The next three days rolled into a repetitive cycle. She used the Carter’s phone every morning to inquire about a visitation with Livana. She helped Josh haul bales and clean farm equipment. In the evenings, they ran together, just the two of them, the dirt road beneath their sneakers, and acres of freedom.
After his parents retired each night, he carried her to his bedroom and showed her how much he loved her. When he fell asleep, she crept back to the couch. But his irritation with the sleeping arrangements was mounting, if his narrow-eyed glower at his parents every morning was anything to go by.
When she approached him about his attitude toward his parents, he said, “They’re more concerned about what happened to the farm while I was gone than what happened to me during that time. You’d think they’d be more invested in what I need and less concerned about church gossip and farm chores.”
While his parents pretended his time in captivity never happened, the news stations begged for details. They called from all over the country, buzzing the phone so often the Carters turned off the ringer. A number of times, Josh had to run off reporters who were rude enough to show up at the house. He wanted to avoid the press for as long as possible, which meant he was also avoiding school, football, and church. All his attention was on the farm and catching up on the tasks his parents had fallen behind on.
On the third morning, her call to the Austin police department was answered with a message from Carolyn Eary. Mr. E’s wife finally agreed to meet with her.
The next day, Josh drove her to Austin in the family’s station wagon.
She sat beside him in a spartan holding room at the police station. Her palms sweat, and her mouth dried as Carolyn stared at her with pink-rimmed eyes.
Liv swallowed, tongue-tangled, and searched for the appropriate thing to say to the woman raising her child. “Thank you for seeing me.”
Carolyn raised a trembling hand to her face, brushing away an invisible hair. “I’m trying to come to terms with this.” The woman gestured at Liv and Josh. “But my primary concern is for my daughter. She’s lost her father and—” She choked on a sob. “She’s all I have.”
A maternity test would prove Liv’s parentage. A court order might give her custody. But what was best for Livana?
Liv leaned forward, the long table separating them. “I’m not here to uproot Livana’s life. I just want to meet her and, with time, get to know her.” She closed her eyes, opened them. “I have so many questions.”
“You can ask me anything.” Carolyn smiled, though it faded quickly.
“How and when did she come to you?”
Carolyn rubbed her forearms, her blond eyebrows gathering over her blue eyes. “We adopted her. She was only a few days old.”
Had Van kept her during those first few days? Or had she gone to the hospital for care? She pressed a hand to her abdomen. She couldn’t ask those questions and reveal Van’s part in this.
Carolyn’s lips pinched in a line. “My husband claimed he had an estranged son who contacted him and asked him to raise his child. Said the mother didn’t want her.” She averted her eyes and took her time dragging them back to Liv. “My husband and I couldn’t have children, so of course I was ecstatic. He dealt with the paperwork.” Her cheeks flushed. “It all seems so very obvious now. I should’ve questioned more. He never mentioned having a son before Livana came to us, and now I know it’s because he never really had one.”
Josh grabbed Liv’s hand under the table, and she laced their fingers, squeezing. Did that mean Van had never met Livana or Carolyn? Was that Mr. E’s doing? Isolating his son from the only family he had? Remorse sat heavy in her stomach.
Carolyn leaned back in the chair, her eyes cold, flat. “It was all one big lie.”
Not exactly. Liv believed Van and his confession to being Mr. E’s son, but she wasn’t going to correct Carolyn.
“My husband never paid attention to Livana.” Carolyn’s firm eye contact held Liv immobile. “Please believe me when I say I have loved her enough for the both of us. And she has never been mistreated.”
Warmth circulated through Liv’s body. Fuck, she’d needed to hear that. “Who named her?”
Carolyn tucked her hands behind her elbows. “He told me his son chose the name.” She shrugged stiffly. “I guess my husband named her after you.” She blinked away.
Van named her. Liv was sure of it. A bloom of warmth curled through her chest, and her lungs filled with a deep, content breath. “Can I see her? Is she here?” Hope bottled up inside of her, quickening her pulse.
“Yes, of course.” Carolyn rose and left the room.
Liv clutched her chest. “Oh my God, Josh. OhmyGodOhmyGod. Pinch me.”
She swallowed rapidly, light-headed and giddy, gulping deep breaths. Her hands shook over the front of her cotton dress, straightening it. She combed fingers through her hair. Should she brush the strands over her scar?
He hooked an arm around her, touched his lips to her cheek, and chuckled softly. “Stop fidgeting. You’re breathtaking. Livana will adore you.”
She leaned her forehead against his. “Thank you. I’m so glad you’re here.”
The door opened, and she stopped breathing.
CHAPTER 45
Liv’s heartbeat boomed through her body. She leaned forward in the chair, her Hello strangled.
Huge brown eyes scanned the room and collided with hers. Livana blinked, tilted her head. A dimple appeared in her pink cheek and a beautiful, shy smile stretched across her face.
Liv had waited six years for that moment, imagined it every day, and never expected one smile to connect her to life so completely. It was a floating sensation, as if all her past and future failures were lifted. Her soul had everything it needed right there in that room. She tightened her fingers around Josh’s
