Why had she agreed to this? Rebecca looked over at her mother who was smiling out the window of the passenger seat. At least Dad had a last minute lunch engagement crop up. Mom’s face wasn’t splashed all over the papers or the backs of books that got lots of press like Dad’s was. Maybe, just maybe, she could pull this off without Ben realizing who she was. Used to be? No, was. It didn’t matter how much she tried to avoid it, Becky MacDonald was part of who she was. If it hadn’t been for her, Rebecca Fischer, physical therapist, wouldn’t exist.

“Okay, one more time just to be sure we’re on the same page.”

Eleanor turned with an amused smile. “Honey, I’ve got it. No mention of MacDonald as a last name, or your father in general. The only name changing you’ve done is go by your middle name one summer during college. Though I will, one last time for the record, register my complaint. If you love this man, and my mother’s intuition says you do, he needs to know everything. You can’t build a future based on lies.”

Rebecca’s forehead wrinkled. “I know, Mom.”

“Mmmm.”

How could her mother pack so much censure into a simple hum? And really, what else was she supposed to do? Just walk up and say, ‘oh, by the way, my names are complete lies but I promise everything else you know about me is true’? That’d go over super well. Not. She bit back another sigh. Sometimes having a mom you told everything to was a pain. Her GPS dinged and announced their arrival at the destination, a well-maintained mid-century modern home. “Wow. Even with roommates, this is a nice place. How much does a charity pay?”

“You can ask during lunch. Why don’t you run up and ring the bell to let him know we’re here?”

She shot her mother a look. “I’m not asking how much he makes.”

Her mother grinned.

“Oh, good grief. It was just a comment. I would’ve loved to be able to afford a single-family. But it would’ve meant roommates. Lots of them. And even then we wouldn’t have been this close to everything.” That wasn’t precisely true. If she’d dipped into the trust she could easily have lived in this neighborhood. But she wasn’t using the trust for personal things. Not if she could help it.

“Just go get your friend.” Eleanor shooed her toward the door.

Rebecca wiped clammy palms on her jeans as miniature rabbits started up a game of racquetball in her stomach. Mom would stick to the plan. She had to. With a deep breath, she pushed the doorbell, smiling as La Cucaracha played inside. Would anyone other than a group of guys have that as their bell tone?

The rhythmic clomping of crutches grew louder before the door creaked open. “Hey. Right on time.”

Saliva pooled in her mouth as Rebecca took in his sharply creased khakis and green polo. There ought to be some kind of law against looking that good in such a simple outfit.

“Did I drip toothpaste on my shirt again?” Ben looked down, wiping his polo.

Oh great, caught staring. Rebecca swallowed and shook her head. “No. You look amazing. Perfect.”

Ben’s eyes sparkled as he maneuvered down the step and stopped to pull the door closed behind him. “Tell me more.”

Fire burned across her face. “I just meant you hadn’t spilled anything.”

“Uh-huh.” Ben winked and gestured for her to go ahead of them down the walk. “If it helps, I often think the same about you. Even in scrubs.”

She fought the urge to fan herself. Shouldn’t it be fall by now? Cool temperatures? Leaves dropping? That sort of thing. Oh, who was she kidding? Being around Ben always left her overheated in one way or another. Rebecca cleared her throat. “Thanks. Do you mind sitting in back?”

Ben worked his way around the front of the car. He peeked in the window then straightened with a grin. “Who’s the hottie in the back seat?”

Rebecca chuckled and shook her head. Of course Mom moved. “That’s Mom.”

“Cool.” He opened the back door and transferred both crutches to one hand. “Mind if I join you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. As soon as I saw your crutches, I realized you needed to be up front. I’m Eleanor, Becca’s mom, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know you a little during lunch.”

“See if everything she’s said is true?” Ben stepped backward, closed the rear door and opened the passenger door.

Eleanor nodded. “I have a hard time believing someone can be that wonderful.”

“Mom.” Rebecca glared over her shoulder as she slid behind the wheel, heat that had just dissipated returning full force. She must look like a tomato.

Ben laughed and patted Rebecca’s shoulder. “Never fear, Mrs. Fischer. It’s all true.”

Eleanor’s head dropped back as she laughed.

Rebecca’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. What had she gotten herself into?

“So, Becca tells me you work for Bread of Heaven?”

Ben set down the spoonful of soup that had been half-way to his mouth and nodded. “I do. I’ve been there since I finished college. Actually started as an intern over the summer and that morphed into a full time position. It’s a great organization and I love knowing that what I’m doing positively impacts the lives of the less fortunate. Had you heard of B of H before?”

