Read Online Another Chance to Love You by Robin Lee Hatcher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robin Lee Hatcher
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couldn’t be anything between them. Friendship at most.
She drew in a ragged breath, then slowly exhaled. Better. That was better. The foolishness had nearly passed. She was almost back in control again.
Almost.
Daniel didn’t have time to wonder about Monica’s quick retreat up the stairs. Heather took charge of him, leading him into the family room. He sat down in the chair opposite the sofa. Heather sat on the matching ottoman in front of him.
“Guess what I forgot to tell you yesterday, Mr. Rourke?”
“Haven’t a clue.”
“I won a prize for a story I wrote in school. Mrs. Kline, my teacher, is gonna have me read it on Friday at the school carnival. All the kids who won will be reading their stuff. My best friend, Mary, won for her poem about horses, but I won for my short story.”
“That’s terrific, Heather. What’s the prize?”
She shrugged. “It’s a secret. I won’t know until Friday.” Her eyes widened. “Do you think you could come with us? To the carnival, I mean.”
Daniel wished Monica would come back. He wasn’t sure what he should answer.
“I just thought you might wanna hear my story, you bein’ a famous writer and all.”
He was surprised by how good that made him feel, his daughter wanting him to hear her work.
“Please come, Mr. Rourke. Mama’d like you to. I know she would. She thinks you’re real nice.”
“Does she?” He glanced toward the stairs. If only it was as simple as Heather made it sound. Everybody liking everybody. No past to stumble over.
“Sure, she does. I can tell. She’s never had a boyfriend like you who comes over a lot.”
Before Daniel could respond, Monica appeared at the bottom of the staircase. She had changed into jeans and a white blouse, the long sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her feet were bare. How was it she managed to look beautiful, even when dressed so simply?
“Mama, I asked Mr. Rourke to go to the school carnival on Friday.” She ran across the room to where her mother stood. “That’s okay, isn’t it? You’d like him to come, too, wouldn’t you?”
Monica’s and Daniel’s gazes met and held for an instant. He felt her tension. The air crackled with it.
Don’t hurt Heather, her eyes seemed to say. Please don’t fail her like you failed me.
Yes, he’d failed her. He’d told her he loved her, but he’d never wanted to make a real commitment to her or to marriage. Not when he’d thought the whole world was awaiting him elsewhere. So he’d intentionally driven her away from him, one angry word at a time.
And look what that decision had cost him.
Monica glanced at Heather. “We need to talk, honey.”
“But what about the carnival—”
“Let’s talk first. Sit down, please. On the sofa.”
A puzzled expression crossed the child’s face as she moved to obey. Monica sat beside her daughter, then took hold of Heather’s hand, as if afraid the girl might run away.
Daniel’s mouth was dry. He wished he could get himself a drink of water.
“Heather, honey,” Monica began, her voice soft. “Mr. Rourke and I have something important to tell you.”
Heather glanced between the two of them, then grinned that mischievous grin of hers. “Are you getting married? That’d be way cool.”
Daniel hadn’t seen that one coming.
“No,” Monica answered without looking in his direction. “No, we are not getting married. Where would you get such an idea?”
“I can tell you like him a lot. And he keeps coming over. He’s awful nice and you always seem—”
“Heather, please.” Monica’s tone was sharp. “That’s enough.”
Daniel rose from his chair and crossed to the sofa. He moved by instinct now. He didn’t know what he planned to do or say.
Heather turned to look at him as he sat on her other side. Her smile had vanished. Her mouth quivered, and she looked like she was fighting tears. He suspected her mother rarely raised her voice to scold.
He took hold of her free hand. “Do me a
She drew in a ragged breath, then slowly exhaled. Better. That was better. The foolishness had nearly passed. She was almost back in control again.
Almost.
Daniel didn’t have time to wonder about Monica’s quick retreat up the stairs. Heather took charge of him, leading him into the family room. He sat down in the chair opposite the sofa. Heather sat on the matching ottoman in front of him.
“Guess what I forgot to tell you yesterday, Mr. Rourke?”
“Haven’t a clue.”
“I won a prize for a story I wrote in school. Mrs. Kline, my teacher, is gonna have me read it on Friday at the school carnival. All the kids who won will be reading their stuff. My best friend, Mary, won for her poem about horses, but I won for my short story.”
“That’s terrific, Heather. What’s the prize?”
She shrugged. “It’s a secret. I won’t know until Friday.” Her eyes widened. “Do you think you could come with us? To the carnival, I mean.”
Daniel wished Monica would come back. He wasn’t sure what he should answer.
“I just thought you might wanna hear my story, you bein’ a famous writer and all.”
He was surprised by how good that made him feel, his daughter wanting him to hear her work.
“Please come, Mr. Rourke. Mama’d like you to. I know she would. She thinks you’re real nice.”
“Does she?” He glanced toward the stairs. If only it was as simple as Heather made it sound. Everybody liking everybody. No past to stumble over.
“Sure, she does. I can tell. She’s never had a boyfriend like you who comes over a lot.”
Before Daniel could respond, Monica appeared at the bottom of the staircase. She had changed into jeans and a white blouse, the long sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her feet were bare. How was it she managed to look beautiful, even when dressed so simply?
“Mama, I asked Mr. Rourke to go to the school carnival on Friday.” She ran across the room to where her mother stood. “That’s okay, isn’t it? You’d like him to come, too, wouldn’t you?”
Monica’s and Daniel’s gazes met and held for an instant. He felt her tension. The air crackled with it.
Don’t hurt Heather, her eyes seemed to say. Please don’t fail her like you failed me.
Yes, he’d failed her. He’d told her he loved her, but he’d never wanted to make a real commitment to her or to marriage. Not when he’d thought the whole world was awaiting him elsewhere. So he’d intentionally driven her away from him, one angry word at a time.
And look what that decision had cost him.
Monica glanced at Heather. “We need to talk, honey.”
“But what about the carnival—”
“Let’s talk first. Sit down, please. On the sofa.”
A puzzled expression crossed the child’s face as she moved to obey. Monica sat beside her daughter, then took hold of Heather’s hand, as if afraid the girl might run away.
Daniel’s mouth was dry. He wished he could get himself a drink of water.
“Heather, honey,” Monica began, her voice soft. “Mr. Rourke and I have something important to tell you.”
Heather glanced between the two of them, then grinned that mischievous grin of hers. “Are you getting married? That’d be way cool.”
Daniel hadn’t seen that one coming.
“No,” Monica answered without looking in his direction. “No, we are not getting married. Where would you get such an idea?”
“I can tell you like him a lot. And he keeps coming over. He’s awful nice and you always seem—”
“Heather, please.” Monica’s tone was sharp. “That’s enough.”
Daniel rose from his chair and crossed to the sofa. He moved by instinct now. He didn’t know what he planned to do or say.
Heather turned to look at him as he sat on her other side. Her smile had vanished. Her mouth quivered, and she looked like she was fighting tears. He suspected her mother rarely raised her voice to scold.
He took hold of her free hand. “Do me a
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