Read Online Accidental Lovers (The Accidental Series, Book 3) by Tina Martin - Free Book Online Page B

her right up until just after
you were born.”
    “You were at the hospital when I was
born?”
    “Yes, I was there. I still remember it like
it was yesterday. Your mother had a difficult pregnancy and—”
    “What do you mean?”
    “When she was pregnant with you, she had
severe morning sickness. The doctors didn’t think she was going to
carry you past seven months, but she did. She stayed in the
hospital the last full month of the pregnancy. But at any rate, she
was in labor for hours and you finally came and you were so
beautiful. We were both in tears. And you for that matter.” Jack
hung his head as he reminisced. “After we took you home, though,
your mother was different. She wasn’t the same. The doctors said it
was postpartum depression, gave her some medication for it, but she
preferred alcohol instead. Then she started using street drugs
and…um…sorry. Give me a moment.”
    “Okay,” Shayla said, feeling sorry for him,
of course, but she was anxious to hear the rest of this story.
    “She started using drugs and I couldn’t take
it anymore. How was she going to raise you and take care of you
while she was strung out on drugs? So I made plans to move away, to
take you out of that environment, but her mother, your grandmother,
begged me not to take you. Said she wanted to raise you. So I left
you with her. I didn’t want to, Shayla, but I did.”
    “Why didn’t you come back to visit me?”
    “I did in the beginning, but you weren’t old
enough to remember me. After a while, though, driving and flying
back and forth was becoming too stressful and sometimes, your
mother was at your grandmother’s house when I would visit and I
hated seeing her in the condition she was in.” He took a moment and
said, “You look a lot like her, you know, before the drugs and
all.”
    Shayla smiled. “I know.”
    “You have her smile, too.”
    “My grandmother used to tell me the same
thing. She showed me pictures of her. I used to have some, but I
don’t anymore.” Shayla stared out at the landscape, the water.
“What was she like when you met her?”
    “Um, she was smart and boy was she
beautiful.”
    “How’d you meet?”
    “Well, I was working on a construction
project in Uptown Charlotte and she was going to school. She
studied culinary arts at Johnson and Wales.”
    “Really?” Shayla asked. Why hadn’t she
remembered that?
    “Yes. She was a good cook…worked as a chef
for years.”
    “And you do construction? I think Donovan
mentioned something about you working on his house.”
    “Yes, I’ve been in construction for
years…been running my own business for twelve years now. And
speaking of Donovan, are you two an item? He’s a good man…sent a
lot of referrals my way after I finished the renovation on his
house.”
    “He is a good man, but he’s just a friend.
I’m married.”
    “You’re married?”
    Shayla nodded, then took a wallet size
picture of her wedding photo from her purse, handing it to him.
“His name is Carter.”
    “Nice looking fellow.” Jack handed the
picture back.
    “Thanks.” Shayla tucked it away in her
purse, then asked, “When I was older, a teenager, why didn’t you
come back for me? To visit me?”
    “I…I…um…” he stuttered. “I should have,
Shayla. I have no excuse for that. And I could sit here and tell
you I was busy with the job, busy starting a new life but I’m not
going to. I’m guilty of not being there for you. I’m aware of that
and I’m truly sorry.”
    Shayla reached for his left hand with her
right and clenched it. “We have a lot of time to make up for?”
    He nodded. “The family hasn’t eaten if you
want to join us for dinner.”
    “I would love too.”
    “Okay. Let me call my wife and the boys back
over then we can go.”
    Jack took out his cell, dialed his wife’s
number and told them to meet him at the car.
    Shayla took out her cell and sent Donovan a
text, telling him she was going to dinner with Jack and