Christ. A leading question if ever he'd heard one.

Did he cry? God no. Not for them anyway. He had cried for

what they had done to Donna and Jack and to Beth, but for

himself? He didn't miss either Gerald or Jeff and wondered

if he ever would. It didn't matter his dad had made some

grandiose gesture to make amends; the damage had been

done. He didn't want to lie to Hayley. Lying to kids was

wrong—that much he knew from his limited knowledge of

child psychology. It was best to try to stick to the truth. "I get sad," he said simply. The truth. In among the

hate and the denial and the disgust resided a kernel of

sadness. Of course it was wrapped in his own pity party for

one snuggled right next to self-loathing, but it was there.

Hayley climbed onto his lap, and instinctively, he caught

her and settled her close. Her small hands wrapped around his neck, and she was clinging, secure in his hold. She was crying again, noisy sobs that shook her frame, and all he could do was hold her and hope to hell he was doing the

right thing.

Jack found them a little later, and by this time, tears

had turned to talking, and Riley even felt like he might

have some control of the situation.

"Hey, guys," he said softly, and Riley caught his

concerned expression. There were questions in their blue

depths, but Riley didn't even know where to begin to

answer.

"Hi, Pappa." Hayley's voice was muffled against

Riley's chest.

"You okay out here?"

"We're fine," Riley began, "aren't we, Hayley?"

Riley hesitated to hear a response just in case she wasn't

fine now. Hayley turned in his hold and looked up at Jack,

and Riley could only imagine the puppy expression she was

turning full force on her Pappa.

"Is it time to do riding yet?" she asked hopefully.

Jack smiled and held out a hand to help them both to stand. "Sure is, li'l lady," he drawled in his best cowboy.

"Cake first then ridin'." Hayley skipped ahead to the house,

and Riley had only one thing to say.

"I don't know if I can do this right," he said

miserably.

"Yes, we can," Jack replied simply with a whole lot

of emphasis on the "we".

* * * *

To see his daughter on Red, making all the rookie mistakes of a first time rider, was just really an excuse to stare at Jack as he led the pony and its precious cargo around the paddock. Hayley wasn't talking; she had her lower lip caught in her teeth, and she was concentrating about as hard as Riley had ever seen her. Jack was chatting about something, probably guidance on how to sit and how to guide Red to do what she wanted him to. Riley pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures.

"She's so beautiful up there," Jim began conversationally.

"She is."

"A natural," he added, but Riley knew Jim was biased just as he and Jack were. "I left the papers you need to sign in the kitchen in an envelope." Riley looked at his dad with confusion.

"That was quick. Shouldn't there be more, I don't know, difficulty?"

"Not at all. You knew what you wanted, and I just need your signature to transfer the money."

"Am I doing the right thing?"

"You're a rich man, Riley. Most rich men have trusts set up for their children."

"What if…" How the hell was he going to explain the things that haunted him at night when he was trying to sleep? "What if we hadn't had all that money, if we had been a normal family?"

"Are you thinking about Jeff specifically?"

"Not just him, but Gerald and what he was like, and my mom, and what happened to you. All the things that were so wrong."

"Hey, Daddy, Grandpa! Look at me!"

Red didn't even react to the shout, bless him. He just kept on walking. When Jack said the pony was good with children, he hadn't been wrong. Hayley was close and looked like she wanted to wave but wouldn't let go of the death hold she had on the reins. Riley grinned over her and waved, as did Jim. Jack quirked a smile at them both and set off on another circle of the small training paddock.

"Quite apart from everything else, son, there was something very wrong with Jeff. He had evil inside of him, so ingrained it wouldn't have mattered if your family was a pastor's family from Ohio."

"How much is in the trust?"

"About seventeen million, give or take a few thousand."

"And it's safe?"

"All in Hayley's name and locked for her twentyfifth birthday. Eden, Beth, Steve, and Josh are trustees as you asked."

Riley nodded. The money was nearly three-quarters of everything Riley owned after investing in his consultancy, and now it couldn't be touched by him or by anyone else. He trusted Eden with his life and knew she would show Hayley how to enjoy the money. Beth would show Hayley how to be a good person and use her money to help others. Steve would show Hayley how to trust and have fun in life while still trying to be sensible. Josh was strong and stable—a family man. If something happened to Riley and Jack, then Riley couldn't wish for four better influences for his daughter. They had decided Eden would be guardian, and she had agreed instantly when they'd asked her.

"What about the other stuff? I want Jack to officially adopt."

"It's not looking good, son. We know state law allows single GLBT adoption, which in your case is irrelevant anyway as you are her father. There was a case not long ago where a step-father couldn't adopt without the express permission of the mother, but that is the closest I've come to precedent. Given Lexie is deceased, she can't give permission so there is a gray area there. Christ knows what a judge will drum up if pushed. Gay adoption is a political hot potato, and it is entirely up to you if you want to fight this."