Read Online Always With You: Part One by M. Leighton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: M. Leighton
Tags: Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, Two Hours or More (65-100 Pages)
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her chin and backs away from me, raising a hand to rub her fingers across her forehead. “Jesus, what a mess I’m making of things!”
Her voice is low and quiet. Laced with distress. I feel guilty for giving her such a hard time, for assuming the worst when the only reason I have to believe the worst is the old Sophie that I used to know. Maybe she has changed. I’ll never know if I don’t stop accusing her of things before I even know she’s guilty of them.
“Look, it’s fine. Just a misunderstanding. In the future, though, don’t wear anything that could be mine or Olivia’s. That’s just not…don’t do that.”
“You don’t have to explain,” she rushes in to say. “I totally get it. It would look awful if anyone else saw it. They might assume…” She sighs and shakes her head woefully. “I’m sorry, Cash. I never meant to…I just never meant to make trouble. If I’d known you were married, I wouldn’t have come.”
That irritates the shit out of me. “No? So you’d just have kept the existence of my daughter from me forever? Is that it?”
She raises her eyes to mine. They’re wide, like a cornered animal. “No, I wouldn’t do that. I mean…I’d have at least done things differently.”
“Like how? Like telling me when Isabella was a baby rather than waiting until she was half grown?” I can’t keep the bitter anger out of my voice.
“I should’ve told you. I realize that now. But please, Cash, just give me a second chance. I made mistakes. Lots of them. But I’m trying… trying my damnedest to do them better now. To do them right. Starting with making our daughter a part of your life. I’m sorry if my presence dredges up painful memories. I guess I was hoping we could put the past behind us.”
Her eyes plead with me. They seem sincere.
Seem.
But I can’t let my guard down. This is Sophie after all. Maybe she’s changed. But then again, maybe she hasn’t. Time will tell, but until it does, I’ll be keeping my eye on her.
“Fine. Then let’s leave the past in the past and focus on the little girl in the next room.”
Her smile is tentative. “That’s all I want.”
I narrow my eyes on her, wishing I could see inside her head. Wishing I knew if she was telling the truth. “Is it?”
“Of course. What else would bring me here?”
That is the million dollar question.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Olivia
D espite the turmoil that permeates nearly every corner of my life right now, I’m overwhelmed by the strangest peace, one that assures me everything is going to be all right. It makes no sense really. I mean, my father is in surgery—crazy serious surgery—fighting for his life and my husband might have a daughter attached to a sneaky bitch from his past. I have no reason to think anything is going to be fine.
Yet I do.
When my phone rings, I don’t even glance at the caller ID before I answer. “Hello?”
“How ya holdin’ up, doll?” comes Ginger’s voice.
“I’m okay. Pretty sure I’m going crazy, but otherwise I’m okay.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I’m optimistic.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re crazy. It just means you’re naïve.”
Even though she can’t see it, I shrug. “Maybe they’re the same thing. What do I know?”
“Sounds like you could use some company. Want me to come sit with you?”
“Only if you’re going to give me gory details about you and Gavin. I’m tired of thinking about and talking about my problems.”
“You’re using the spillage of details as a means of blackmail? With me? It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
At that, I smile. “Or do I?”
“Sneaky, sneaky,” she clucks. “I like the cut of your jib, young lady. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be there, ready to share things you’ll probably never be able to forget. Consider yourself warned.”
“You and your insane
Her voice is low and quiet. Laced with distress. I feel guilty for giving her such a hard time, for assuming the worst when the only reason I have to believe the worst is the old Sophie that I used to know. Maybe she has changed. I’ll never know if I don’t stop accusing her of things before I even know she’s guilty of them.
“Look, it’s fine. Just a misunderstanding. In the future, though, don’t wear anything that could be mine or Olivia’s. That’s just not…don’t do that.”
“You don’t have to explain,” she rushes in to say. “I totally get it. It would look awful if anyone else saw it. They might assume…” She sighs and shakes her head woefully. “I’m sorry, Cash. I never meant to…I just never meant to make trouble. If I’d known you were married, I wouldn’t have come.”
That irritates the shit out of me. “No? So you’d just have kept the existence of my daughter from me forever? Is that it?”
She raises her eyes to mine. They’re wide, like a cornered animal. “No, I wouldn’t do that. I mean…I’d have at least done things differently.”
“Like how? Like telling me when Isabella was a baby rather than waiting until she was half grown?” I can’t keep the bitter anger out of my voice.
“I should’ve told you. I realize that now. But please, Cash, just give me a second chance. I made mistakes. Lots of them. But I’m trying… trying my damnedest to do them better now. To do them right. Starting with making our daughter a part of your life. I’m sorry if my presence dredges up painful memories. I guess I was hoping we could put the past behind us.”
Her eyes plead with me. They seem sincere.
Seem.
But I can’t let my guard down. This is Sophie after all. Maybe she’s changed. But then again, maybe she hasn’t. Time will tell, but until it does, I’ll be keeping my eye on her.
“Fine. Then let’s leave the past in the past and focus on the little girl in the next room.”
Her smile is tentative. “That’s all I want.”
I narrow my eyes on her, wishing I could see inside her head. Wishing I knew if she was telling the truth. “Is it?”
“Of course. What else would bring me here?”
That is the million dollar question.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Olivia
D espite the turmoil that permeates nearly every corner of my life right now, I’m overwhelmed by the strangest peace, one that assures me everything is going to be all right. It makes no sense really. I mean, my father is in surgery—crazy serious surgery—fighting for his life and my husband might have a daughter attached to a sneaky bitch from his past. I have no reason to think anything is going to be fine.
Yet I do.
When my phone rings, I don’t even glance at the caller ID before I answer. “Hello?”
“How ya holdin’ up, doll?” comes Ginger’s voice.
“I’m okay. Pretty sure I’m going crazy, but otherwise I’m okay.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I’m optimistic.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re crazy. It just means you’re naïve.”
Even though she can’t see it, I shrug. “Maybe they’re the same thing. What do I know?”
“Sounds like you could use some company. Want me to come sit with you?”
“Only if you’re going to give me gory details about you and Gavin. I’m tired of thinking about and talking about my problems.”
“You’re using the spillage of details as a means of blackmail? With me? It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
At that, I smile. “Or do I?”
“Sneaky, sneaky,” she clucks. “I like the cut of your jib, young lady. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be there, ready to share things you’ll probably never be able to forget. Consider yourself warned.”
“You and your insane
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