Page 83 of Provocation (Temptation 3)

Tears welled in her eyes. “‘Smile’.”

“‘Smile’?”

Facing forward again, Imogene began to sing. I instantly knew the song, the lyrics about putting on a smile even though your life was pretty much falling apart around you. The exact thing I had a feeling Julia had done her entire life.

“I think it was her way of convincing herself it was all worth it. Her way of reminding me that we were stronger than him. That one day we’d show him we were stronger than he was. That he may have won the battle, but he wouldn’t win the war.”

She faced me again. “And just like his purpose of hide-and-seek wasn’t for Mama to find us, the purpose of his game today wasn’t to find out information.”

I furrowed my brows. “It wasn’t?”

“Nick doesn’t ask questions he doesn’t already know the answer to. So for everything he asked her today, he already knew the answer. Instead, he asked them—”

“To see how she would react,” I interjected with a sigh.

“Not just her. But you, too.”

I hung my head, running a hand over my face. “And I played right into his hand.”

“You both did. Doesn’t mean it’s too late to try again.”

I narrowed my gaze on her. “I said some really ugly things. Called her sad. Said I pitied her.”

“Because she told you she’d never be able to let you into her heart, which hurt…because you love her.”

“You heard that?”

She shrugged. “The first part. I figured out the second part on my own.”

“What part is that?”

“That you love her. And deep down, I know she loves you, too. And I’m not just saying that because you’re Lachlan Hale and you play for my favorite baseball team.” She smiled before her expression sobered again. “I’m saying that because I think you’re good for her. Since you’ve come into her life, she’s been…happy. That may not seem like a big deal to most people, but for my mama, it’s huge. She’s just really stubborn. And scared. She’s been through a lot.”

“As have you.”

“Not like her,” she declared vehemently. “She’s done everything to make sure that stuff didn’t affect me, often at the expense of her own happiness. And maybe that’s why she doesn’t think she can ever trust or love you. Because my sperm donor has a history of using her love and trust against her at every turn. Just… Don’t give up on her.”

“I could never give up on your mum,” I admitted with a sigh. “But I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive the things I said.”

She smirked, expression lightening. “I hear groveling can be effective. And jewelry.” She cringed. “Actually, no. Pretty sure Mama never wants to receive jewelry as a gift for the rest of her life.”

I chuckled, grateful for the break in tension. All thanks to this unassuming fourteen-year-old.

“You’re probably right about that.”

“Then cupcakes.” Imogene nodded. “Groveling and cupcakes.”

“Cupcakes? But she’s a pastry chef.”

“You know what she always says, don’t you?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s impossible to be angry when holding a cupcake.”

Recognition flashed in my brain. “That’s on the wall of her bakery in Buckhead.”

“Yes, it is.”