Read Online An (Almost) Perfect Love Story (Love Story Book Three) by Rachel Schurig - Free Book Online Page A

reaching over to take my hand. He held it against his leg, cradled in his. “Which is why we don’t need to dress it up with some silly announcement plan. Isn’t telling them enough?”
    I sighed a little and slumped back in my seat. “I guess you’re right,” I muttered.
    Chris was silent for a little bit, but I felt his eyes flick in my direction more than once. Finally he let out a soft chuckle. “Fine, how do you want to tell them?”
    I sat up straight again, brightening. “Let’s see…we could…hmm, maybe I should have thought about this earlier. It needs to be exciting.” I pulled out my phone, prepared to search for “creative engagement announcements” on Google.
    “How about I ask to say a toast at dinner,” Chris said, interrupting my search. “I could toast to our happy marriage. And then you can show them the ring.”
    “I like it,” I said, beaming. “It’s to the point but still gives them that surprise factor I like.”
    “And it’s not too cheesy,” Chris said laughing. “Though I know you think the cheesier the better.”
    I made a face at him but he only laughed.
    As it turned out, Chris never got a chance to give a toast. As soon as we pulled up in the driveway at my parents’ house, I had a feeling things weren’t going to go the way that we had planned. My earlier sense of unease returned, magnified by several degrees. My mom’s car wasn’t in its usual spot in the drive.
    “I thought they’d both be home,” I muttered.
    “Maybe her car’s in the garage?” Chris offered.
    I shook my head. “Neither of them parks there. You know, all my dad’s stuff is there. She’s always bugging him about clearing it out so they can use it.” My dad was an avid woodworker, a hobby he had picked up in the last three years, ever since my younger sister Amy had moved away for college and my parents had become empty nesters.
    “Well, maybe she ran out to get something for dinner.”
    But she hadn’t just run out. And she had forgotten all about dinner. I knew it as soon as my dad answered the door. Before he even opened his mouth, I knew something was wrong. There was a look on his face I had never seen before. His skin looked pale, waxy almost, and an air of exhaustion seemed to emanate from him. He was dressed as he normally was, in work slacks and a sweater, but his clothes looked rumpled. Was that a shirttail untucked beneath his sweater? Something was very wrong.
    “Daddy?” I reached out for his hand. “What’s the matter?”
    “Ashley?” he asked, staring at me as if he was confused. “What are you doing here?”
    I looked at Chris, worried.
    “We’re here for dinner, Dad,” I said. “We arranged it before you left for your trip, remember?”
    His face seemed to clear slightly, and he made room for us to come in. “Of course, of course,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, baby, it must have slipped my mind. Come in, come in.”
    I followed him into the house, my concern ratcheting up a notch. My mother’s house, normally spotless, looked almost messy. When was the last time she had dusted? Shoes were cluttered near the front door, there were glasses scattered on the coffee table in the living room, and from the foyer, I thought I could see a full sink in the kitchen.
    “Where’s Mom?” I asked, noticing immediately the way that my dad flinched at the sound of her name. I felt something cold creep into my stomach. What was going on?
    “She, ah, she went out, sweetie. I’m sorry, we both must have forgotten about dinner. It’s so awful of us. Why don’t you take off your coats? Uh,” he looked around the living room as if noticing the mess for the first time. “On the other hand, why don’t we go out? Just the three of us?”
    “Dad, what’s going on?” When he just looked at me, helplessly, I reached out and took his hand again. “You look terrible. Come sit down.”
    He sighed and walked into the living room, sinking down on the couch. I