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The presence of the tub from her old home had been an itch between Paradise’s shoulder blades since they’d picked it up this

morning. Once Blake took the boys to their room for story time, she got the tub and carried it to the sofa, where she settled

with it beside her. She eyed it and decided to wait to examine the contents until he joined her. Nervous energy—and not just

the lingering odor of the pizza they’d brought home—cramped her stomach.

Fifteen minutes later, Blake entered the living room and dropped down on the other side of the tub. “I thought you’d want

to do this right away.”

He’d changed into athletic shorts and a tee for sleeping, and it was all she could do not to stare at his muscular legs. It

wasn’t just his physical strength and handsome face that drew her though—it was mostly that inner moral compass that radiated

from him.

She touched the lid. “Where’s your mom?”

“She and Isaac went to bed. They didn’t even watch a little TV. She was exhausted.”

“Levi is on the top bunk in my room?”

“They were both in Mom’s bed, but he fell asleep halfway through the Justice League book I got him a couple of weeks ago, so I carried him to your bed before I came to find you. By the time you get in there, you’ll have to move him to his side. Or sleep on the top bunk.” He grinned her way.

Just the two of us. Warmth flowed through Paradise. Being with Blake centered her and tempered the pain she suspected she’d feel when she opened

the tub lid.

He unclipped the ends of the lid and removed it. “You want to go through everything piece by piece? Let’s make sure we check

pockets and any possible hiding places. There has to be a reason your mom or dad tucked this away.”

Inside she spied an old jewelry box, a packet of letters tied with pink ribbon, and a baby book. The clothing appeared to

be infant clothing as well as some adult items. She lifted out the jewelry box. It would be the most likely place to hide

something important.

Before she opened it, she examined it for the brand and any other information on the outside. She ran her fingers over the

iconic LV monogram top in green canvas. The gleaming brass latches and lock added beautiful bling, and it had a leather handle

at the front. “Blake, this had to have been expensive. My dad never would have been able to afford Louis Vuitton. Can you

see what you can find about a value or original price?”

He nodded and took out his phone while she lifted the lid to reveal microsuede trays. A gorgeous set of sapphire earrings

lay nestled in a compartment. A ring with a huge topaz stone rested in the next spot over. Paradise didn’t remember her mother

ever wearing such beautiful pieces. Where had she gotten them, and why had she felt the need to hide them here with the expensive

jewelry box?

Blake leaned close to show her his screen. “Found it. The price right now is over six thousand dollars. I couldn’t find its original price, but you know it had to be expensive. It’s from the late 1980s or early 1990s.”

“I was born in 1995, so Mom could have been seeing someone before she married Dad.”

She turned her attention back to the contents of the jewelry box. One by one, she lifted out each of the trays to uncover

more jewelry. A diamond tennis bracelet with matching earrings—and in the very bottom of a tray she found a diamond engagement

ring in a velvet box.

Blake was close enough for her to catch the scent of his eucalyptus soap, and it soothed her agitation. He took her hand.

“Whoever gave her this stuff was wealthy, Paradise. It couldn’t have been Sheriff Davis, not unless he was on the take somehow.”

“She might not have even known him then. I think this was someone she saw before she married Dad in 1992. Who gave my mom

all this stuff?”

It was a rhetorical question, and she put the jewelry box aside with its contents and went through the other items. After

she examined every pocket and fold of clothing, Blake checked them out too. Nothing had been hidden in the baby clothing or

the maternity tops.

Something struck her. “Blake, the baby clothes are blue. I’m an only child. Could this belong to someone else?”

He picked up the baby book and flipped it open. His mouth sagged as he read the first page before he turned it around to show

her. “Brace yourself, Paradise.”

Andrew James Bartley.

“Bartley is Mom’s maiden name.”

“I remember.”

She touched the line under it. “Born May 1, 1989. Just over five years before me.” The implications hit her. “I have a half brother? Where is he?”

“That’s the big question, isn’t it? Did he die? Did she give him up for adoption? Maybe Lily would know.”

Her lungs felt stuffed with cotton, and she couldn’t pull in oxygen. All this time she’d thought she had no one. What if she

had a brother out there? Everything could change. If he was alive, did he know about her? And if he did, why had he never

contacted her?

“I—I can’t take it all in.” The last items remaining in the tub were the letters, and she reached for them. Her fingers fumbled

with the ribbon, and Blake had to take the packet from her numb fingers and untie the knot.

“You want me to read one first?” When she nodded, he took the first envelope and extracted two handwritten pages.

She watched his expression as he scanned the letter, but he didn’t show any sign of emotion.

“It’s a female’s handwriting, all in cursive. And she only signed a single initial.” He turned the page around for her to

see the large A scrawled at the bottom of the second page. “I think it’s a letter from whoever adopted Andrew.”

She had a brother. The knowledge tipped her world on its axis.

***

No matter how many times Blake searched for Andrew James Bartley, no leads popped up on his laptop screen. “I’m beginning

to think his new parents changed his name.”

