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I glanced between the two older women. “I don’t understand.”

Nessa’s delicate hands continued to work, mixing lemon juice and Tabasco into the three glasses. “When Shep was seventeen, long before he knew me, he met a girl from Sweetwater.”

Just Shep’s name made my stomach clench. I tried to hide the wince, but Nessa patted my knee and continued, “He told me once that he thought she was the one. He fell hard and fast—as Shepherds tend to do. At eighteen, he married her in secret because his parents didn’t approve of her.”

My skin went cold. “He married her?” Picturing Shep without Nessa and vice versa tore holes in the fabric I’d woven for their perfect family. Shep and Nessa were so obviously meant for each other; I couldn’t imagine either with anyone else.

“He did. Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately for me—it didn’t last long. Despite telling him she was using protection, she became pregnant, and that’s when it grew apparent that she’d only married him for his money. She pulled away and told him she never loved him.”

Wide-eyed, I accepted the highball of red liquid.

“Shep’s an honorable man,” Nessa continued. “This woman knew a child would keep him with her. And if not, she planned to use the grandchild to keep herself financially stable.”

I opened my mouth, but had no clue what to say. In some ways, the story made absolute sense, and my insides went soft at the heartbreak Shep must have suffered. In other ways, I was incensed that my own splintered heart was pumping broken glass through my body instead of blood simply because the man I loved had a father who was punishing me for his own mistakes.

“What happened to the baby?” I whispered because Cam had never mentioned a sibling.

Nessa sipped her cocktail. “She miscarried.”

I downed half my glass despite the burn. She miscarried?

“Played her hand a little too early, huh?” Mama said with a smirk.

“Yes.” Nessa slid a finger down her glass, contemplative. “Shep tells me he was in a bad place, but the miscarriage allowed him the freedom to divorce her. Regrettably, she didn’t sign a prenup. His parents hadn’t expected the marriage, so nothing was done to protect him. He lost a great deal, and I fear the entire experience made him…distrustful.”

I laughed bitterly and drank some more. “Yeah.”

“It doesn’t excuse what he did to you, darling.” Nessa laid a hand on my arm. “But I only mean to show you that he’s not a bad man. He’s just an idiot.”

Mama let out a hoot of laughter. “Aren’t all men?”

“It seems so,” Nessa said.

I set my empty glass on the table. “It’s a sad story, but I don’t really understand what it has to do with our current situation.”

Nessa waved a hand in dismissal. “Oh, that was just the backstory. The next part is the good part.”

I looked at Mama for reassurance, and she smiled like Listen to the rich lady, Shay.

“When I overheard a little fight between my son and my husband the other night, I couldn’t help my intrigue, and what I learned was…appalling.”

Heat rose to my cheeks, so I stared at my clasped hands in my lap, knuckles white as snow.

“Darling, Shep doesn’t really have the authority to take everything from our son. You see, Camden is half mine, and I am no fool. I’ve known that boy was in love with you from the moment I first saw you two together. I think it was your sophomore year.” She faced Mama. “Do you remember when they took that speech and debate class, and they were always paired to argue with each other?”

Mama whooped and pointed at Nessa with a grand laugh. “Yes! It was like watching nerd foreplay.”

I glared at her. “Ew!”

Nessa chuckled, but didn’t disagree. “The point is that I love my son, and I want him to be happy, and I’ve known for at least a decade that what will make him happy is you. I won’t allow his birthright to be stolen simply because he wants someone who reminds his father of his own mistakes. When Camden asked for my help, of course I said yes.”

It had never occurred to me that Nessa might have say in anything. Shep had always been so in control, so powerful, that imagining anyone—especially a tiny, blond wisp of a thing—overpowering his decisions seemed laughable.

“And Sh-Shep… He’ll listen to you?”

“Oh, he listened real close when I mentioned divorce. Anyone who threatens my son threatens me, even if that person is his daddy.”

My jaw dropped. Divorce? Really? “But you love him!”