“I had, actually. I do some work in Africa through Homes of Hope.” Eleanor’s gaze slid to Rebecca.

Rebecca gave a slight nod. They’d agreed not to talk a lot about her mom’s work, but it was natural that it came up. At least she hadn’t come right out and admitted that she started the charity. Particularly since Mom had used her married name and, so far at least, had been content to let Ben call her Eleanor.

“Oh, they’re fabulous. I haven’t had the opportunity to coordinate a project with them yet, but I’m hopeful that maybe I will with the next international focus I head up.” Ben scooped up some soup.

Eleanor furrowed her brow. “I thought B of H was only international?”

Ben grinned. “They have been in the past. I’m working to try and change that, at least on a small scale. I think our primary focus will stay abroad, but we’re doing a test partnership with the local downtown mission. Actually, I get to work with your daughter on that.”

Eleanor turned to Rebecca. “You never mentioned that.”

Rebecca hunched her shoulders. “Sorry. I just got put in charge of the project last week. I didn’t want to bore you and Dad with the details. Plus...I don’t really have all the details yet. Ben and I need to figure out a time to get together and go over some questions I have after reading through the proposal we got from B of H.”

“Hmm.” Eleanor studied Rebecca for several heartbeats. Had her mom figured out that she didn’t want Dad knowing the details? She’d have to mention it after they dropped Ben off. Her work at the mission was hers, not something for her dad to exploit in one of his talks. Eleanor returned her attention to Ben. “What prompted you look at domestic projects?”

Ben shifted in his seat. “It’s...complicated.”

“Which means it has to do with money, right?” Rebecca handed the server her empty soup bowl and took the salad she’d ordered. When everyone had their entrees, she raised an eyebrow at Ben. “Am I wrong?”

“Not entirely, no. Though I’m not sure why you sound so annoyed about it. The fact of the matter is, even non-profit organizations need to have money. We have expenses and salaries to pay, just like everyone else. The difference is that we work very hard to ensure that that vast majority of any income goes directly to benefit the people we help.” Ben frowned. “Why are you upset?”

Rebecca’s stomach clenched. It was a good question. She didn’t have a particularly good answer, either. But it was still as if tiny bugs were crawling under her skin, leaving her itchy and irritated. “I just want to be sure that whatever partnership the mission enters is for their benefit, not a publicity stunt for Bread of Heaven.”

Ben jolted like he’d been slapped. “Where would you get that idea? You said you have questions after reading the packet we sent over, but a statement like that leaves me wondering if you’ve actually looked at anything in that folder.”

Rebecca drew in a breath. Eleanor laid her hand on Rebecca’s arm. “Why don’t we change the subject? Becca said you two first met at summer camp. Have you continued doing work with youth, Ben?”

Ben angled his head, his gaze lingering on Rebecca for several heartbeats before he turned and offered Eleanor a strained smile. “I teach Sunday school to middle school boys.”

Rebecca sat back as Ben continued to talk about his work with kids both at church and through short-term international mission trips. Of course, those were through his job, so it was unlikely he could get out of them if he wanted to. Still, he was doing more than offering a few hours a week like her. But unless she wanted to live off her trust fund, there was no way to do more. And if she was living off the trust, she’d have a lot less money to give to the mission. Besides, she liked her job. Maybe she wasn’t saving the world, but she did good, honest work and helped people live better.

“I like him.” Eleanor leaned back in the passenger seat as Rebecca backed out of Ben’s driveway. “I think you father will, too.”

“What do you mean ‘will’? I have no intention of Ben ever meeting him.”

“But...”

“Nope.” Rebecca shook her head. It meant nothing serious could ever happen, but hadn’t she acknowledged that when she officially changed her name? If she was going to get away from Becky MacDonald, it meant she’d be alone. A high price, maybe, but worth it.

“Well, that’ll make the wedding awkward.” Her mother crossed her legs at the ankles and turned to stare out the window.

Rebecca snickered. “Mom. You know I’m not planning on getting married. That ship sailed the first time Dad did his talk on abstinence with me as the shining example of what a high school slut looked like. It was bad enough that every guy who asked me out for my last two years of school expected me to sleep with them on the first date, but it only got worse when they realized I wasn’t going to. And everyone in the teenage world knows about it because he still trots out that little speech. How can I tell anyone my real name, introduce them to Dad, and not have them wondering if they need to have me tested for STDs before proposing? And if I can’t tell them who I am, you’re right, there’s no future. Not a long-term one at least.”

Eleanor frowned. “So you don’t ever plan to settle down and have a family? Really?”

Rebecca rubbed a hand over the dull ache in her chest. “I just don’t see any other way around it.”