Excerpt of Picket Fence by Kimberly Cates

The child grabbed Cade’s arm, less wary of his anger than Finn felt. “You can’t let her stay here!” the little girl pleaded. “Tell her about the ghost! About the spooky lights in the window!”

Cade’s jaw tightened. “I told you before, Emma, there are no such things as ghosts. The lights are kids trying to scare their friends. Once someone is living in the place, all that will stop.”

“No, it won’t! Emma cried, glaring at him. “You’re not my father! I hate you!”

“That’s too bad. Right now I’m all you’ve got.”

He wasn’t Emma’s father—her mother was God knew where. What in heaven’s name was going on here? Finn won­dered.

Whoever Emma’s mother was, she filled Cade with fury and Emma with a pain all too familiar to Finn. How long before Cade McDaniel got fed up and dumped Emma with someone else?

Emma spun away from him. One small finger jabbed at Finn, reminding her even more clearly of her da’s stories, bad fairies predicting doom.

“Maybe you bought Addy’s house. Maybe they gave you the key. But that doesn’t matter.” Dark eyes narrowed on Finn. “You’ll never belong here.”