Page 18 of A Forever Home at Honey Bee Croft

I was dithering about how to explain further but Amber thankfully dived in.

‘Joel’s right, theydolove you. But when you get married, choosing bridesmaids can be a really difficult decision. You can’t have every female guest as a bridesmaid so you need to narrow it down. Brides usually pick their best friends, their sisters if they have any and sometimes relatives who they’re really close to. If they have a daughter already, they’ll probably include them and if some of their other bridesmaids have young daughters, they might choose them too.’

I glanced at Imogen who was nodding, appearing to take it all in.

‘When your Uncle Barney and I get married, I have eight bridesmaids which is quite a lot but every single one of them is really important to me. And you’re not the only bridesmaid of mine not to be a bridesmaid for Fizz and Phoebe. Sophie and Tabs aren’t either, but Fizz and Phoebe have some bridesmaids I don’t have. There’ll be lots of different things about all the weddings you’ve been invited to and you’re a very lucky girl to be going to so many. I was way older than you before I ever went to a wedding.’

Imogen seemed placated and ate another slice of apple before frowning once more.

‘Darcie’s family’s very different. Mine’s different too but not like Darcie’s. She doesn’t have any step- or half-brothers or -sisters and she doesn’t have a mummy. Well, she does, but she doesn’t see her very often. She calls her Hayley which is her real name and I’m confused about that because sheisDarcie’s mummy but Gregisn’tmy daddy which is why I call him Greg, but he keeps telling me to call him Daddy.’

My stomach lurched. ‘Can you repeat that, sweetie?’

‘Greg wants me to call him Daddy but I told him I wouldn’t because he’s not my daddy. You are.’

‘When was this?’ I asked, clenching my fists.

‘Last weekend. And he’s said it lots of times before. He gets annoyed with me when I say no.’

I caught Amber’s and Barney’s eyes and they both looked as concerned as I felt.

‘What do you mean when you say he gets annoyed?’ I asked, fighting to keep my tone casual so as not to alarm her. ‘Does he shout at you?’

‘No. Can we go to the stables now?’

‘You’ll need to get changed first but, before you do, it’s important I know what you mean when you say Greg gets annoyed. What is it he says or does?’

Imogen shrugged. ‘He walks off and doesn’t speak to me until Mummy tells him off.’

‘Does Mummy know he wants you to call him Daddy?’

Imogen shrugged once more.

‘Has Mummy ever been there when he’s asked you?’

She chewed on her lip, evidently thinking back, before shaking her head vigorously. For all her faults, I couldn’t imagine Tilly encouraging our daughter to refer to anyone but me as Daddy. She’d actually raised the subject when she and Imogen moved in with Greg.I know this can’t be easy, but it’s important you understand one thing. Greg might have taken your place in my life, but he’ll never take your place in Imogen’s. You are and always will be her dad. Greg knows and respects that. Leighton has always called his mum’s new partner by his real name and that never changed when they got married. It’ll be the same with Imogen and Greg.

‘Did I do something wrong?’ Imogen asked.

‘Definitely not. Greg is Greg and I’m Daddy and you were right to say no to him.’

There was an awkward silence, which I had no idea how to fill. I was seething and I feared that, if I spoke, something derogatory about Greg would spill out. How dare he ask my daughter to call him Daddy? Didn’t he have enough kids of his own? Did he have to claim mine too? I glanced helplessly at Barney and Amber who both wore sympathetic expressions.

‘Imogen,’ Amber said, standing up. ‘Why don’t we let your daddy and Uncle Barney clear away while we go upstairs and get you changed for your ride?’

I mouthedthank youto her as she took Imogen’s hand and led her up to the spare bedroom where they kept the riding clothes and boots I’d bought.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Barney said when they were out of earshot.

I released a heavy sigh. ‘Why would he do that?’

Barney shrugged. ‘I don’t like him any more than you do so I’m not defending him but, before you say anything to Tilly, bear in mind that you don’t have the context. GregisDaddy to the other three so it’s possible Imogen questioned why they call him Daddy when she doesn’t and he could have invited her to call him that if she wanted.’

I ran my fingers through my hair and exhaled once more. ‘It’s possible. But knowing Greg…’ I was convinced that a lot of Tilly’s hostility towards me was down to his influence.

‘Yeah, you’re probably right. I’d just advise against going in all guns blazing when you only have Imogen’s side of the story, especially when she was a bit woolly on the details.’

‘Fair enough. But if it turns out he’s been telling her to call him Daddy and getting stroppy when she refuses…’

---