Read Online A Second Chance at Crimson Ranch by Michelle Major - Free Book Online Page B

between her graceful fingers. “My mother didn’t want to raise me in the capital, so when I started school we lived outside Saint Louis. My father came home sometimes, probably not as often as he could have. He had a mistress in DC and they had a daughter.”
    â€œMillie.”
    She nodded and sipped the wine. “She’s seven years younger than me. I found out about her when I was twelve. I heard my parents arguing in his office. My dad stormed out and my mother ran to her bedroom. I slipped in and found a letter from Millie’s mom. It was campaign season so my father was in Missouri with us. There were pictures in the envelope. Millie’s baby picture and some candid shots of the three of them together. They looked so happy.”
    She put the wineglass down on the table with a clink. Logan noticed her fingers tremble. “My mom came down as I was reading. She took the letter, ripped it in half and told me never to speak of the whore or her bastard daughter again.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    She gave him a sad smile. “I couldn’t stop, though. I found both their address and the name of the school where Millie went when she was old enough. For years I searched my father’s office obsessively for more letters, any information I could find. Once the internet became the norm, that was one more way for me to keep tabs on them.”
    â€œWhy were you so interested?”
    â€œMy parents stayed married because it was good for my father’s career. We were the family on the holiday cards, the one he’d parade in front of voters. Millie and her mother were the people he loved.”
    She held up a hand when he would have protested. “It’s true. I guess I always wanted to know why. What did he get from them that he couldn’t from us? Why did he love Millie more than me?”
    Logan ached at the pain in her voice. He knew what it was like to want a parent’s love and approval so much but never get it. “Have you talked to Millie about any of this?”
    She shook her head. “It’s part of why I invited her to visit. Now that he’s gone, I should probably let it go, but I can’t. I want to know what it was like for her. What he was like with her.” She gave a shaky laugh. “My mother would have a fit if she found out, but I have to find some way to make peace with this. I think I need to before I can really move forward.”
    He pushed the plastic container toward her and smiled when she took another cookie. “So why are you here talking to me?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she admitted, drawing in a shaky breath. “It’s hard to talk to Millie about the fact that our father loved her more. To admit that out loud. Apparently Craig didn’t take every shred of my pride with him when he left.”
    She took another bite of cookie and met his gaze. “Plus I wanted to apologize for earlier.” She waved the cookie in front of her like a shield. “I didn’t realize how I looked. I heard the scream and—”
    â€œYou don’t need to apologize.”
    â€œWell, I am. Trust me. It was totally embarrassing for both of us.”
    â€œI wasn’t embarrassed,” he said softly but she ignored him, standing and placing her wineglass on the counter next to the sink.
    â€œMillie’s your age. If you want to...take her out while she’s here, I’m okay—”
    â€œStop.” He stood and took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, something he’d wanted to do again since their first dance. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he repeated. “You were thinking about your sister.”
    She didn’t pull away but wouldn’t meet his eyes. “You certainly bolted fast enough, maybe because you were going to be sick after seeing me like that? I know I’m not as young as...”
    He tipped up her chin until her gaze lifted.