“But aren’t you glad you know?”

She was glad she knew who her father was, but discovering Zane hadn’t really loved her or missed her still hurt.

“I think some truths are better left unsaid,” she said.

“Not between people who truly care about each other,” he said.

Ellis had cared; Zane hadn’t. The love had been one sided. He hadn’t cared enough to tell her about her father. Or even to say goodbye when he left. There had been no truth between them, and that hurt much more than the truths Zane had divulged.

She realized then why she’d called him.

“I love you, Keith.”

There was no sound, but somehow she knew he was crying.

“Any chance you’d come over? I want to tell you about what happened today.”

“This is good, Ellis.”

“What is?”

“That you want to share the pain.”

“I’ve got quite a bit, if you can stand it.”

“I could have handled it, you know. All of it.”

“I know.”

“I’ll be over in twenty minutes.”

“Where are you?”

“I’ve been staying in Ben’s guest room.”

Ben was another park ranger who lived in nearby Ocala.

“You’d better hurry if you want to see the sunset. It looks like it’ll be good.”

“On my way.”

He arrived before the sun went down. He hadn’t yet closed his car door when they sank into each other’s arms. Quercus butted and pawed at Keith until he pulled his attention away from Ellis. He knelt and hugged the dog. “I’ve missed you, too, you big, hairy old oak.”

“How is your mom?” Ellis asked.

His mother had been depressed since Keith’s father died a little over a year ago.

“She’s better,” he said. “She joined a senior club and made some new friends. I went up to see her last week.”

“You went to Pennsylvania? Did you see your sister and the kids?”

“Of course.”

“Did you talk about what happened with us?”

He nodded.

She’d known he would. Keith was close with his sister and mother, as he’d been with his father. And his sister’s husband was like a true brother. Ellis had never seen such a harmonious family. She hadn’t even believed such a thing existed.

“Do the kids know?” she asked.

“I think the abduction story might have been a bit much for them.”

“What did the rest of the family think about it?”

“They remembered Senator Bauhammer. They were as shocked as I was to find out you were in that family.”

“I guess they all hate me now?”

“How could you say that?”

“I lied to you all those years. Of course they hate me.”

“Ellis, my sister started crying when she heard what you’ve been through.”

Ellis could picture her doing that. She was the kind of compassionate, genuine person Ellis had always wanted to be. And she was a strong but tender mother, the parent Ellis had dreamed of when she was little.

“She told me I shouldn’t have walked out on you,” he said. “She said I couldn’t imagine what it was like to lose a child and I should give you another chance.”

Ellis blinked at the wetness in her eyes.

“And you know what my mom said?”

“What?”

“She said I was a fool to walk away from love.” Now he fought tears. “My family said everything I needed to hear. Everything I wanted to hear. So here I am.”

Was he saying he’d come back for good? She was too afraid to ask.

They walked hand in hand to the rocking chairs. She sat in hers, he in his. Quercus lay across Keith’s feet to make sure he didn’t go anywhere.

They watched the sky color behind the moss-tressed oaks, and she told him about her sons showing up unexpectedly, the fighting among the children, and River lying to Zane. She told him what Zane had said. The story about how her father had died. Why her mother had hated her.

“You really believe she hated you?” he asked.

“Well, she couldn’t love me. Zane pretty much verified that.”

He drew her out of her chair, tucked her against his chest. “And yet you have this great capacity to love. It’s a testament to your strength, Ellis.”

She drew back and looked in his eyes. “Why do you say I have a great capacity to love when I obviously fail at it?”

He smiled. “You love deeply, Ellis. It’s trusting love that you fail at.”

“Can I trust this? Will you stay?”

“I will. I’ve felt crazy missing you.”

“Me too. Crazier than usual.”

They kissed into the fall of darkness. Normally, they would have gone inside and made love, but everything felt new, and kissing better fit the mood of a fresh beginning. This time she wasn’t a witch luring him into her dark wood. He knew everything, yet he said he would stay. She didn’t need a spell anymore.

A flashlight beam shined on them. They broke apart and watched Jasper jog toward them from the barn house. “Mom!” he called. He stopped and took in Keith’s presence for a second but didn’t wait to be introduced. “River . . . River and Raven have been in a car accident. We have to go to the hospital!”