Oh.
“You looking for Dawson?”
She glanced at Vic. “Um. No.”
Vic raised an eyebrow. “I know when someone is lying, Keely.”
She sat back. Drew in a breath. “Maybe.”
“He seemed pretty concerned about you. Did you know that he hiked in nearly a mile through the snow to get into position? I had a feeling that he wasn’t going to let anything happen to you.” She cocked her head. “I think he’s in love with you.”
And now her eyes burned too. “It’s ... it’s...” She met Vic’s gaze. “You know my life. It’s impossible.”
“I know the life you had. And I hear your voice today, and...” She leaned forward. “I believe everything happens for a reason.”
Keely didn’t flinch. “Even your husband dying and you having to give me away?”
A beat. Vic didn’t move. Then, “Yes. As hard as it was, yes.” She leaned back. “I’ve had a good life here. Quiet. Friendly. Sure, it’s not the life I’d planned, but I knew you were safe, so ... yeah. I’m at peace.”
“So, you’d do it again?”
“Do what?”
“Give me up.” She met her gaze.
Vic drew in a long breath. “Wow.”
“I just...” Keely shook her head. “I didn’t come here just to ... meet you, Vic.” Her mouth tightened. “I need to know. If you had to do it all again, would you give me away?” She couldn’t look at her, closed her eyes.
“Keely,” Vic said softly, in that low voice. “Is that what you think I did—gave you away?”
She opened her eyes. Nodded.
“I never gave you away. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t think about you. Wasn’t a day that I didn’t pray God was watching over you. Wasn’t a day that you weren’t stuck, dead center, in my heart. I might not have been present to raise you, but I canguarantee you that I never gave you away. I held on to loving you. But I also let go to allow you to live the life I couldn’t give you.”
Now Vic’s eyes turned glossy, and she shook her head. “Sheesh. I have a reputation to keep.” She wiped her cheek, fast, hard. But then smiled at Keely. “I don’t think any mother can truly erase her child out of her heart.”
Keely nodded.
“But that’s the brutality of it. Because it doesn’t mean we don’t have to make terrible, hard, painful decisions for the good of that child. So, would I do it again? If it meant you turned into the beautiful, smart, caring, successful woman I see before me? You betcha.”
Keely also wiped a hand across her cheek.
Vic considered her a moment. “Why was that answer so important that you had to hop a plane and travel four thousand miles?”
Oh.
And right then, the door to Starlight Pizza opened, a bell jangling.
Vic looked up. “Flynn.”
Keely turned. The redhead from the cabin. The cop who knew Dawson.
“Hey, Vic. How are you?” Flynn glanced at Keely. “And you—you okay?” She pointed to Keely’s cheek. “That’s a doozy.”
Keely nodded. “Yeah. I’m okay.”
Vic wore something of a smirk.
