Read Online Changing Her Heart by Gail Sattler - Free Book Online Page B

even worse. She’d told him that it was about time, and then, when he’d finally managed to get himself under control, she had said that it was time to move on with his life. She was right. The next day had been the one-year anniversary of his sobriety, and the first day of the rest of his life.
    He didn’t know why he really wanted to hold Lacey, because she certainly wasn’t being receptive to him. He just wanted the connection. Needed it.
    But whatever the reason, it was a line he couldn’t cross.
    Randy dropped her hand and stepped back.
    Lacey quickly glanced from side to side. “I reallyshould get back to the party and get busy. I can’t leave all this mess for Mom to clean up by herself.”
    â€œThen I should probably leave.”
    Lacey’s face reddened. “I’m being a terrible host.
    I invited you so you could have a good time and meet new people, not just to help with Bryce’s computer.
    Please go mingle, or go see what Bryce is doing. I have to go find my mom.”
    Randy didn’t want to leave Lacey alone with her thoughts quite yet, but he liked to think he could take a hint. He nodded, and left the kitchen.
    The second he entered the living room, one of Bryce’s friends approached him.
    â€œBryce told me you know a lot about computers. My computer keeps rebooting. Do you think it might have a virus?”
    A woman he hadn’t met yet also joined them. “I was wondering if you could give me a little advice. I can’t get my printer to work. I thought I installed it properly, but it won’t even do the test page. Do you have any ideas?”
    Randy mentally ran through a list of what could be wrong with both units. For now, he didn’t mind giving out free technical support because it gave him something to keep his mind occupied.
    Still, in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but think of Lacey. He couldn’t erase the past, but therehad to be something he could do to build toward the future—a future that suddenly included more than just himself.
    Â 
    â€œHi, Lacey. Your boyfriend was right.”
    Lacey lowered her cell phone for a second, smiled at her customer to indicate that she would be a few minutes, then turned to the side to continue her conversation.
    Good manners would have her respond to Susan’s greeting, but no words would come. Randy may have been right, but Susan was wrong. Randy wasn’t her boyfriend, and he would never be her boyfriend. However, Lacey didn’t know what to say to Susan, because, just as Randy warned her, she didn’t want to do anything to discourage Susan. Being married to Eric, Susan didn’t have enough encouraging moments.
    Susan kept talking, not noticing Lacey’s lack of reply. “Remember when Randy said that the best time to talk to Eric wasn’t when he was feeling better? When I left with the kids, he’d forgotten about Bryce’s party. He thought I was leaving him, and it scared him. He’d been sick, and he wasn’t fully sober when I got home, but he agreed to talk to Randy this morning. He just phoned me from work to say he was sorry about yesterday. Isn’t that great?”
    Lacey tried not to let her doubts about the likelihood of long-term success dampen the small bit of encouragement. If any man had treated Lacey like Eric treated Susan, Lacey would have expected more than an apologetic phone call the next day. But for Susan, an apology was better than what happened most of the times Eric did something.
    â€œYes, that is great,” she said, trying her best to sound like she meant it.
    â€œI don’t know what Randy said, but you’re so lucky to have met him. He’s wonderful.”
    Lacey bit her lower lip. The same thing had happened at Bryce’s party. The minute Randy left, everyone started talking about him, about how funny and charming and smart he was. Yet, even while everyone was enthusiastically