Read Online Another Chance to Love You by Robin Lee Hatcher - Free Book Online Page A

love. Perhaps Ellen and Wayne Fletcher had been wrong not to tell Monica she was an adopted child, but it didn’t lessen the wonderful, caring atmosphere in which she’d been raised. She didn’t know why her birth mother gave her up for adoption. She probably would never know. Maybe she had been a girl much like Monica herself, rejected by the man she’d loved. Maybe she hadn’t been lucky enough to have a mother like Ellen Fletcher, a mother who would stand by her, no matter what.
    “I love you, Mom,” she said softly as she met her mother’s worried gaze.
    Ellen’s eyes glistened with tears.
    “I’m trying to do the right thing.”
    “I know.” Her mother nodded. “I know.”
    Once again, Monica envisioned Daniel with Heather. Once again, she felt a tightening in her chest, a longing for something still undefined. “Does it ever get easier to know what we should do?” she whispered, a catch in her voice.
    “We must trust God, dear. That’s the only way I know.”
     
    Her mother’s words replayed in her head when Monica and Heather arrived home to find Daniel’s red convertible parked in front of their house.
    “It’s Mr. Rourke!” Heather said excitedly. “You think he wants to go back to the hot springs?”
    “I doubt it, honey. Not this soon. You probably wore him out yesterday.”
    As Monica pulled her minivan into the driveway, the convertible’s driver-side door opened and Daniel stepped out of the car. Monica felt a little flutter in her chest but strove to ignore it.
    She turned the key, cutting the engine. Before she could reach for the door, Heather had already clamored out her side and was racing toward Daniel.
    “Hi, Mr. Rourke. We weren’t expectin’ to see you today.”
    Monica got out of the van.
    Heather took hold of her father’s hand and pulled him toward the driveway. “Doesn’t Mama look pretty? That’s my favorite dress of hers.”
    Daniel removed his sunglasses. “Yeah, she looks real pretty.”
    Flustered, Monica dropped her gaze to a spot on the ground midway between them.
    “Prettiest woman I’ve seen in a long time.”
    Her heart started an unwelcome clamoring in her chest. One would think she’d never received a compliment before.
    “Tony Cristobal came by the house this morning. I didn’t even recognize him.”
    Relieved by the change of subject, she glanced up. “He looks great, doesn’t he?”
    “I guess keeping up with six kids will do that to a fellow.”
    “They’re quite the lively bunch. I should give Jennifer a call. We haven’t managed to get together since last summer.”
    Daniel’s expression grew serious. “He knows, doesn’t he?”
    She didn’t have to ask what he meant. “I think so, but he’s never said anything.”
    “It’s time to have that talk.”
    Oh, Lord. Get me through this. She swallowed hard, then nodded.
    “Mama, can we ask Mr. Rourke to stay for lunch?”
    Monica looked at her daughter, feeling afraid and hoping she didn’t show it. “Sure, honey.”
    “Can you, Mr. Rourke? Can you stay and eat with us?”
    “Yes. I’ll stay.”
    How long will you stay, Daniel? Only three more months? Is that all? It won’t be enough. Not nearly enough.
    Enough for what? For us?
    Panicked by her thoughts, she turned away, closed the car door and hurried up the walk to the house.
    Heather deserved a dad, she reminded herself, and Daniel deserved to know his daughter. That’s what this was all about. That was the only thing this was about. A father and a daughter.
    She fumbled with the key in the lock.
    “I’m going upstairs to change,” she called over her shoulder, not looking to see if the other two had followed her up the walk or if they’d heard what she said.
    In her room, she closed the door, then leaned against it, her eyes closed.
    This was insane. It was crazy. There was no reason in the world that she should be feeling like this. She wasn’t interested in Daniel. No matter how long he stayed in Boise, there