby and Brad at the service, they treated me like an outcast. I thought maybe we’d all grown up enough to be civil. But I was wrong. Really wrong.” She missed the secrets and fun they’d shared growing up. While she hadn’t expected to pick up where they left off, she also hadn’t anticipated the cold indifference. How would she even begin to restore their relationship? It was a long shot, but she had to try. She didn’t want to go through her entire life without her family.

      Ginger sat on an empty bench at the edge of the town square. “They never did change. I mean, they have to be pushing thirty years old.”

      “I think Brad just turned twenty-six.”

      “Still, they act like kids. Spoiled—both of them. No loss for Pine Hollow when they moved to Phoenix. Your dad was always the nicest man, but those two took after their mom. They seemed to get even worse after Marilyn died.”

      Dad had married Marilyn Bell, the hometown sweetheart, who’d hounded Robyn for the smallest mistakes. Treating her like an outsider in her father’s home, even though she was there before Marilyn. Robyn squirmed. “I thought they were the perfect family, that they didn’t need me or even have room for me in their lives.”

      “His wife may not have come to terms with him having a daughter from a previous relationship, but that’s not your fault. I’m sure Dan never felt like there was no room for you in the family.”

      Robyn settled herself on the bench and tried to block out the memories that said otherwise. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. Once my mother told me that I wasn’t welcome to come back, I did my best to forget all about Pine Hollow.” She spoke past the knot forming in her throat, remembering the Lord’s promise to be a father to the fatherless. “That should never have included you. After I left, Mom and I spent years drifting from one beach to the next, and I never really felt settled.”

      “As much as I like the beach, I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like not to have a place to call home.” Ginger’s mouth slid into an easy grin. “But as for our friendship, thank the Lord for new beginnings.”

      “I’m glad I found you.” She was thankful for another chance with her childhood friend.

      Ginger held up her phone. “Once I have your number, you won’t be able to get rid of me. Now, am I right in guessing you’d like me to sell the property? It’s going to take a while for the estate to settle. I can look at it anytime, but we won’t be able to list it yet. You’ll have to get an appraisal and whatnot first, but it’ll give us more time together—at least once I get back from a conference I have to attend in Phoenix next week.”

      “I took an indefinite leave from my job, so I’m staying until it’s sold.” Even though a few nights spent in her father’s home had left her more disquieted than ever, especially since she hadn’t found any clues about her dad’s feelings for her.

      “Have you already found a contractor? I know a few people.”

      “The lawyer hired someone, but I don’t think he’s a contractor. More like a handyman.” Robyn’s pulse jumped as she remembered the scent of Caleb’s cologne and the way he held the doors open for her every time they entered one of the cabins. He was a refreshing change from her surfer buddies who’d never heard the word chivalry. She chucked her cup into the trash can next to the bench.

      “Hopefully it takes months to fix up the cabins.” Ginger grinned. “I want to keep you here as long as possible.”

      “That’d be nice, but sooner or later I’ll have to get back to work—back to something close to normal, whatever that is.” She waved to Mrs. Jones, who stood at the door of the bakery.

      “I don’t believe my eyes. Is that Robyn Warner?” Mrs. Jones called out. “You make sure to stop in and see me.”

      Her heart warmed, remembering the lazy afternoons she and Ginger had shared with chocolate on their cheeks, shirts caked in powder from the donuts. “You bet I will.”

      A few moments passed. Ginger shifted awkwardly on the bench until she finally spoke. “I felt awful when I heard about your dad. This town isn’t the same without him.” She clutched her chest. “The whole situation is unbelievable. And the fact that the kid who did it walked away with minor injuries... I’m just glad the case will be a slam dunk.”

      Robyn’s chest pounded in time with a low rumble of thunder. “It’s hard to think about it. I keep imagining the worst.”

      “I won’t pretend I understand what you’re going through, but try to remember that your dad’s at peace now.” Ginger patted Robyn’s hand again, and shook her head slowly. “But I still can’t believe they didn’t fire the cop.”

      “Cop?” She sat straighter and searched her memory for any mention of a police officer. “What am I missing? What are you talking about?”

      “The cop who was involved.” Ginger pulled an umbrella out of her leather tote. “I don’t know the details,