Lacey gave her a pointed look. “Not according to you.”
This time, her sister had the gall to look confused. “When did I ever say that?” Then all at once, her expression shifted, and her mouth fell open. “Oh, Lacey. I totally forgot.” Her hand shot out and took Lacey’s. “I was jealous. I didn’t mean…” Her face flushed red.
Lacey tugged her hand free, her heart beating against the confines of her chest as the full weight of what was happening pressed down on her. “What are you talking about?”
Angela squirmed in her seat. “Well, it wasn’t entirely untrue. Mackdidhave a past. He ran with some pretty bad people—so bad his parents sent him to Rocky Ridge to get him away from them for a little while. But he never got in so much trouble that he was arrested or anything. It was just the usual rebel teenage boy stuff.”
Shaking her head, Lacey forced herself to mention what she’d heard in the salon. “I know about that stuff. Mack’s talked about it. But he’s never confessed anything about the pregnancy.”
This time, her sister’s confusion was even more obvious. “What pregnancy? You mean Kayla?”
The name sounded familiar. Lacey hadn’t connected it before now. She’d been younger and dealing with her own issues. But now that she’d heard the name, she recalled some story circulating town around that time about another girl who’d gotten pregnant.
Now she was really going to be sick. Lacey put her head in her hands. “Yeah, I guess the timeline matches up.”
“What about it?” Angela scoffed. “Kayla was a cheater and a liar.”
Lacey’s head snapped up. “What?”
“Yeah. She dated Mack for a little while that year. Then when she got pregnant, she claimed Mack was the father. By the time they could do any damage control, the rumor mills were in full swing. No one believed him. And Kayla knew she couldn’t go after him for child support or anything because they never…” Her voice trailed off. “Anyway, he went back home shortly after that scandal, anyway.”
“So… he didn’t… he’s not… a father?” Lacey rasped. A slew of emotions battered within her. Relief so potent that she thought she could float away right then and there. Anger that Mack hadn’t said anything. Granted, she hadn’t mentioned it either, and he probably didn’t want her knowing. That story was one of the worst she’d heard. But most of all, she felt despair.
For the way she’d treated him. For the likelihood that her mother wouldn’t believe her if she told her the truth. For losing out on something wonderful because she’d made one mistake six years ago.
Tears spilled down her cheeks, and Angela lunged forward. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But now that you know?—”
Lacey shook her head. “It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?” Angela demanded. “What’s wrong?”
Lacey covered her face with her hands and let the tears fall. They were outside—away from Bridger. She didn’t have to worry about him seeing her like this. And by the time they went back inside, Lacey could compose herself.
“Lacey?” Angela whispered. “What’s going on? You can tell me. Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head. “Of course not. Mack has been perfect. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Lacey knew none of this made sense. Her sister wouldn’t understand—not until everything was out in the open.
Dropping her hands, Lacey peered at her sister, wondering just how much she should tell her about their mother and the veiled threats she’d made. Would she ruin their relationship, or was it already destroyed by what had already happened in their past?
“Mom said that if I keep dating him, that she’d take Bridger away from me.” She blurted the secret, unable to hold back any longer.
The shock that was all over Angela’s face quickly turned into disgust. “You’re kidding,” she seethed. “Please tell me this is a joke. She didn’t say that.”
It was hard to tell if Angela was upset with Lacey or with their mother. She shot to her feet and fidgeted for a moment. “She did, didn’t she? She actually threatened you with Bridger’s custody?”
“Well, she didn’t say it outright… but she implied that she wasn’t against doing so if she thought Bridger’s wellbeing was in jeopardy,” Lacey murmured weakly.
“No,” Angela ground out. “She can’t.”
“In Montana?—”
Her sister whirled on her. “I don’t care what they think can happen in Montana. There’s no way they would be able to take your son from you and drop him back in Mom’s lap without a great deal of evidence. Any lawyer would be able to fight that case and win on your behalf. It’s not like Mack is a criminal. For heaven’s sake. This is taking it too far.”
“It’s not like I have the money for a decent lawyer. What if Mom?—”
Angela shook her head. “I won’t let it happen. I don’t care what it takes. You clawed yourself out from that mistake, even though Mom has held it over your head year after year.” The fire in her eyes was next level. Lacey didn’t know what she did to deserve such a response, but she was happy to accept it. Angela pointed at Lacey. “If you want to be with him, then be with him. Don’t let anything stand in your way.”
Lacey gnawed on the inside of her cheek. Could she really do that? Could she defy her mother and give over that part of her heart that didn’t trust so easily to the man she couldn’t stop thinking about? “What if…” She blew out a breath. “What if we’re wrong?”