“I don’t understand. She went by another name?”
“No, he refused to use her real name. He gave her a name that denoted his displeasure with her.”
“Who was he?” Jacob asked, but I shook my head.
“I’ll never speak his name out loud, and you’re never to ask her. It’s a part of her life that needs to stay buried, for everyone’s sake.”
“So, you know who he is?”
“I do, and he can’t hurt anyone ever again.”
Simply put without saying it directly, he was dead, and it was better to let the past stay in the past.
“Does . . . does she know who Hailey’s father is?” Jacob asked, and I needed to shut his thoughts down immediately.
“No. She was in a bad situation and it could be any number of people. Not that she had a say in any of it.”
“You know Devlin is looking into the DNA databases, trying to find Hailey’s dad, right?”
I ran my hands through my hair and sighed heavily. “I’ve got to get him to back off.”
“Why? Maybe Hailey wants to find him.”
“There’s nothing good that can come from looking for a man who took advantage of a young girl for his own sick pleasure. What if Devlin finds him and he’s a walking nightmare? Or worse? What if he comes into Hailey’s life just to disrupt it?” Jacob sat back with a stunned look on his face.
I knew there was no way Adrik was coming back from the dark hole he was buried in, but I didn’t know who was left of his family that could seek revenge. It was better to act like Hailey’s father was some unknown man than to tell the truth. It was safer, too.
“I never thought of it that way. I always assumed he was some loser, but you’re right. He could be . . . no, he is a terrible person for taking advantage of her. I’ll talk to Devlin.”
“He and Elise will be here for lunch in a little while, and I’ll take him to the side and talk to him.”
Jacob looked over his shoulder and asked, “Should we get back in there?”
I stood, feeling the pain in my knees briefly. “Let’s see how they’re doing.”
Sliding the door open, I saw Zeus sleeping on the floor between Stella’s and Hailey’s feet as they sat and talked. Neither was crying and both appeared happy, so I was relieved.
“How are you ladies doing?” I asked as Jacob and I retook our seats.
“We were just discussing Zeus and how well he and Jasmine should get along,” Hailey remarked, and I saw a twinkle in Stella’s eyes.
I knew there was something she wasn’t saying, but now wasn’t the time to ask her.
“Should I call Devlin about lunch?” I asked, and they looked at each other.
Stella answered, “Yes, please.”
I sent him a text, saying it was okay for him and his family to come downstairs, and returned the phone to the pocket of my cut. For the next twenty minutes or so, Jacob and I listened with smiles on our faces as Stella and Hailey got acquainted. It was mostly surface stuff, but they had years to get to know each other.
“What would you like me to call you?” Hailey asked, and Stella froze briefly.
Turning to her, she responded, “Whatever you feel comfortable with. I can be Stella, Mom, or whatever else makes you happy.”
Hailey linked her hand with Stella’s and reasoned, “I think ‘Mom’ works for me.”
Stella’s smile was like the sun shining after years of dark skies. It was beautiful, and I could see relief on her face as she and Hailey hugged.
A knock on the door alerted us to Devlin’s presence, and I stood to let him inside. Jasmine was the first one through the door, followed by a toddling DJ, a waddling Elise, and Devlin, whose arms were overloaded with bags of food.
