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church, facing those people intimidated me.” Now he looked away. “I felt weak. And don’t ask me to explain this, but going to church today, knowing you were coming, knowing there was one person besides my family who believed in me…” He pulled in a deep breath. “That made me feel strong.”
    “Oh, Charles.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist and offered him a hug right there on Main Street. In front of God and anyone else who cared to see. When she pulled away, the surprise in his eyes made her flush. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be.” His voice was husky as though holding back some deep emotion. “I needed that.”
    “There you are.”
    They jumped as one as the voice echoed across the street. Demi turned to see Aiden Fitzgerald bearing down on them, one brow raised. He didn’t say anything about the embrace he just witnessed. “We’ve got that mess taken care of back there. Now, can we put all this unpleasantness behind us and go eat? I’m starved.” His father eyed Charles who still had a hand on her upper arm. “You’re coming for lunch, right?”
    “Sure, Dad, wouldn’t miss it.” Demi could hear the forced cheerfulness. “Who’s cooking?”
    “Keira and Fiona threw something together last night. Just need to heat it up.”
    Charles glanced at Demi.
    “Demi’s welcome, too,” his father said.
    “Thanks.” He looked at her. “Will you join us?”
    “I’m…um…” Uncertainty filled her. She should probably say no. But she wanted to go. “Yes, I’d love that, thank you.”
    “Great. You can ride with me and the kids.”
    “I just need to get my purse. I’m afraid I ran off without it.” She ignored the embarrassed flush she felt climbing her cheeks.
    “You get your purse. I’ll get the kids from Fiona and meet you at the truck.”
    Demi nodded, excited at the prospect of spending more time with Charles and his family. And yet that excitement was tempered by the knowledge that while Charles thought that message was for him, she felt quite sure he was wrong.
    Although she was unable to explain the reasons behind it.

SEVEN
    “T hanks for inviting her, Dad.”
    “No problem. She’s a pretty girl.”
    Charles felt a flush at the back of his neck. “Don’t go there, Dad. Lunch would be a great way for her to get to know the family. I mean she is the kids’ nanny, so everyone should get to know her. And she should get to know them. I mean—”
    His father gave a hearty chuckle and slapped Charles on the back. “You can stop that painful explanation any time now.”
    In spite of the morning’s incident, Charles found a grin. “Right. I’m just going to get the kids from Fiona.”
    “Do you mind if I walk with you?”
    “Sure, I never turn down an extra pair of hands.”
    As they walked, his father said, “I know you’re anxious to hear about the DNA test results.”
    “I am.”
    “I called the lab yesterday and they said it would probably be another few days to a week. We should know something soon.”
    Charles’s jaw clamped tight. He knew his family was doing everything they could to clear his name. And he knew that getting DNA results back in a reasonable amount of time was next to impossible. So he would wait. Maybe not patiently, but he would wait.
    They arrived at the nursery to find Fiona gathering Brianne and Aaron. When Brianne saw her father, she squealed and opened her arms to him. He scooped her up, smelling her little-girl scent and thanking God for blessing his life with the two little ones.
    “Daddy, I’m hungry. Want some ice cream,” Brianne said.
    “Me, too,” Aaron agreed.
    “Let’s go eat some lunch first,” Charles said. “Then we’ll talk about ice cream. You have to eat veggies.”
    “No veggies.” Brianne frowned. “No, no, no.”
    “Yes, veggies. Yes, yes, yes.”
    His father carried Aaron while Charles continued his dialogue with Brianne. At the car, he found Demi waiting, her smile welcoming, but the