“Then he asked my birthday.”
She turned back to me.
“Mom, why would a stranger ask my birthday?”
I couldn’t make my mouth work.
Noah stepped in.
“He isn’t a stranger.”
Lily frowned.
“What?”
“Noah,” I said.
He looked at me.
His face was pale, but his voice remained controlled.
“Tell her.”
Lily turned slowly.
“Tell me what?”
“I need a minute.”
Noah shook his head.
“No.”
I stared at him.
He lowered his voice.
“You’ve had years.”
Lily looked between us.
“What is happening?”
I whispered, “Go get some water.”
Her face hardened.
“Why?”
“Please.”
Maybe some part of me believed five more minutes could change what was coming.
Maybe I wanted to compose myself.
Maybe I was still trying to control the room.
Lily finally went into the kitchen.
The moment she disappeared, Noah stepped closer.
“You know who he is.”
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.”
“Mark Bennett is Lily’s father.”
“Yes.”
Noah exhaled like hearing me confirm it somehow made everything worse.
“He told me.”
“What exactly did he say?”
“He saw her across the ballroom and asked me who she was.”
Noah’s hands tightened around Lily’s shoes.
“When I told him, he went white.”
I could picture it.
Mark had always gone pale when frightened.
“He asked her mother’s name,” Noah continued.
“Then he took me into the hallway and said, ‘I think that girl is my daughter.’”
My throat closed.
“He shouldn’t have put that on you.”
“He didn’t know what else to do.”
“He could have called me.”
“He said you’ve blocked him on everything.”
That was true.
“He could have gone through lawyers.”
