them； you should've just told me so！”
His hands fell to his sides and he shook his head as he said； “Eggs？ Poisoned？ Julianna； I
have no idea what you're talking about。”
Inside I was so angry and hurt and embarrassed that I didn't even feel like me。 “I'm talking
about the eggs that I've been bringing over to your
house for more than two years— eggs that my chickens laid that I could've sold！ Eggs that
your family has been throwing away！” I was shouting at
him。 Shouting at an adult； like I'd never shouted at anyone in my entire life。
His voice got very quiet。 “I'm sorry。 I don't know about any eggs。 Who did you give them to？”
“Bryce！” My throat choked closed as I said his name again。 “Bryce。”
Mr。 Duncan nodded slowly and said； “Well；” then went back to pruning his bush。 “That
probably explains it。”
“What do you mean？”
He sighed。 “The boy still has a ways to go。”
I just stared at him； not trusting myself with the words sizzling on my tongue。
“Oh； he's a very handsome boy； there's no denying that；” he said with a frown。 Then he
snapped a branch and added； “The spitting image of his
father。”
I shook my head。 “Why are you over here； Mr。 Duncan？ If you don't think I need the help and
you're not feeling bad about the eggs； then why would
you do this？”
“Honestly？”
I just looked at him； straight in the eye。
He nodded； then said； “Because you remind me of my wife。”
“Your wife？”
“That's right。” He gave me a little smile and said； “Renée would've sat up in that tree with you。
She would've sat there all night。”
And with those two sentences； my anger vanished。 “Really？”
“Absolutely。”