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think the resemblance between them is pretty obvious.”
    Silently Clay studied the photo in his hand, and Jordan could see by the shift in his expression that he recognized the similarities: the curve of Scott’s smile matching Molly’s, and the identical slope of their slightly upturned noses.
    “Scott was a neighbour I’d known for some time, just as a friend,” Jordan continued. “After you left for Peru, we got together a few times, and … well, I suppose it’s obvious what happened. We got married shortly after I last saw you. We would never have married if I wasn’t pregnant, but at the time we figured we could make it work, for the baby’s sake. We were just unsuited to one another.”
    “Where is he now?” Clay asked quietly, his gaze still fixed on the photo. The determined set of his muscles had eased, leaving his powerful shoulders sagging in resignation.
    “He died of cancer six years ago.”
    Clay’s gaze snapped up, a flash of pain touching his eyes. “Poor Molly,” he muttered, and Jordan understood with a twinge of compassion that he was thinking of the father he’d lost at the age of seven.
    She released a breath. “Yeah, she took it hard. Richard tried to fill the void, but I think she resented him for trying to replace her father, so soon after his death. They became close eventually, until our marriage started to crumble.”
    “The things she said make a little more sense now.” Clay handed back the photo. “But by the look on your face when Molly walked into the bookstore, I thought for sure—”
    “It wasn’t the most comfortable moment for me, knowing you might find out after all these years the real reason I turned down your proposal,” Jordan explained. “Not that it matters now, but now you know that I wasn’t honest with you. And I should’ve been.”
    As she finished speaking the hallway door creaked open and Molly sauntered in, making Jordan jump. She hadn’t told Clay anything that Molly didn’t already know, but still, it wasn’t the sort of conversation the ten-year-old needed to be privy to. Thankfully, she seemed oblivious to the tension etched through the two adults’ faces, as she launched into a breathless report on Alice’s just-confirmed sleepover birthday party, to take place at her grandmother’s house on Salt Spring Island in a couple of weeks.
    “She’s only invited four girls, including me. And we’re going to go horseback riding!” Molly exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “And for a whole weekend . I don’t think I can wait until June, Mom. Alice has had to wait five months, of course, since her actual birthday was in January but she wanted to wait until summer to have her party. What do you think I should get her for a present? I think I’d like to make her a necklace, if you can take me to the bead store. How about tomorrow?”
    “I should go,” Clay muttered, offering Jordan and Molly a nod and a tight smile as he headed for the front door. “I’ll see you around.”
    Jordan nearly reached out to stop him, but didn’t; what could she say? He had no reason to stay. A sudden dull ache tightened her throat as the door closed behind him, and with a shudder she tried to shake off the disconcerting longing for his presence that swept through her.
    “Time for bed, kiddo,” she said brightly, smoothing Molly’s long hair over her shoulder. “We can discuss bead shopping in the morning.”

     
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    A week later Clay stood motionless on the porch outside Jordan’s front door, letting the rain soak his hair and jacket. As he walked up the driveway he’d seen her inside, through the lace curtain, moving past the window. Several times he’d reached for the doorbell, then let his hand fall back to his side. He hadn’t yet decided what to say, so he remained where he was, barely aware of the trickle of cold rain tracing a path down his cheek.
    Finally he pressed the doorbell; moments later Jordan