They’d read all the letters, each one detailing milestones in the child’s life—first step, first word, first time riding a tricycle, first day of kindergarten. But no hints as to who had adopted him. The few pictures showed the inside of buildings with no clue to location. There was no return address on the envelopes, and the post office stamp was Atlanta. It was a clue, but not one that helped much since the city was so large.

The clock on the wall sounded twelve times, and he yawned. Six would come way too soon, but he was too wired to sleep. And

going to bed meant leaving Paradise, something he wasn’t ready to do yet. He couldn’t get enough of being with her. Ever since

the tiger incident, she was different. More hopeful, warmer, and more willing to be with him.

He longed for the day the mystery was behind them and he could talk, really talk, with all their barriers down. The day was

coming—he could sense it like skies clearing after a storm.

Her yawn followed his, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. “All we know is the letters were mailed from Atlanta.”

“Yep.” He could stay like this forever. Her faint plumeria scent settled in his lungs with a familiarity he never wanted to

change, and the warmth of her pressed against his side was a comforting weight. It rattled his composure, and he had to struggle

not to embrace her and tip her lips up for a kiss.

Soon, soon.

The reminder checked him, but it took determination to listen to his inner barometer.

“We should go to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow. I’ve got an otter with a likely heart problem I need to address after church,

and I want to check on Rosy again. I think another fennec fox is picking on her. I might need to separate them.”

“Your cousin comes to our church, and we could grab her after service before you go to work.”

“That’s a great idea. I thought I’d wake up early and put something in the Crock-Pot for dinner. Your mom is worn out, and I want to start helping out with home chores.”

He couldn’t resist wrapping his arm around her and pulling her tight against his side. “Not many people would notice that.

You’re a good person, Paradise Alden.” He rested his chin on her hair and pulled in another lungful of her plumeria scent.

He’d never met anyone else who smelled like her—sweetness and light all wrapped up in a beautiful package.

One little kiss couldn’t hurt, right?

Unable to resist, he touched her chin, and her face turned toward his without resistance. Her eyes radiated a calm promise

that kicked his heart rate into high gear. He bent his head to capture her lips before she changed her mind. Her hand stole

up to cup the back of his head, and he deepened the kiss. She gave a half sob, and he froze until she nestled closer.

When their lips parted, her hand moved to his cheek. “I wish I hadn’t stayed mad at you so long. I should have come back as

soon as I was of age.”

“I should have gone to find you instead of escaping to the Marines.”

“You joined up right away?”

He nodded. “It was a way of finding my dad. My uncle Ron recruited me, and Mom was ready to kill him. He was right though.

It was time to be my own man, to find my own way. And I wanted Mom to find a life that wasn’t all about raising me.” He couldn’t

recover the lost years with Paradise, but they could go forward into a new future.

“Blake?” a small voice said.

He turned and saw Levi in his Spidey pajamas rubbing sleepy eyes. “Hey, buddy, you should be sleeping.”

“I wanted you or Paradise and you weren’t there.” Levi’s voice quivered. “I dreamed about Daddy.”

“Oh, buddy.” Blake rose and went to lift his little brother into his arms. “I know you miss your daddy. You’ll see him someday

in heaven. He’s walking around with Jesus, taking in all the sights.”

“But I want him here !” the little guy wailed, burying his face in Blake’s neck.

A boulder formed in Blake’s throat, and he wished he could take Levi’s pain. He knew how it felt to lose his dad too, and

even now, there were so many things he wanted to ask his father about. Mom had tried to be both mother and father to the boys,

but it was impossible. Blake knew because she’d tried with him too. She was the best mom, but she wasn’t his father. No one

was.

He spotted Paradise wiping her eyes and knew she understood too. He wished the unrelenting pain of loss didn’t have to be

part of life, but it couldn’t be changed. All the platitudes in the world didn’t ease the hurt. It was something that had

to be endured, not eradicated.

He squeezed his little brother tight and murmured comforting words in his ear. “You can snuggle with me here on the sofa,”

he said when Levi’s sobs tapered off. “We’ll lay there and think about fishing in the pond with the hippos.”

Levi gave a small hiccup. “With Bertha?”

“Yep. She’s back to burying herself in the water and spying on any fisherman who throws a fly her way. I’m sure she’s lonely

by now and wondering where you’ve been.”

“Could we go tomorrow?”

“We have church, but we could go after work in the afternoon. Maybe Paradise will come with us, and we can teach her how to

cast a fly. I’ll bet she doesn’t know.”

“I don’t have any idea how to do it. I think I need Levi to show me.” Her voice held no trace of the tears he’d seen a few minutes ago as she rose and came toward them. She smoothed the little boy’s rumpled hair. “I’m sure I can learn if you show me. Just like you told me what to call a group of hyenas.”

He wiped his eyes. “A cackle.” Levi lifted his head from Blake’s neck. “It’s pretty hard to throw a fly, but I won’t mind

if you miss it. I’ll just show you again.”

“Deal.” She blew a kiss Blake’s way and went down the hall.